Saint-Gervais-the-Baths

Geography

The " roof of Europe" , the Mont Blanc, is located on the commune of Saint-Gervais-the-Baths: the top is shared with the commune of Chamonix. The layout of the Franco-Italian border is disputed Italian side. The French layout passes by a watershed to the south of the top of Mont Blanc, and this part between the border and the summit peak is allotted to the commune of Saint-Gervais-the-Baths. From the Italian point of view, the border passes by the top of Mont Blanc, and this top would thus be shared between Chamonix and Courmayeur, excluding Saint-Gervais from the roof of Europe.

The industrial agglomeration and the rail junction and road of the Fayet, located in the valley of the Arve, form a true village depend on the commune of Saint-Gervais.

Communes bordering

Passy, Contaminate-Montjoie Them, Domancy and Chamonix.

History

Antiquity

the Valley Montjoie was inhabited for a very long time (more than 4.000 years).
On indeed found flint tools to the top of the Trick, which must date from the recent Neolithic era (2000 to 3000 years before J.C.). The analysis of the Pollen S attests the presence of a cereal agriculture between 2700 and 2300 years before J.C

Ceutrons

the high alpine valleys (Montjoie, Valley of Arly, Tarentaise, Beaufortin Chamonix), were inhabited by Ceutrons, Celtes tribes tardily pacified by the Romans, who then arbitrated the conflicts with their Allobroges neighbors of the valley of Arve into 74 after J.C. (Cf Limits of Larioz, in Forclaz).

The oppidum of Amerands

One also finds traces of a Oppidum in Amerands dominating the North-western entry of the valley, in the vicinity of which some traces of Roman parts were observed (treasure of Robinson).

The valley of Good Nant thus was, as of the first century, a crossing point (collar of Jolly, collar of the Catch, collar of Seigne), and grazing ground.

The Middle Ages

Mandement de Montjoie

the Valley Montjoie becomes administratively mandement of Montjoie which includes/understands 63 " villae" for this châtellenie in 1377.

Parishes

the valley gathers two large parishes: Saint Nicolas's Day de Véroce in the south, and Saint-Gervais in north, without forgetting a micro parish of late creation of Notre Dame of the Throat, as of the 12th century.

The Valley Savoyard Montjoie

In 1355 the Valley Montjoie ceases being the bastion advanced of Faucigny and joined the county of Savoy. The disappearance of the border, leaves with the abandonment the castle of Contamines. The capacity, which becomes primarily economic, is folded up on Saint-Gervais (castle of the Countess).

Rural rise

As of the 14th century, the rural life is organized around a dozen hamlets disseminated on the two slopes Bionnasset, Bionnay, Champel, Montivon, Gruvaz, Pratz, Orsin, the Small plank, Cry, Cupelin, the Forest. The borough is only one small hamlet among the others.

The fair of autumn (1371)

Saint-Gervais takes part in the commercial rise of the end of the Middle Ages and organizes one of the three large important fairs of the Alps of North, with Martigny Were worth some (1392) and Sembrancher in valley of Aoste (fair of autumn).

The mountain with cows

the breeding dominates, but contrary to the generally accepted ideas, the domination of the bovine breeding continues only at the 18th century. Previously, the sheep and the caprine ones dominated the livestock.

Mountain pastures

Following the albergements of 1287 and 1307, the local community obtains from the countess Beatrix, the property of the mountains or mountain pastures. The management of these joint ownership or communal allows an early training of the local democracy. The mountains of Voza and Prarion, of Miage and Knitting of Hermance and the Mount of Alpine laburnum are common to all the hamlets which were with their feet.

Castles and strong houses

the majority of the noble residences disappeared and let perceive only a few small pieces of ruins like Châtelet, the tower of Bongain side Neirey, the castle of Menthon, side the Villette. There are also the more hypothetical traces of the castles of Rosay, Cupelin and Freney.

Hautetour

This house strong was the subject of an archaeological study at the summer 2006 by the Archéodunum company (Swiss). It is about a building of second half of, altered with 7 recoveries until.

The countess

It is best preserved and the most recent of the strong houses. It corresponds to the geographical shift of the political power in the valley and to the economic prosperity of Saint-Gervais to 14th.

Popular baroque

Jewels of the baroque: 17th century and 18th centuries

Of this period, dates construction from the churches by the architects of the Valley Sesia with the support of some emigrants who made fortune like Nicolas Revenaz of Pratz.

1698: the church of Saint-Gervais

Saint-Gervais is a church of the market type without transept. Its bell-tower was destroyed by the lightning in 1792, rebuilt only in 1819, under the Sarde restoration, by the architect Claude François Amoudruz de Samoëns. It is a bell-tower with the " flexible stagings and bulbs slightly écrasés".

1729: the church of Saint Nicolas's Day de Véroce

the church of Saint Nicolas's Day was it also rebuilt with the assistance of the emigrants and finished in 1729. It is a true small museum of the popular baroque with its multiple installations during the 18th century.

Vaults

the majority of the hamlets built their vault, small church miniature baroque with their retable like those of the Plans, Véroce, Pratz and especially that of Chattrix.

