VAr (Hautes-Alpes)

Vars is a common French, located in the department of the Hautes-Alpes and the area Provence-Alp-Coast of Azure.

Geography

VAr is a commune the Alps tre located on a major axis which connects the communes of Guillestre and Barcelonnette and, at more large scales, the Italy and France. This axis passes by the Col of VAr which culminates at an altitude of 2.108 Mr. top of the collar, while looking towards the south, it is possible to distinguish the throats from the Ubaye.

The commune is made up of four hamlets: Saint-Marcellin cheese (altitude: 1.500 m), Sainte-Marie (altitude: 1.650 m), Holy-Catherine (altitude: 1.750 m) and Claux. This last hamlet, which constitutes the heart of the current ski station, culminates to 1.850 Mr.

VAr is in the middle of the regional Parc of Queyras and more particularly in the reserve of the Valley of Escrins.

VAr constitutes, with Risoul, the field of the White Forest. This field counts approximately 180 kilometers of tracks, more than 100 tracks and approximately 55 ski lifts.

Broadly located at more than 1.700 m of altitude, the station profits from a mountain climate with sometimes late but rather weak snowfalls because of a particularly low latitude.

Demography

The population of VAr did not cease decreasing since the middle of the 19th century. This fall is explained mainly by the abandonment of the rural areas during the industrial revolution and more particularly by the abandonment of the pastoral activities.

VAr knows a considerable population growth about the middle of the 20th century, date on which the tourist activities largely developed. It reached then nearly 1.000 inhabitants.

Today, in spite of a light demographic fall for ten years, the population has been stabilized and, in 1999, the commune of VAr counted 637 permanent inhabitants:

Saint-Marcellin cheese: 86 inhabitants
Sainte-Marie: 130 inhabitants
Holy-Catherine: 129 inhabitants
Claux: 292 inhabitants

This demography increases considerably during the winter with the arrival of the seasonal workers and the holiday makers.

Administration

History

Saint-Marcellin cheese is the oldest village of the commune. One practiced there mainly pastoral activities which majoritaierment disappeared with the profit from tourist activities. The pastoral activities always remain, mainly on the southern side around Holy-Catherine. The commune then extended towards Sainte-Marie and Holy-Catherine. It is starting from this first hamlet that have built the first ski lifts and the first hotels, created for the majority in the old country cottages. Lastly, as from 1962, Claux were built around the sports activities and mainly of the Alpine skiing. Today, the historical villages do not develop any more with the profit of Claux which continues its growth towards the coll.

Hannibal, its army and its elephants of combat would have also passed the collar of VAr during a military forwarding successful towards Italy, in 218 av. J. - C. The Romans, having learned this invasion by the collar from VAr, made half-turn then, whereas they were in way towards Spain, to return towards their native land and finally to lose one of the many battles carried out against Hannibal. Most recent research describes this passage like improbable today, the crossing of the Alps would indeed have been carried out by the valleys of Isere, of the Arc (Maurienne) then by a collar close to the current plate of the Mount-Cenis

First century BC until our days, Vars remains a crossing point determining between France and Italy. Thus, its inhabitants will see to follow one another it of many battles. Buckwheats are driven out the High Alps at the 10th century. The armies of François I {{er}} passed by the collar of VAr to attack the Italy and to gain the Bataille of Marignan in 1515.

At the of the same end century, the duke of Lesdiguières, future constable of France under the reign of HenriIV, beats there the duke of Savoy which is solved to beat a retreat. During centuries, the valley will be several times set fire to in reprisals by the armies of the duke of Savoy. The Vaudois then the Protestants, whose presence is very important, will be persecuted until the XIXe century with the re-establishment of freedom of worship.

Sport

The main activity of VAr lies in the Alpine skiing whose skiable field frequently increases. The modernization of a park of ski lift growing old, the recourse to artificial snowing up, the organization of federator events for youth (World cup of Snowboard, X-Ranges,…) are today the principal investments of the station.

In spite of a progressive abandonment the latter years, Vars remains a major site for the ski speed or Kilomètre launched (KL). On a steep slope (maximum of 98%, that is to say an angle close to 45°), skiers spring with an aim of reaching the highest possible speed. VAr thus held during some time the world records of the test (Philippe Billy, 243,902 km/h, 1997).

Anxious to diversify its activities, Vars develops since end of the year 1990 of many sports like the estival Cross-country skiing or sports following the example Randonnée, Accrobranche ® or VTT.

Favourable with cycling, the Col of VAr was crossed at the time of sometimes decisive stages of the Tour de France.

Places and monuments

Personalities related to the commune

See too

Common of Hautes-Alpes

External bonds

Official site of the commune of VAr
Presentation of VAr + weather of snows (iski.fr)
VAr on the site of the national geographical Institute
VAr on the site of INSEE
VAr on the site of Quid
Localization of VAr on a chart of France and communes bordering
Plane on VAr on Mapquest

Photographs of VAR

Random links: