Albertville, Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Albertville is a French commune located in the Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Located in the heart of the Alps, the town is at the confluence of the Isère and its tributary Arly, also marking the junction of the valleys of the Tarentaise, Beaufortain and Val d’Arly, upstream of the Combe de Savoy. This geographical location has earned it the nickname of Carrefour des Quatre Vallées. Its location and its benefits Highlanders allowed the city to host the XVI th Winter Olympic Games in 1992.

History
The Town of Albertville that we know today is the legacy of centuries of history. The modern and dense urban fabric was built in stages, according to the history of France and that of Savoy. Originally Albertville, it was first of all Conflans, the upper town. The strategic position of this city, at the crossroads of the Alpine valleys, allowed it to quickly acquire a defensive and economic role. For a long time, the Bourg de Conflans hosted markets and fairs which could bring together up to 1,500 people. At the time of this commercial prosperity, the passage of the Roman Way linking Milan to Lyon and Vienna encouraged exchanges between products from the plain and those from the mountains.

At the end of the 12th century, a hospital was created to receive pilgrims and passing travelers. The village of Hôpital is located opposite Conflans, on the opposite bank of the Arly and is experiencing significant development while the commercial appeal of the medieval city is diminishing. A century later, work began to contain the Arly and Isère rivers, which put an end to the floods and favored the establishment of human settlements and the development of agriculture in the Combe de Savoie. In 1836, King Charles-Albert gave birth to Albertville by uniting the two towns (Conflans and the Hospital). After the attachment of Savoy to France in 1860, the City became a sub-prefecture.

From the 19th century, the gradual development of industry, followed by tourism and winter sports, will change the fate of the city. The social, technical and industrial transformations of the 20th century will enable Albertville to host the XVI Olympic Winter Games in 1992. The city then experienced a new lease of life with the creation of the Place de l’Europe and the DÔME cultural complex. On the outskirts, Olympic infrastructures such as the Halle and the Olympic Park are built. Today, Albertville is the central city of Arlysère and actively participates in the elaboration of the SCoT which defines the development and planning orientations of the Arlysère territory for the next 20 years.

Antiquity
In Roman times, the village on the rock was an important point on the Milan-Vienna route. Located at the confluence of the Arly and Isère rivers, the Romans baptized the city: ” ad confluentes “, hence its name. The plain was occupied by customs officials and was the border post for “ad publicanos” (from Latin publicanus: the tax farmer, here, the customs officer).

Medieval period
At the end of the xii th century, the Hospitallers of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem founded a hospitable home to accommodate travelers and pilgrims. All around, a village is developing: L’Hôpital. In 1216, the Hôpital-sous-Conflans was mentioned for the first time, then, in 1287, the town took the name of Villefranche de l’Hôpital.

Over the centuries the city, following the historical facts of Savoy, belonged to the Counts and Dukes of Savoy, who became Kings of Sardinia, and was sometimes occupied by French armies, until reunited with France in 1860.

Contemporary period
In 1801, after the conquest of Savoy by Bonaparte, it temporarily took the name of Conflent.

It was not until 1835, with the order ofDecember 19, that the King of Sardinia Charles-Albert brings together the two towns of Conflans and the Hospital to form Albertville. “In the mutual interest of the two towns of Conflans and the Hospital, it was recognized that their reunion in a single community body will be for their respective inhabitants a sum of advantages all the more precious as they will be to them. offered by the very nature of the place”. In 1965 the neighboring town of Saint Sigismond merged with Albertville and thus became a district.

In the 20th century, the electrochemical industry is very strong thanks to the rapid growth of Ugine Steel, which produces half of the stainless steel French.

Organization of the 1992 Olympic Winter Games, from 8 to February 23, 1992. Opening pronounced by President François Mitterrand.

Town planning
The attached map to which we will refer when reading the text dates from 1975. It remains valid today because by this date the communal space had already reached saturation. Some alterations were made to take into account, in particular, the changes that took place during the 1992 Winter Olympics.

Natural conditions
Albertville is in a crossroads position. The north-east-south-west direction corresponding to the Isère valley and its tributary Arly is the major axis of intra-alpine circulation: geographers have rightly called it Sillon alpin. Perpendicular to this axis, to the south-east, the Isère valley leads to the heart of the Tarentaise and to Italy via the Petit-Saint-Bernard pass. Towards the north-west, two lanes are open towards Annecy and Geneva: that of the Col de Tamié at only 907 meters has been historically preferred to the detour by Ugine. This situation is further enhanced by the discreet postern which gives access to Beaufortain. This geographical privilege called for urban development. However, Albertville was slow to establish itself as the capital of the Tarentaise because it was necessary to protect the plain from flooding.

The oldest population nucleus corresponds to the Butte de Conflans, a spur at the extreme western tip of the Beaufortain massif. It dominates the alluvial plain of Arly and Isère for about 80 meters and completely escapes the risk of flooding. The name of Conflans (confluence) clearly shows that this town was the only one, from Roman times, in a position to exploit this position of crossroads. But the cramped nature of the hill did not lend itself to the development of an important urban organism. It was first necessary to master the course of the Arly.

This tributary spreads its large alluvial fan over a width of about six km with a moderate slope of about ten meters over two km. According to a fairly classic law, he retained enough strength to tackle the Isère against the forest of Ronne, majestic northern coating of the Grand-Arc chain. It is difficult to imagine today the dangers of its neighborhood. During the flood1 st November 1765″The river so extraordinarily swollen that it overflowed into the plain of the Hospital and submerged it all and extended even by that of Saint-Sigismond which was completely contiguous” relates a witness.

Conflans
The commercial vocation of the town of Conflans since medieval times is now only a distant memory. Its decline was to be feared with the transfer of the royal saltworks from Moûtiers in 1753. Their operation in the old Tarine capital had exhausted the surrounding forest resources: there was a lack of “firewood”. In the plain under Conflans, one could exploit the intact reserves of the forest of Ronne. A 27 km “salt water channel”, made of pipes or brick terminals, allowed this transfer. From then on, the heavy carts of salt intended for the Savoyard market and even for export to Switzerland left the old hilltop village to take the plain road. Much more decisive in the decline of Conflans was to be the work undertaken from 1824 to control the course of the Arlyand subtract its alluvial fan from flooding. Today, tourism and complementary arts and crafts have become the dominant activities. The wealth of heritage has been gradually enhanced thanks to the combined efforts of the authorities, dynamic personalities such as Marius Hudry and the Society of Friends of Old Conflans.

Hospital Albertville
The map shows two other ancient population centers on the right bank of the Arly. The parish of St. Sigismund, bordering hill, named after a last Burgundian kings executed by the Frankish king Clodomir in 523 and Hospital, who was seconded to the beginning of the xiv th century, takes its name of a lodge set on the edge of the Arly late in the xii th century by the Hospitallers of the order of St. John of Jerusalem. The traffic grew over the centuries thanks to the crossing of the river by the Adoubes (tanners) bridge at the foot of the climb to Conflans, but the puny town still had only 256 inhabitants in 1756. At the end of the xviii th century, the “car of salt” had already led to a flowering of activity: publicans, hoteliers, wheelwrights, grooms.

However, it was not until the middle of the xix th century so that we can speak of a real take-off. It was then that were undertaken at the initiative of the Sardinian monarchy, the diking of Arly and Isère. At their confluence, the Pierre du Roy recalls the inaugural ceremony of theAugust 17, 1824in the presence of King Charles-Félix. The most active period lasted from 1829 to 1840. In the area of the Pont des Adoubes, the Esplanade, later converted into a fairground and today a market, was sheltered from flooding in 1844. Let us add that, to facilitate relations with the left bank of the Isère, in 1854, a bridge replaced the ferry from the Albertin concessionaire, but whose name has been retained. At that date, the name of Hospital was no longer valid: “Crumpled by the wicked allusions to which this designation, which was common to it with the charity houses intended to receive the sick, they [the inhabitants] lent them, sought to adopt another. “. King Charles-Albert readily agreed to this request and by letter patent fromDecember 19, 1835, the Hospital became Albertville on 1 st January 1836.

Before World War II
In the century which followed the founding of the town, Albertville’s growth remained moderate, the population rising from 3,408 inhabitants in 1838 to 7,126 in 1936, ie an annual rate of 2% per year. The transport revolution and the white coal revolution had very gradual and not spectacular effects.

The road network has been greatly modernized. Along the Isère, to Montmélian, the dike served as a foundation for a new straight road instead of the old way which climbed all the alluvial cones in order to serve each village at the foot of the Bauges (1852). This route corresponds today in the crossing of the city to the rue de la République. Perpendicularly, the rue du Pont or rue Neuve (the current rue Gambetta) was pierced. In its extension, in 1840, the bridge over the Arly had been rebuilt about a hundred meters downstream from the old one and its surroundings on the left bank had been developed to form the Place Charles-Albert.

Access to the Tarentaise via the plain under Conflans was thereby simplified. This route which France will inherit in 1860 will become our RN 90 and will remain unchanged until the creation in 1960 of the deviation on the left bank of the Isère. The rail service was delayed until 1876 by connection to the international Paris-Rome route at Saint-Pierre-d’Albigny. TheAlbertville station was to remain the terminus of the PLM network until 1893, when the railway line was extended to Moûtiers. The connection with Annecy via Ugine will be delayed until 1901.

The white coal revolution did not directly affect Albertville for lack of hydroelectric equipment on its territory. However, the impact was not negligible due to the vicinity of the Venthon factories and especially the Ugine Steel Mills. On the one hand, when the Great War, which became a war of attrition, mobilized the population for armaments, Albertville was transformed into a real dormitory city with an incessant back and forth of trains on the PLM line. towards the Steelworks of Ugine; peace returned the habit had been taken from an urban residence. On the other hand, we have seen a flowering of small and medium-sized enterprises, most of which were in the service of these factories: civil engineering works (Fangeas), metal construction, foundry (Dufour), road transport (Viguet-Carrin) or inspired by a new entrepreneurial spirit (hydraulic cylinders).

From the old core, urban development took place by extending the rue de la République – rue Victor-Hugo to the south-west: it is on this axis as well as on rue Gambetta that the major part of the merchants and craftsmen and that the sub-prefecture took place. Beyond the station, houses were scattered along the national 90 to the level crossing of the railway line. On the other hand, along the Arly avenue Pierre-Blanc, currently “des Chasseurs alpins”, once past the monumental town hall built in 1862, almost the entire place has been reserved for the army.

Because Albertville has become a garrison town and a stronghold (forts du Mont, Pointières, Tamié). There were as many as 1,315 soldiersin 1906, one in five Albertvillois! From north to south followed the penitentiary (1900-1910), the Songeon barracks, the first buildings of which dated from 1874-78, the arsenal built between 1883 and 1890 and, beyond the Tarentaise railway line, the shooting range. The 1975 plan still bears some traces (penitentiary, barracks, arsenal) of these military rights-of-way which were to constitute subsequently as many land reserves. In the interval between these two axes, urbanization progressed until the Cours Jean-Jaurès but with an increasingly loose fabric on the southernmost cross-sections, the rue des Écoles, now rue Félix-Chautemps, was the last to truly deserve the name.

The great growth
Albertville’s population fell from 7,137 in 1946 to 16,961 in 1975, an increase of about two and a half times, or an annual rate of 8.2%, but with a decline of two points from to 1968 if we had stopped the calculation in that year. In researching the reasons for this exceptional growth, we find features common to the whole of French society, including the rural exodus: the agricultural revolution freed up an enormous workforce; As, moreover, urbanization has devoured cultivated areas, it is not surprising to note that the primary sector has fallen until it almost disappears (1.8% of the working population in 1975).

Albertville drew its vitality from the reserves of the Savoy countryside. Otherwise, these new urban dwellers joined the old ones to demand more services in the areas of commerce, education and health in particular. This explains the high degree of maintenance of the tertiary sector, which further increased from 45 to 50% of the workforce from 1962 to 1968. There is, however, a specificity in Albertville, the most surprising of which is in the maintenance at a very high level. secondary sector level (47% of jobs in 1954, 50% in 1968) in a city which never had a great industrial vocation. This peculiarity is linked to the excellent health of the white coal industries until the end of the Glorious Thirty Years: Venthon and especially the Steelworks of Ugine, whose workforce then reached and even exceeded 4,000. city has become, even more than in the past, a dormitory: we can estimate at 2,000 these migrant workers who took the road to the factory every day!

And when we examine the statistics on the tertiary sector in more detail, we discover the exceptional share of road transport with two big deals: Viguet-Carrin and, in cooperative form, the Tarentaise, whose place has become invasive in the plain under Conflans. However, this one in particular was 90% the servant of electrochemistry and electrometallurgy whose place has become invasive in the plain under Conflans. However, this one in particular was 90% the servant of electrochemistry and electrometallurgy whose place has become invasive in the plain under Conflans. However, this one in particular was 90% the servant of electrochemistry and electrometallurgy.

This economic prosperity has had its translation in the urban plan by the complete conquest of the Arly cone in four stages if one relies on the rhythm of the achievements of the municipal HLM office to which more complied. or less faithfully private promotion. The 1,020 housing units delivered from 1952 to 1974 are, in fact, in an increasingly peripheral position. Those of the 1950s filled the holes in the urban fabric as far as Cours Jean-Jaurès, near the Penitentiary, in the city of Aubry but also in the Adoubes. From 1960 to 1968, the effort focused on three more eccentric sectors: between avenues Jean-Jaurès and Jean Moulin, near the crossroads of the RN 90.

In the plain under Conflans. A new leap from 1968 to 1973 over the establishments of Viard-et-Vial, Felter, Sotrabas, Viguet-Carrin led to the Sainte-Thérèse district with two homes for migrant workers and for the elderly and signaled from afar by the three Novarina towers: the loop of the railway to the Tarentaise has thus been more or less filled. This obstacle was overcome in 1976, with the delivery by the Office HLM rue des Trois Poiriers of the first of a group of 250 housing units.

Public facilities have endeavored to support this sprawl as evidenced by the hierarchy of educational establishments. The city center has acquired the Lycée-CES Jean-Moulin; each bank of the Arly has had its CES: “Combe de Savoie” on the right bank, “Pierre-Grange” on the left bank while the peripheral primary groups, in Sainte-Thérèse, at the Champ de Mars, under Conflans, the little ones have avoided too demanding routes. In addition, we have seen the regrouping of economic activities in specialized areas, that of Chiriac to the west, that under Conflans between the railway line and Isère to the east.

Such saturation of the space called for an adequate adaptation of the road network: the deviation of the RN 90 along the Isère and the treatment in avenue (des Chasseurs Alpins) of the road along the Arly have at least spared the center – city of traffic jams! However, nothing has been done to address the traffic problem inside the city by removing level crossings. Because when the railway line was extended to Moûtiers, the PLM chose the solution of turning back at Albertville station: the motor coaches must maneuver to resume their place at the head of the convoys heading for the Tarentaise. The problem would have been partially resolved if the solution of a two-kilometer tunnel under Conflans had been implemented.

Albertville, Olympic capital (1992)
Albertville’s population grew from 16,961 in 1975 to 18,950 in 2014, an annual growth rate of 0.2 to 0.3%. We can therefore speak of demographic stagnation and relate it to the saturation of municipal space. The growth seems to have been transferred to the six bordering municipalities which increased during the same period from 5,656 to 10,294 inhabitants, ie a growth of 182%, and an annual rate of 4 to 5%. There was a major event in this period: the choice of Albertville as the Olympic capital for the 1992 Winter Olympics which gave the city worldwide notoriety. This choice is not the result of chance.

The OCOG meeting in Lausanne onFebruary 17, 1986recognized the privileged location of the Albertville crossroads compared to the Tarentaise and Beaufortain stations in view of the running of the 57 events. It also rewarded the tenacity of Michel Barnier, president of the General Council of Savoy but also Albertvillois, of the triple Olympic champion Jean-Claude Killy who co-chaired the committee carrying the project and of the mayor Henri Dujol.

In terms of town planning, it is necessary to underline the definitive insertion of Albertville and Tarentaise in the most modern national communication networks. Thanks to the 15 km of the A 430 in the extension of the A 43, the city is connected to the entire national motorway network. From the crossroads of Pierre du Roy, the expressway taking the route of the former national 90 deviated ensures the connection with Moûtiers in the heart of the Tarentaise. In the direction of Ugine and Haute-Savoie in the extension of the new right bank track of the Arly, the national 212 has been upgraded. An even better solution made it possible to evacuate the transit traffic: the bank track, but it was to be carried out 16 years after the J0 (2008). The SNCF station has been modernized and the railway line has been electrified to its terminus in Bourg-Saint-Maurice.

