Claix, Isère

Claix is a commune with 7565 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2011 ) in the department of Isère, in the Rhône -Alpes.

Geography

Claix is located south of Grenoble at the confluence of the Drac and Gresse. On one hand, the community can be seen due to their location in up to 1800 meters above sea level in the foothills of the Vercors as mountain community, on the other hand it is one of the suburbs of Grenoble.

Neighboring municipalities are Varces - Allières -et- Risset, Seyssins, Lans -en- Vercors, Le Pont -de- Claix, Échirolles and Saint- Nizier -du -Moucherotte.

Community structure

The community consists of two major settlements, Le Bourg with Old Town, Town Hall and the Church of St. Peter and Le Pont Rouge in the plane, which was built around the old bridge over the Drac.

Furthermore, a number of smaller villages and hamlets belonging to the municipality, stretching down to the slopes of the Vercors, including La Balme, Saint Ange, Furonnières, Le Peuil and Savoyères.

Population

During the beginning of the 60s only a little over 2000 people at the 24.1 km ² large municipality lived, their numbers have now nearly quadrupled; In 1999, the population was, according to INSEE 7388, 2004 even 7632 people. This strong growth has to be justified on the one hand by increased influx of new residents in the Greater Grenoble, on the other hand attracted ( and draw ) more and more especially the elderly Frenchman away from the capital Paris in more rural areas.

Attractions

• Church of St. Peter
• Romanesque chapel in Cossey
• Bridge of Claix ( Pont Lesdiguières )
• A medieval tower

Personalities

Stendhal has spent a long period of his childhood in Claix, where his family owned a farm. The figure of the priest in Le Rouge et le Noir could have been abbot of Chélan, a family friend who lived in the neighboring hamlet Risset, inspired.