Villaz is a common French, located in the department Haute-Savoie and the area the Rhone-Alps.

Its inhabitants is called the " villazois".

Geography

Villaz is located at a few kilometers in the North-East of the agglomeration year, with the feet of the Parmelan.

The point low in altitude of the commune is formed by the junction of the Fier and the Fillière while the highest point is consisted the top of Parmelan.

The commune is bordered in the South by Trusting and the West by the Die. Of these two rivers slopes climb forming a plate with the foot of the Massif of the Terminals and in particular of the mountain of Parmelan. The plate ends when the covered slopes of a Forêt of coniferous of Parmelan begins which forms a Falaise overhanging the village: the head of Parmelan.

Localities and variations

The majority of the dwellings are grouped around the church and of the Château of Bonatray, on the plate located at approximately 700 meters of altitude. There exist nevertheless many hamlets and more or less inter-connected districts: Onnex, the Vines, Pautex, the Provinces, Chazal, Suit Them, Moiron, Ronzier and Disonche.

Communes bordering

The communes bordering on Villaz are:

• in north: Ollières and Aviernoz;
• in the east: Dingy-Saint-Clearly;
• in the south: Nâves-Parmelan and Year;
• in the west: Argonay and Saint-Martin-Bellevue.

History

Antiquity

In 122 av. JC., the country of the Allobroges is invaded by the Roman troops . Roman ways are traced and of the villæ are built. One of enters it settles with the foot of the Parmelan and will give its name to the village of Villaz. It is built by a certain Titus Coelius which leaves its signature on a furnace bridge dedicated to Mercure found with the foot of the church and preserved at the museum-castle of Annecy.

Of 443 with 534, the Burgondes settle in the area and leave many Tombe S found in the hamlets of Disonche, Onnex and Ronzier.

The Middle Ages and Rebirth

The first attesting document of one village to the site of Villaz goes back to 1237. It is about an agreement of marriage between the girl of the lord of Thorens with Thomas II of Menthon which receives in dowry most of the grounds of the village.

In 1292, the noble ones of Moyron and Ville are declared vassal of the count of Geneva. Two strong houses appear with the village : that of Disonche and that of Bonatray. The village then passes to the hand of the family of Menthon with the leg of the strong houses in 1346.

First census at the time of the visit of Mgr Jean de Bertrand in 1411  : the parish counts approximately 450 hearts divided into 80 fires.

The Duke Louis of Savoy concedes in 1460 in Louis de Menthon the right to build mills, saws, beaters, etc the village develops, the mills of Disonche and of Onnex are built. In 1511, following a fire where only the Nef remains, the church is rebuilt in the Gothic style late and obtains stained glasses.

New census in 1561  : 625 hearts divided into 109 fires are entered.

In 1607, Saint-François Dirty, then bishop of Annecy, visits Villaz. One of the miracles achieved by Saint-François de Sales finds his origin in an accident which has occurred in 1623  : while wanting to cross the To trust on the level of Onnex, an young man slips and drowns. The following day, it ressuscite miraculeusement .

The Plague devastation the village in 1629  : 35% of the village disappear and the Cimetière is too small. Occupation of the Savoy by the French Armies of Louis XIV of 1690 with 1696 then Spanish of 1743 with 1748. In 1756, the population has been reduced to 391 inhabitants in consequence of many Famine S and food shortages for one century. Thin harvests and natural disasters to come will not arrange the situation.

Contemporary time

Following the French revolution, the revolutionary troops invade Savoy in 1792 and 84e French Département constitutes it under the name of department of Mont Blanc.

The village undergoes the French revolution: confiscation of the goods of the Clergy, the Bell S of the church, arrest and deportation of the reverend, destruction of the arrow of the Bell-tower,…

The Savoy, with it Villaz, turns over in the States of Savoy in 1815. The arrow of the bell-tower is rebuilt in 1821. In 1834, a bearing on the possession of the Forêt of the commune and started lawsuit in 1734 finds finally an exit. The elementary school for boys opens its doors in 1842.

France appendix Savoy in 1860. In 1866, the church is rebuilt partly and takes its current aspect. Of all the stained glasses, only that of the Vierge to the Child is preserved, it will be classified with the Historic buildings and will be replaced in the church in 1988. Two new bells run by the Paccard brothers take seat in the bell-tower in 1876. The old bridge of wood crossing the Die is replaced in 1872 by a stone bridge. Creation by CIF of Annecy of the first path connecting the village to Parmelan in 1888. Creation of the Fruit-bearing in 1894 for the transformation of the cow's milk into Cheese.

The castle of Bonatray is transformed into convalescent home the shortly after the First World War, maintaining a private clinic of care of continuation and readjustment. First rise of the Parmelan in automobile : an exploit in 1929. In 1937 the construction of the current bridge of reinforced concrete Onnex is completed to replace the many bridges out of wooden and metal footbridges carried by the risings of Trusting during the centuries. Opening of the new school in 1957 with a hundred schoolboys divided into four classes. Many extensions will come to increase the school complex thereafter. The park of activity of the Die is created in 1985.

Administration

Twinnings

Villaz is twinned with the Seaside resort of Préfailles in the Pays of Retz, in Loire-Atlantique. School exchanges of classes during the holidays are organized what allows the ones and to the others to discover the sea or the mountain.

Villaz also carries out a partnership with the village of Doudou to the Burkina Faso through association “the Savoyard balaphon”. Each year a container leaves for Doudou with material and supplies, in particular school, of administration and medical. Moreover, thanks to the systems of microphone-credits, of installations are realized, in particular agricultural and medical, according to the wish of burkinabais. Exchanges of competence make it possible to supplement these material and financial contributions.

The partnership of Doudou is such a success that the idea was exported in Préfailles which considers a partnership with Yéné with the Senegal.

Intercommunality

Villaz belongs to the Communauté of communes of the Country of the Die.

Demography

Economy

The large majority of the Employment S being located in the agglomeration year, the village witnesses each days pendular displacements on behalf of the workers but also of the schoolboys who go to the THESE of Groisy and of the high-school pupils studying with the college Charles Baudelaire.

Places and monuments

• the church of Villaz dating from the 19th century has stained glasses, in particular that of the Virgin to the Child, and two Cloche S melted in the Paccard workshops.
• the Castle of Bonatray, currently a private clinic of care of continuation and readjustment.
• old a Roman Way.
• of the burials of the Early middle ages.

Personalities related to the commune

Events

• Cattle fair, 23rd edition in April 2007: bovines, horses, poultries, farm equipment, cars. More than ten thousand people attend it.

See too

Related article

• Common of Haute-Savoie

External bonds

• Site of the town hall of Villaz

• Villaz on the site of the national geographical Institute

• Villaz on the site of INSEE
• Villaz on the site of Quid
• Localization of Villaz on a chart of France and communes bordering
• Plane on Villaz on Mapquest

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