Les Houches

Les Houches is a village in the French department of Haute- Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region.

Geography

Les Houches is located at 1008 m above sea level. M., west of Chamonix -Mont- Blanc, about 60 km southeast of the city of Geneva (air line). The village is located in a valley of the Arve in Savoy Alps at the northern foot of Mont Blanc.

The area of ​​43.07 km ² municipal area includes a portion of the upper Arvetals. From east to west the area of ​​the Arve is crossed in a more or less broad valley. Below Les Houches records the Arve a bow and then flows to the north- northwest through a gorge-like valley is countersunk. North of the Arvetals enough the community area on the aiguillette des Houches ( 2285 m above sea level. M. ), which forms the southwestern Aiguilles Rouges Massif des conclusion of, and in the deep gorge of the Diosaz (right side of the river Arve ).

Along the western flank are the terrain of terraces and Vaudagne Les Chavants. The border is in the height of Le Prarion and Col de Voza. To the south extends the communal land on the steep and furrowed by erosion gullies different slopes of the Mont- Blanc massif down to the ice-covered summit of Dôme du Goûter, on with 4304 meters above sea level. M. the highest elevation of Les Houches is achieved. The eastern boundary forms the Glacier de Taconnaz.

At Les Houches in addition to the village itself includes various hamlets and holiday settlements and farmsteads, including:

• Le Lac (810 m above sea level. M. ) in the basin of Servoz
• Vaudagne (1050 m above sea level. M. ) on the hillside west of the Arve
• Les Chavants ( 1040 m above sea level. M. ) on a terrace on the western side of the valley of the Arve
• Le Bettey (1400 m above sea level. M. ) on a ridge on the southwestern slope of aiguillette des Houches
• La Griaz ( 991 m above sea level. M. ) in the valley of the Arve
• Le Bourgeat ( 999 m above sea level. M. ) in the valley of the Arve
• Le Pont ( 1040 m above sea level. M. ) on the alluvial fan of the torrent Bourgeat on the southern flank of the Arve
• Taconnaz ( 1046 m above sea level. M. ) on the alluvial fan of the stream, the entfließt the Glacier de Taconnaz

Neighboring municipalities of Les Houches are Servoz in the north, Chamonix -Mont- Blanc in the East, and Saint- Gervais- les- Bains in the West.

History

In the Middle Ages Les Houches belonged to the lords of Faucigny. At the instigation of Béatrice de Faucigny the Château de Saint -Michel was built in the 13th century. As part of the Dauphiné reached the place in 1349 in France, but was delivered in a country Abtausch to the Counts of Savoy under the Treaty of Paris in 1355. After Les Houches shared the fate of Savoy. The congregation joined in 1864 by the Canton Saint- Gervais- les- Bains to the newly created Canton of Chamonix -Mont- Blanc.

Attractions

The church of Saint -Jean -Baptiste was built in 1734 in the Baroque style. Also worth mentioning are the chapels of Vaudagne (17th century), Notre -Dame-du -Lac, Fouilly and Le Pont (all 19th century). On the Roc d' Oran, a promontory on the north side of the valley of the Arve, is a 25 meter high statue of Christ, which was built from 1933 to 1934. Of the former castle of Saint- Michel in the 13th century ruins are preserved. In the hamlets you will find many farmhouses in the traditional style.

Church of Saint -Jean -Baptiste

Christ the Redeemer

Population

With 2985 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) Les Houches is one of the medium-sized towns in the Haute-Savoie region. During the 20th century, the population steadily increased due to high levels of emigration from (1901 were still counted 2069 inhabitants in Les Houches ). Since the early 1970s, and especially during the 90s, a significant increase in population was recorded thanks to the proximity to Chamonix again.

Economy and infrastructure

Les Houches was until well into the 20th century a predominantly coined by farming village. In addition, the mining of copper and asphalt played a certain role. Today there are various operations of small businesses. Many workers are commuters who engage in the larger towns in the vicinity of their work. In recent decades, Les Houches has developed into an important tourist resort. The community is mainly focused on winter tourism. Various cable cars and ski lifts connect the slopes at the northern foot of Mont Blanc. About the cable cars is also a link with the Tramway du Mont- Blanc. The part of the Alpine World Cup sporadically occurring Arlberg - Kandahar race in Chamonix will be held in the ski resort of Les Houches.

The village region has a very well developed. It is located above the four-lane main road N205 that runs from Annemasse to Chamonix. Les Houches has a railway station on the route Saint- Gervais- Vallorcine.