The installation of the OCOG and the holding in the city of 18 of the 57 events required the creation of a set of sports facilities around the Olympic Campus (Hall with ice rink, Olympic stadium). The ceremonial pole maintains the memory of the opening (February 2) and the fence (February 23) games. Albertville also has a large cultural center in the heart of the city, with five new hotels. The hospital has left rue Pasteur for spacious and modern buildings at Plan Perrier.

Tourism
The tourist development of the city of Albertville is based on its location at the crossroads of four valleys and several massifs, upstream from the Combe de Savoie, downstream from the Tarentaise valley, but also from the Beaufortain and Val massifs. d’Arly where there are many winter sports resorts of which it was the Olympic capital in 1992, but also of its medieval city of Conflans. The development of tourist activity in the city dates back to 1946, with the creation of a tourist office. The promotional structure becomes the Maison du Tourisme du Pays d’Albertville. The enhancement of the urban heritage in connection with the Friends of Old Conflans society makes it possible to obtain the official label ” Ville d”.

In 2014, the town’s reception capacity, estimated by the Savoie Mont Blanc organization, was 2,160 tourist beds spread over 179 structures. Accommodation is distributed as follows: 14 furnished; 7 hotels; an outdoor hotel structure; a holiday center or village / youth hostel; a refuge or stopover and three guest rooms.

Visits to the historical heritage of a region full of know-how, between arts and popular Savoyard traditions. Due to the richness and diversity of the local culture – whether built heritage, industrial heritage or religious heritage – the pleasure of visiting and learning will appeal to young and old, whatever the season.

Medieval City
Medieval Conflans, unique in Savoie, on the other side of the Arly river, another face of Albertville awaits you: that of the medieval city of Conflans. A district of Albertville where time seems to have stood still. Perched on its rock, the venerable village contains in its fortified enclosure architectural treasures from the Middle Ages and later eras. Its built heritage goes beyond the strict framework of the medieval walls. The Château de Costaroche recalls the illustrious past of Manuel de Locatel’s family. In the Hauts de Conflans, the many hamlets are home to a small typical rural heritage while the Fort du Mont bears witness to a defense system developed in the 19th century. Guided tours, fun workshops, treasure hunts and treasure hunts vary according to the seasonal entertainment program and on request for groups. Audio-guided tours of the medieval city of Conflans available all year round at the reception of the Museum of Art and History according to museum opening hours.

Savoie Mont-Blanc
Destination Savoie, between Beaufortain and Val d’Arly, not far from the Swiss and Italian borders. During the Easter holidays, in the spring, the All Saints holidays, in the fall or during the summer months, the Pays d’Albertville in Rhône-Alpes is also a destination where it is good to stroll. Come and visit the unique medieval town of Savoy, in Conflans, religious buildings such as the famous Tamié Abbey, a Romanesque church and museums, forts or fortifications… Also meet on the Baroque route, or meet a contemporary heritage, with buildings by renowned architects. It’s a whole heritage route, with guided tours, initiations and workshops, which will enhance your stays and getaways, between relaxation and discovery.

Architecture and historical monuments
Near Lake Annecy in Haute-Savoie, and Lake Bourget, between Aix-les-Bains and Chambéry, towards Albertville and its surrounding valleys. Labeled Cities and Countries of Art and History, their heritage surprises with their eclecticism, from the 14th century until today. We have made our priority the conservation and preservation of historical remains, the Orthodox church, sacred art, but also the Saracen tower. And to appreciate our history, go to our museums; our guides and audio guides are waiting for you in particular at the Maison Rouge in Conflans, at the Museum of popular arts and traditions of Val d’Arly, at the Combe de Savoie Ecomuseum in Grésy-sur-Isère or at the Taillanderie Museum to Marthod; without forgetting the Maison des Jeux Olympiques in Albertville, and its new Museo space, to relive the 1992 Winter Olympics.

Industrial heritage
An emblematic city of the Olympic Games, Albertville brings together all the heritage of the Olympic Games, with the cultural complex of the Dome, the Olympic Park, as well as the speed ring and the cauldron. The Pays d’Albertville is also renowned for its industrial heritage: steelworks at Ugine, hydroelectricity at the EDF plant at La Bâthie.

A vibrant culture
We also give an important place to living culture. Many activities and shows are offered at the media library or at the theater, and a cinema offers programming for the whole family. Also enjoy concerts at the Olympic Hall, in a room that also hosts trade fairs, seminars and sports competitions.

Local Culture and Heritage
The city obtained the official “City of Art” label in 2003.

Listed heritage
The town has ten monuments listed in the inventory of historical monuments and none listed in the general inventory of cultural heritage. In addition, it has twenty-two objects listed in the inventory of historical monuments and none listed in the general inventory of cultural heritage.

Roman period
Under Roman occupation, Albertville was probably a border post. Archaeological excavations have brought to light a villa in the neighboring village of Gilly-sur-Isère. The Roman road from Milan to Vienna, via the Petit-Saint-Bernard pass, passed through the city.

Medieval period
House with turrets in Albertville.

Medieval city of Conflans
Ramparts of the xiv th century.
Conflans Castle.
The strong house of La Cour and the Sarrazine Tower.
Château Rouge: end of xiv th century.
Chateau Manual Locatel: end of the xvi th century.
The Red House (built in the late xiv th century for Pierre Voisin, secretary of Count Amadeus VI of Savoy) Museum of Art and History.
Saint-Grat Church, rebuilt after a fire between 1700 and 1720, combining baroque and neoclassical styles

Cultural heritage
Many places are devoted to culture:
ethnography and history museum (Château Rouge);
Savoy museum;
tarines archives (Manuel castle);
House of the Olympic Games, founded in October 1992;
cultural center of the Dome, monumental building erected for the Olympic Games and housing a cinema, a theater and a media library. It revolves around a place very popular with Albertville residents: the Place de l’Europe.

The associative fabric offers the city a multiple cultural face thanks in particular to the following structures:
The InterVal ‘ social and cultural center. He will be forced to close inMay 2007. Justice will order a judicial liquidation and the dismissal of the 22 remaining employees. The closure is the consequence of the non-renewal up to the previous year of a municipal subsidy. [ref. necessary]
The theater company.
The Albertville harmony orchestra.
The intercommunal school of music and dance (EIMD).
The travel festival.
The Society of Friends of Vieux Conflans

The monument to the fallen of the resistance fighters of the Second World War of Albertville and Beaufort was created by the sculptor Philippe Besnard.

Events and festivities
The Grand Bivouac is the festival of travel and shared discoveries which takes place in Albertville every year at the end of October, with writers, reporters, photographers, ethnologists, gathered with the public around dozens of events (films, conferences, aperitifs – meeting, exhibitions, events…). Guests and subjects come from all over the world. The Grand Bivouac also has a lounge reserved for adventure travel professionals.
Albertville Jazz Festival: the Albertville Jazz Festival, the first edition of which took place in 2015. Next edition: from 28 toJuly 31, 2016.

Natural heritage
The town is a “Villes-Portes” of the regional natural park of the Massif des Bauges, which obtained inseptember 2011international label supported by UNESCO Geopark, becoming the 1st game reserve (wildlife) and 3rd Geopark from France (87 th worldwide). The Arlysère agglomeration community is also linked to it through its member municipalities.

In 2014, the municipality of Albertville was rewarded by the “ Flower towns and villages competition” with three flowers by winning one flower compared to previous years.

Holidays in the Alpine region
Take advantage of your summer holidays in the mountains to share the passion of the producers of the Pays d’Albertville for our regional products. Come and taste the authentic flavors of our mountain pastures, learn how to cook them, and let yourself be seduced by the local craftsmanship.

A unique sensory journey
Getaway begins in the Alps, at the crossroads of the Savoy valleys, in unspoiled nature. Inhale, open your eyes and ears wide, and enjoy the great outdoors and high-altitude landscapes. Whether you are a fan of sporting or cultural tourism, looking for rest or relaxation, with the Pays d’Albertville “The adventure begins here”. To experience special moments, between lakes and mountains, at any age, with family or friends.

Bauges, Beaufort, Tarentaise… names that evoke the richness of our terroir. In our mountain pastures, surrounded by nature, the milk of our cows, goats and ewes is produced, with the delicious taste of flowers that bloom with the heat of the summer sun. Land of valley, the Pays d’Albertville, they are also orchards where apples and pears are cultivated by local producers, to extract delicious fruit juice.

From visits to dairy cooperatives to snacks on the farm, our exceptional cheese producers invite you to taste, according to your desires: fresh, natural or flavored cheeses, faisselles or yoghurts… a quality valley-mountain production, 100% local, in short circuit, to find on the farm or in our markets. Without forgetting the wines of Savoy, the regional charcuterie, the fruits and vegetables of the soil and the honey of our mountains.

Gourmet encounters in agricultural and wine-growing lands
Between Annecy and Chambéry, our region is renowned for its cuisine that is both traditional and creative. Because the pleasure of good food and good wine is not a legend in the Pays de Savoie and Haute-Savoie, but a story of encounters and transmission. By following cooking classes, discover our regional seasonal products and learn how to prepare them. On the advice of our producers, farmers and artisans, let your imagination run wild and surprise your palate by combining ingredients and unique flavors.

We also invite you to cultivate your artistic gaze and to introduce yourself to art in all its forms. Visiting arts and crafts workshops, painters or potters may make you want to touch and model the material. Or learn the framing techniques, to put under glass the photos of your hikes in the Beaufortain massif and the Val d’Arly. Because such an environment also deserves to be valued down to the smallest detail.

Outdoor activities
Move in this exceptional environment to the rhythm of the seasons but also to your desires. Take advantage of hiking or cycling to explore this unspoiled and generous nature in the heart of the Alps between lakes and mountains. A wide choice of cycling routes is available to you, whether you are a beginner or an expert, with your family, as a couple or with friends. Quiet hikes in the valley, on the shores of Lake Annecy on the Véloroute, or to the assault of medium and high mountain passes, the Pays d’Albertville is a must of its kind.

The Pays d’Albertville is a territory of plains, valleys and mountains accessible to all. Its preserved environment makes it an ideal discovery destination in all seasons. Enjoy the great outdoors with outdoor activities and have fun by opting for indoor activities… to each his own, because all tastes are in nature. Whether you want to surpass yourself or simply to visit and stroll, a wide variety of activities are available between Annecy and Chambéry. A hike in the Bauges Natural Park or the Vanoise National Park? A walk in Beaufortain, Val d’Arly or in Tarentaise? This summer, gain altitude in Savoie Mont-Blanc, and come and discover the splendid massifs of the Pays d’Albertville. Between lakes and mountains, Savoie invites you to discover a nature destination par excellence, very popular during the holidays.

Cycle
A real “bike” ecosystem! The Pays d’Albertville stands out for its diversity of landscapes and cycle routes. A true cycling culture deeply rooted in the region and which makes our destination an ideal base camp for your cycle tourism / cycling trips.

Mountain biking
The Pays d’Albertville is also a real base camp for mountain biking tours in the Beaufortain and Val d’Arly valleys. Many tracks, bikepark and other facilities await you in a privileged environment in the heart of Savoie Mont-Blanc.

“Nature lines” shuttles at your disposal!
The Beaufortain shuttles set up every summer facilitate connections between the Beaufortain resorts and villages from Albertville. They are equipped for transporting bicycles. Accessible and economical, they are also available for pedestrians and hikers.

Hiking / Trails
The Pays d’Albertville has many hiking routes. Whether you are a mountain lover or an expert in the field, here, everything is planned to meet your expectations. From fun hikes for the whole family to alpine hikes and trails for the more athletic, our destination is your ideal playground to enjoy your holidays.

Alpine tracks
Want to take a breath of fresh air? We have what you need… Download your new “Alpine Tracks” geo-guidance application from your stores to accompany you on your hikes, trails, mountain biking and cycling trips.

Other outdoor leisure activities
With the summer heat, how about a refreshing bike ride in the forest, followed by a swim in Wam Park with its floating games? For family leisure enthusiasts, the program of activities offered in the Pays d’Albertville is rich. If Fort de Tamié is a must-see, it is also thanks to its acrofort, its 8 hectares and its breathtaking view of the three valleys. After a zipline course, go to the play park with its water pools and lounge area for parents.

The Pays d’Albertville is also the emblematic site of Olympic sports in Rhône-Alpes. With its sports facilities, the Halle olympique d’Albertville offers holidaymakers the opportunity to slide on its ice rink during the day or in the evening, especially during the Easter holidays or the All Saints holidays. And for climbers, a detour is needed to climb its imposing climbing wall, with routes ranging from 6A + or 8B +. Otherwise, for a fun evening with the family, head to the bowling alley… strikes, laughter and relaxation guaranteed all year round.