Villaz

Villaz is a commune in the French department of Haute- Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region.

Geography

Villaz is located on 705 m above sea level. M., about 8 km northeast of the town of Annecy (air line). This former farm extends a scenic location on a wide natural terrace overlooking the valleys of the Fier and Filière, the Alpine foothills northeast of the basin of Annecy, at the western foot of the striking peak formation of the Tête du Parmelan, in Genevois.

The area of ​​15.27 km ² municipal area includes a portion of the Genevois. The central part of the area is occupied by a vast plateau at the foot of the Bornes Alps. This descends gradually towards the west to the Valley of Filière from which here flows parallel to the edge of the Alps from north to south with multiple turns. The Filière opens below the plateau of Villaz in Fier, which forms the border in the southwest for a short time. The northern boundary is marked by the erosion of the stream channel Crenant. To the east, the municipality's area extends over a gently at first, later steep, wooded slope in the headwaters of the Crenant and up to the jagged, rocky edge of the Tête du Parmelan, on the approximately 1800 m above sea level. M. the highest elevation of Villaz is achieved.

At Villaz next to the village itself includes various hamlet settlements and farmsteads, including:

• Onnex (490 m above sea level. M. ) in the valley of Fier, near the mouth of the Filière
• Le Pautex (600 m above sea level. M. ) on the eastern flank of the Filière
• Chez Contat (650 m above sea level. M. ) on the plateau of Villaz
• Chez Meunier ( 690 m above sea level. M. ) on the plateau of Villaz
• Les Ailles (650 m above sea level. M. ) in the valley of Crenant
• Moiron (740 m above sea level. M. ) at the foot of the Tête du Parmelan
• Disonche (770 m above sea level. M. ) in the valley of Crenant at the foot of the Tête du Parmelan

Neighboring communities of Villaz are Ollières and Aviernoz in the north, Dingy- Saint- Clair to the east, Nâves - Parmelan and Annecy -le- Vieux in the south and Argonay and Saint -Martin -Bellevue in the West.

History

The territory of Villaz was already inhabited during the Roman period. Probably here built a certain Titus Coelius a country house (Villa ), followed discovered in the 19th century inscription on a sacrificial stone points. The place is first mentioned in 1237 under the name of Villa. Hence the notation Ville and the official since the early 19th century Villaz developed.

Since the beginning of the 14th century were on the today's municipality two places of residence, the Château de Bonatrait and the Château de Disonche.

Attractions

The village church of Villaz 1511 was rebuilt in the Late Gothic style, after the previous church had been destroyed by fire. The ship was restored in 1866 and transformed. The municipality's territory, the rule Disonche seats, Moiron and Bonatrait are (now part of a large complex with sanatorium and nursing home ).

Population

With 2906 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) Villaz belongs to 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 in Villaz counted 826 inhabitants). Since the early 1970s, however, was due to the attractive residential location and close to Annecy again recorded a marked increase in population. Outside the old town center numerous single-family homes were built.

Economy and infrastructure

Villaz has long been a predominantly coined by farming village. Today there are various businesses of the local small business sector. Otherwise, the village has developed into a residential community. Many workers are commuters who engage in space Annecy their work.

The village is located off the major thoroughfares on a secondary road that leads from Annecy- le -Vieux by Thorens- Glières. Further road links exist with Argonay and Nâves - Parmelan. The nearest links to the A41 motorway is located at a distance of about 8 km.