Novel, Haute-Savoie
Novel is a commune in the French department of Haute- Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region.
Geography
Novel is located at 960 m above sea level. Level, 23 km east of the town of Thonon -les- Bains ( straight line ). The mountain village is located in the Chablais, in the valley of Dent d' Oche Morge the northeast in the Chablais Alps, on the border with Switzerland.
The area of 9.75 km ² municipal area includes a portion of the northern Chablais Alps. The south-eastern boundary runs along the creek the Morge, a short mountain stream and southern tributary of Lake Geneva, which forms the border of France and Switzerland. To the northwest the municipality area extends to the ridge with Pointe de l' Aritte (1691 m above sea level. M. ) and Pic Boré (1974 m above sea level. M. ). To the southwest and south, the area in the pastures on which spring the headwaters of Morge, except for the striking rock summit of Dent d' Oche ( with 2222 meters above sea level. M. the highest elevation of the Novel ) and Roc du Château d' Oche extends ( 2199 m above sea level. M. ).
Neighboring communities of Novel are Saint- Gingolph and Thollon -les- Mémises in the north, Bernex in the West, Vacheresse and La Chapelle- d'Abondance in the south and the Swiss Saint- Gingolph in the East ( Canton of Valais).
History
Novel was founded in the 12th century. The name derives from the old French word novel, which means about as much as arable land made . Before the First World War it counted up to 20,000 tourists per year. In 1924, fell by 38 houses in the entire village apart from the rectory, the Hôtel du Grammont, the Dairy Farm and a building a village destroyed by fire. The church collapsed, 150 people were left homeless, but no one injured.
Because the mountain village had very little population, it was merged in 1973 with Saint- Gingolph. However, the villagers fought back with a petition against the forced merger. Effective as of December 27, 1982 Novel was therefore raised again as a separate parish.
Attractions
The village church has a traditional bell tower. The figure of Jesus on the cross above the altar is made easy, probably the carving of a regional shepherds. She has a special feature: Jesus has no beard. A little above the village stands a chapel from the 19th century. Novel was rebuilt after the fire in a traditional style again.
Population
With 55 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) Novel is one of the smallest municipalities in the department of Haute- Savoie. Especially at the beginning of the 1970s took the population significantly. Since then she has remained at a relatively constant level.
Economy and infrastructure
Novel was until well into the 20th century a predominantly coined by agriculture and forestry village. Some of the working population commuters who engage in the larger towns in the vicinity of their work. The last of two former hotels was closed in 2006, the associated restaurant is no more since the end of 2012.
The village is located off the major thoroughfares. The only entrance is from Saint- Gingolph on the main road N5. Novel is destination of many Swiss from the nearby cantons of Vaud, Valais and Geneva, on the actual site have weekend houses partially in the mountains.