Thermal spa

1806 : discovered thermal springs in Fayet. Development of the baths which make it possible Saint-Gervais to take part in the great vogue of the baths in the 19th century. One counts 600 bathers since 1824.

1892 : the catastrophe of July 12th, 1892 stops this prosperity brutally. A mud flow destroys the building and makes more than 200 victims.

At the origin of this catastrophe, a pocket of water accumulated under the glacier of Russet-red Head which breaks in the night of July 12th, 1892, borrows the combe of Bionnasset, partly destroyed the village of Bionnay, before being inserted in the throat of Good Nant. The hydropathic establishment which is with the foot of the throat is carried by the force of lava flow of mud and rocks.

Since, the thermal baths developed again and are recognized in the medical environment for the treatment of diseases ORL and the badly burned persons, with also a product range cosmetics.
The number of curists does not cease increasing passing from 1.853 curists in the years 1973 with nearly 5.000 curists currently.

Mont Blanc

Precursors

The Mont Blanc culminates on the territory of the commune and the most obvious way to join this summit passes through Saint-Gervais.

Since 1784, mountaineers whose Cuidet de Saint-Gervais failed to make a success of the first rise of the roof of Europe; but they ridged in front of the edge of the bumps, two years before the first Chamoniard one of 1786.

1815 - 1820: new failure of Dr. Hamel, adviser of the Tsar.

1808: the first woman to be reached Mont Blanc, via Chamonix, is Saint-Gervolaine of origin: Marie Paradise.

1855: opening of the royal roads. The British Hudson, Kennedy, Smythe arrive in the summit meeting of Mont Blanc while coming from Saint-Gervais, but by avoiding the edge of the Bumps.

1859: the edge of the Bumps is opened by same Hudson. The royal roads are definitively opened and, the same year, the hut of Tasting was built to be used as refuge to the mountaineers borrowing this way.

1864: the guides of the valley Montjoie organize the company of the guides of Saint-Gervais to bring the mountaineers to Mont Blanc by the way saint-gervolaine. But it is the train which will confirm the " royale" sees; by Saint-Gervais.

1898: arrival of the train. Company PLM brings the train to Saint-Gervais in the bottom of the commune, in Fayet. The arrival of the train will make of this small hamlet, the second center of the commune.

1904: the Tram of Mont Blanc.

The royal roads of access to Mont Blanc, culminating point of the commune and Europe, always fed the imaginary one of the technicians of the 19th century who often dreamed to make mount their machine until the top!

The first project goes back to 1834.

At the end of the 19th century, the projects multiply: like the Issartier project of 1895 whole in underground: train + elevator. Two more serious projects enter in competition in 1899, in complete version railroad. The first, supported by Vallot and Fabre, share of Houches supports the valley of Chamonix. The second, is supported by Dupportal which has the merit to have brought the train to Fayet. It is against project which arises in the tram and which remains completely with the free air. It is this holy project gervolain which carries it in 1904, and confirms the royal roads of Mont Blanc by Saint-Gervais.

TMB

Thirteen kilometers of ways of the departure to 600 meters up to 2.500 meters during 1:15 of way to 15 km/h, to discover all the alpine stages, the various solid masses, the two large valleys of Montjoie and Chamonix, passing from urban environment, with the forest, the alpine meadows, the high mountain.

Since 1909, the collar of Voza is reached, then Bellevue, the Lachat Mount, and the Eyrie in 1912. But the train will never go further than this provisional terminus which has lasted for 90 years.

De luxe hotels

Flourishing period of Saint-Gervais who reaches an international reputation.
The local contractors, often resulting from the Parisian emigration, build the large hotels of Saint-Gervais like Mount-Jolly Palace, to receive the distinguished guests like the duchess of Orleans, the Aga Khan, the marshal Joffre, the queen of Holland, Jean-Pierre Blum, or the creator of Arsene Lupin.

These large hotels will mark the station at the beginning of the 20th century: it is them which will work the borough with the villas built by these middle-class and aristocratic customers of the beginning of this century. They will decline in the years " trente".

Ski since 1930

This adventure starts with the construction of the Saint-Gervais cable car - Bettex in 1936 with the Viard family, at the same time as the arrival of a cable car with Bellevue Prarion side, then with the Mount of Alpine laburnum in 1937 giving access to the skiable field Mount of Alpine laburnum.

Since, the equipment of the two solid masses Alpine laburnum and Prarion did not cease developing, to become the principal activity of this station multicarte with town planning corresponding: rental second home and buildings.

Administration

Twinnings

Waldbronn, Germany
Rochefort, Belgium
Morges, Swiss

Demography

Economy

Places and monuments

the Mont Blanc

Personalities related to the commune

Events

Mont Blanc Festival of humor, 23e edition in March 2007 (Sophia Aram, Lionel Bush, Cécilia Cara, Eric Collado, Clerk and Bénézat, Arthur Jugnot, Olivier of Robert, Smaïn, Niki Zischka).

Common of Haute-Savoie

External bonds

Official site of the commune
Site of the ski lifts
Saint-Gervais-the-Baths on Wikitravel

Random links: