La Clusaz
Encyclopedia
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie is a French department in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. It borders both Switzerland and Italy. The capital is Annecy. To the north is Lake Geneva and Switzerland; to the south and southeast are the Mont Blanc and Aravis mountain ranges and the French entrance to the Mont...
department in the Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes is one of the 27 regions of France, located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris...
region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
in south-eastern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Overview
It is a skiSkiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
resort in the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
near the Swiss border. The commune of La Clusaz is part of the Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie is a French department in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. It borders both Switzerland and Italy. The capital is Annecy. To the north is Lake Geneva and Switzerland; to the south and southeast are the Mont Blanc and Aravis mountain ranges and the French entrance to the Mont...
département. An old village, La Clusaz has been hosting winter sports since 1907. It is the birthplace of famous French skier Vincent Vittoz
Vincent Vittoz
Vincent Vittoz is a French cross-country skier. He grew up in the town of La Clusaz in the Northern French Alps and has been competing since 1982...
and sailor Philippe Monnet
Philippe Monnet
Philippe Monnet is a single-handed sailor from France, born in La Clusaz.-Records:*1988: World record - solo sail on "Kriter" ....
. Based in the Aravis mountain range La Clusaz (originally from the word cluse - meaning a narrow path between two mountains) was once called Clusa Locus Dei meaning God's narrow place.
In 1902, the opening of the road connecting Annecy
Annecy
Annecy is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It lies on the northern tip of Lake Annecy , 35 kilometres south of Geneva.-Administration:...
and the valley of Thônes
Thônes
Thônes is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-Geography:The Fier flows northwestward through the middle of the commune and crosses the village.-References:*...
with the Aravis
Aravis Range
The Aravis is a mountain range in Savoie and Haute-Savoie, eastern France. It is part of the French Prealps, a lower chain of mountain ranges west of the main chain of the Alps. Its highest summit is the Pointe Percée, at 2752m. The orientation of the Aravis is north-south, and it stretches from...
Valley which allowed La Clusaz (formerly a small and remote village) to become a tourist center for summer and winter sports.
In 1956, the first cable car was introduced. The commune of La Clusaz is classified winter sports resort and of alpinism per decree of June 18, 1969. The first luge was added in 1985. The first snow cannon was added in 1994. La Clusaz is part of the Aravis skiing area which it shares with the neighbouring resort of Le Grand Bornand to offer a total of 220km of pistes
Geography
The commune of Clusaz is located 32 km to the east of Annecy, in the Aravis Valley. There are a number of different lakes nearby, the most famous of which is the Lac des Confins.Coat of arms
Many sheep herds were found in the parish of La Clusaz. The King of Sardinia, the Duke of Savoy, no doubt wished to evoke this pastoral activity, in 1602 gave the village the right to use the arms of “a silver sheep on a green field”.Nearby
Nearby villages include ManigodManigod
Manigod is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-Domain de Manigod:Inside the skiing domain of Manigod there is different areas - La Croix Fry, Merdassier, Manigod Village and others.-Village:...
, Thônes
Thônes
Thônes is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-Geography:The Fier flows northwestward through the middle of the commune and crosses the village.-References:*...
, Le Grand Bornand, Saint-Jean-de-Sixt
Saint-Jean-de-Sixt
Saint-Jean-de-Sixt is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It lies in the Aravis Range of the French Alps...
and the larger Chamonix
Chamonix
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc or, more commonly, Chamonix is a commune in the Haute-Savoie département in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It was the site of the 1924 Winter Olympics, the first Winter Olympics...
.
Tourism
La Clusaz's main tourist draw is skiing (the town is distinctly neglected-seeming in summer), introduced a number of different skiers including:Candide Thovex
Candide Thovex
Candide Thovex , is a French professional skier.- Biography :Thovex was born in Annecy, Haute-Savoie, and grew up in the village of La Clusaz. Thovex learned to ski in the Aravis region of the French Alps. La Clusaz is where his childhood friends and girlfriend live and where he perfected his big...
,
Vincent Vittoz
Vincent Vittoz
Vincent Vittoz is a French cross-country skier. He grew up in the town of La Clusaz in the Northern French Alps and has been competing since 1982...
,
Mirabelle Thovex,
Guy Perillat,
Alain Pessey,
sam phelps
Catherine Lombard,
Raphaelle Monod,
Edgar Grospiron
Edgar Grospiron
Edgar Grospiron is a French freestyle skier and Olympic champion. He won a gold medal at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville. He received a bronze medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer.-References:...
,
Regine Cavagnoud
Régine Cavagnoud
Régine Cavagnoud was a French alpine skier. The 2001 Super-G World Champion, she was killed in a training accident.-Career:Régine Cavagnoud was born in Thônes, Haute-Savoie....
,
Loic Collomb-Patton,
Laurent Favre
william bardsley
Candide Invitational
The Candide Invitational is an annual ski contest/demonstration hosted on La Balme Mountain, La Clusaz. Organized by Candide ThovexCandide Thovex
Candide Thovex , is a French professional skier.- Biography :Thovex was born in Annecy, Haute-Savoie, and grew up in the village of La Clusaz. Thovex learned to ski in the Aravis region of the French Alps. La Clusaz is where his childhood friends and girlfriend live and where he perfected his big...
and consisting of a number of top international skiers.
Shopping in La Clusaz is much like other small alpine villages - centred around local shops specialising in either local delicacies such as cheese, meats and wines, or ski shops.