Vallorcine

Vallorcine ( German: bear) is a commune in the French department of Haute- Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region.

Geography

Vallorcine, the easternmost commune in the Haute -Savoie, located at 1260m above sea level. M., about halfway between Chamonix -Mont- Blanc and Martigny, 65 km east-southeast of the city of Geneva (air line). The village is located in the valley of the Eau Noire north of the Mont Blanc Massif, near the border with Switzerland.

The area of ​​47.47 km ² municipal area includes a portion of the eastern Savoy Alps. The area occupies the whole upper part of the strong in relief catchment area of the Eau Noire. Multiple source streams unite at the northern foot of the Col des Montets to the Eau Noire, which first flows in an open valley to the northeast into the Rhône. The valley is flanked by wooded slopes; the treeline is usually in the range of about 2000 m above sea level. M. Above are larger pastures, respectively, rocky slopes and screes. The border with surrounding communities runs almost continuously on the watershed between Eau Noire and Arve and is marked by high mountain peaks. To the west are the Cheval Blanc ( 2831 m above sea level. M. ), Buet ( with 3099 m above sea level. M. the highest elevation of Vallorcine ) and Aiguille de Berard ( 2663 m above sea level. M. ), in the south of the Aiguilles du Belvédère ( 2965 m above sea level. M. ) and the Aiguille de Mesure ( 2812 m above sea level. M. ) belonging to the massif of the Aiguilles Rouges. Also in the south, the relatively low pass crossing the Col des Montets is ( 1461 m above sea level. M. ), which establishes the connection to Chamonix and the Arve Valley. In the northeast the Barberine, the outflow of the reservoir Lake Emosson, partly forms the border.

At Vallorcine next to the village itself includes various hamlets and holiday settlements and farmsteads, including:

  • Barberine (1150 m above sea level. M. ) in the valley of the Eau Noire
  • Le Molard (1250 m above sea level. M. ) in the valley of the Eau Noire
  • Villaz La (1320 m above sea level. M. ) in the left flank of the Eau Noire
  • Le Siseray ( 1260 m above sea level. M. ) in the valley of the Eau Noire
  • Le Nant (1300 m above sea level. M. ) in a valley widening of the Eau Noire
  • Le Couteray (1350 m above sea level. M. ) in the left flank of the Eau Noire

Neighboring communities of Vallorcine are Chamonix- Mont -Blanc in the south, Passy and Sixt -Fer -à- Cheval in the west and the Swiss towns Finhaut in the north and in the east of Trento.

History

For the first time Vallorcine is mentioned in the year 1264 under the name Vallis Ursine. Later, the long time appeared notation used Vallorcines. The place name comes from the Latin word Ursus (bear ), meaning valley of the bears. The congregation joined in 1864 by the Canton Saint- Gervais- les- Bains to the newly created Canton of Chamonix -Mont- Blanc.

Attractions

The village church of Vallorcine originally goes back to the 13th century and was established on the initiative of the Priory of Chamonix. It is protected by a 1720 -created wall against avalanches. At the northern foot of the Col des Montets is a chapel. The Musée de Barberine, which is housed in a traditional house from the 18th century, shows local history aspects of the area of ​​Vallorcine.

Population

With 422 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) Vallorcine is one of the small 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 in Vallorcine counted 624 inhabitants). Since the mid- 1980s, however, a population increase was recorded again.

Economy and infrastructure

Vallorcine was until well into the 20th century a predominantly coined by farming village. Today there are various operations of small businesses. In recent decades, Vallorcine has developed due to its proximity to Chamonix for a resort. The community is specialized in both the summer and on winter tourism.

The village region has a quite well developed. It lies on the main road N506 that runs from Chamonix over the Col des Montets and the Col de la Forclaz to Martigny. Vallorcine has a railway station on the route Saint- Gervais- Vallorcine. From the border station Châtelard - Frontière the Martigny- Châtelard -Bahn (MC ) is continuing to Martigny.

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