Samoëns

Samoens is a commune in the French department of Haute- Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region. It is the capital of the canton of Samoens in the arrondissement of Bonneville.

Geography

Samoens is located at 710 m above sea level. M., east of Cluses, approximately 46 kilometers east-southeast of the city of Geneva (air line). The village is located on the northern edge of the wide valley floor of the Giffre, in the Savoy Alps in the Haut- Giffre, in the eastern Faucigny.

The area of ​​97.29 km ² municipal area includes a strong in relief section of the Savoy Alps. The area is crossed from southeast to northwest from Giffre, the broad flat valley floor flows in a wide valley with about 1.5 km. In Samoens takes the Giffre from south of the river to Nant d' Ant, from the north on the Clévieux. South of the Giffre valley reaches the community area on the heights of the Grand Massif (tourism region ) with the peaks of Tête du Pré des Saix ( 2,113 m above sea level. M. ) and Tête Pelouse ( 2,474 m above sea level. M. ). To the north and east extends the communal land in the valleys of the source Clévieux flanked by craggy limestone peaks. The eastern border is about Les Avoudrues ( 2,666 m above sea level with. M. the highest elevation of Samoens ), Pointe Rousse Chambres ( 2,655 m above sea level. M. ) and the western summits of Dents Blanches ( 2,638 m above sea level. M. ). There are several small snowfields on the northern slopes of these mountains. In karstic relief, there are several caves. In the north, the territory extends over the watershed in the headwaters of the Dranse de Morzine Morzine above.

To Samoens next to the village itself includes numerous other villages, settlements and hamlets and farmsteads, including:

• L' Etelley ( 690 m above sea level. M. ) on the southern edge of the valley of Giffre
• Vercland ( 825 m above sea level. M. ) on a terrace on the southern flank of the Giffre
• Le Villard ( 800 m above sea level. M. ) on the northern slope of the valley of Giffre
• Mathonex (910 m above sea level. M. ) on a headland on the northern slope of the valley of Giffre
• Chantemerle ( 1,060 m above sea level. M. ) on the northern slope of the valley of Giffre
• La Berouze ( 690 m above sea level. M. ) in the valley of Giffre
• Les Moulins (720 m above sea level. M. ) in the valley of Giffre at the outlet of Clévieux
• Vallon d' en Bas (710 m above sea level. M. ) in the valley of Giffre
• Vallon d' en Haut (713 m above sea level. M. ) in the valley of Giffre
• Sougey (720 m above sea level. M. ) in the valley of Giffre
• Les Allamands ( 1,030 m above sea level. M. ) in a basin of Clévieux

Neighboring communities of Samoens are Sixt -Fer -à- Cheval in the east, Arâches la Frasse in the south, Morillon and Verchaix in the West, Morzine in the north and the Swiss village of Champery in the Northeast.

History

Several findings indicate that the area around Samoens was already inhabited in the Neolithic period. The first written mention of the village was carried out in 1167 under the name of Samoens and Samoën. Later, the names Samoyn, Semoeng, Samoding, Samodens and 1652 Samoùan published. The place name means sept mons ( seven mountains / mountain pastures ) derived from the Provençal word sat ( seven) and moens ( mountains). Other sources of lead Samoens back to the Burgundian personal names Sanemod or Senamod.

In the Middle Ages Samoens belonged to the rule Faucigny. 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. Then Samoens shared the fate of Savoy. In 1476 a Bernese squad through the mountain passes from the Valais broke after Samoens and destroyed the village and its castle. In the 16th century it received certain liberties. Since the 17th century, Samoens developed into a center of Masonry and Masonry. The degraded in Samoens limestone was used for the construction of churches, bridges and houses in the immediate and wider region. This, and the vast Alpine ( dairy farming and cheese production ) reached Samoens especially in the 18th century a certain prosperity. To a field change occurred in 1865, separated as Verchaix of Samoens and was elevated to an independent municipality.

Attractions

The parish church of Notre- Dame-de- l'Assomption originally dates from the 12th century, got its current look but the new construction in the 17th century, with some parts from the old building were included. Chapels are located in Berouze, Vallon, Chantemerle and Vercland (all 17th century ) as well as in other hamlets. The village, whose center is the Place du Gros- Tilleul, characterized by solid stone houses ( stone carvings ) from. The square is named after the linden tree was planted here in 1438. Also worth mentioning are the Market Hall ( grenette ) from the 16th century, the Maison de Lucinge (now City Hall), the ruins of the former castle, and the rule of seats Château de Berouze and Château du Tannay.

Worth a visit are the Ecomusée du Clos Parchet Jardin botanique alpin and Jaÿsinia, a roughly 3 -acre botanical garden, founded in 1906 by Louise Jay- Cognacq.

Population

With 2299 inhabitants ( 1 January 2011) Samoens is one of the medium-sized towns in the Haute-Savoie region. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the population steadily increased due to high levels of emigration from (1861 were still counted in Samoens 3,008 inhabitants). Since the early 1970s, however, a significant increase in population was recorded again.

Economy and infrastructure

Samoens was formerly a predominantly marked by one and Alpine farming and craft village. Today there are various operations of small businesses. In the 19th century, tourism developed. In recent decades, Samoens has developed into an important tourist resort in the Haut- Giffre. The community is specialized in both the summer tourism as well as on winter tourism ( several mountain railways and ski lifts) and belongs to the tourist region of the Grand Massif.

The village is located off the major thoroughfares, but is easily accessible from Taninges on the secondary road D907. Another road connection with Morillon on the southern side of the valley of Giffre.