LITMIR.BIZ

      Abondance Abbey cloisters

      For a time there was peace in the region, but at the start of the 16th century the Protestant Reformation under Calvin spread from Geneva and Catholicism was outlawed, resulting in many deaths. It was a young priest, François de Sales, born in 1567 near the village of Thorens-Glières, who managed to convert the population back to the Catholic faith. He has been revered by the local population as a saint ever since, and many small chapels, wayside shrines and statues have been erected in his memory, especially in the Vallée Verte and the Val d’Abondance, where a fragment of his elbow bone has recently been found.

      In the following years the strategic position of Savoie meant that it continued to be a battleground for the powers of France and Austria as they fought over it, first one side and then the other gaining control. In addition, both the Chablais in the northeast and the Geneva area in the northwest were taken over for a short time by the Swiss. Then, in 1714, as a result of the War of the Spanish Succession, Savoie gained the Kingdom of Sicily, which in 1720 was exchanged for that of Sardinia. From now on the heads of the House of Savoie were known as the Kings of Piedmont-Sardinia, and their capital moved to Turin.

      Although the area was still very poor and many of the peasants had emigrated, some prosperity was coming to the region as industries began to develop, with clock- and watchmaking in the Arve valley and stonemasonry in the Haut Giffre. In addition, as the beauty of the Alpine scenery was discovered by writers and painters of the Romantic movement, the area gradually opened up to tourists. The first ascent of Mont Blanc in 1786 by Balmat and Paccard was the start of the Age of Alpinism, and soon Chamonix and its glaciers were on the list of places visited by aristocratic young men on their Grand Tour of Europe.

      When the French Revolution broke out in 1792 France invaded yet again, and Savoie, including Geneva, became part of the department of Mont Blanc, later known as the department of Mont Blanc-Léman. But after the defeat of Napoleon in 1815 the Congress of Vienna ruled that Savoie be given back to the King of Piedmont-Sardinia, although this time the people of Geneva decided to join the Confederation of Swiss States and cut themselves off irrevocably.

      This was followed by a relatively prosperous economic and cultural period. Many churches and other buildings date from this time, and the clock-making industry and agriculture became firmly established. French culture and language continued to flourish, until in 1860 Savoie was finally ceded to France and Vittorio-Emmanuele, the last Duke of Savoie, became the first King of Italy.

      Today the Haute Savoie is one of the richest and most developed areas of France. Industry has expanded, the Arve valley being well known for its precision and mechanical engineering, with 1200 companies in a 30km radius. There are many other businesses, such as the manufacture of ski equipment, and wood related industries such as forestry and furniture making. Since 1965 the Mont Blanc road tunnel has provided an important link between France in the north and Italy in the south, thus placing the Haute Savoie on one of the greatest trade routes in Europe.

      More importantly, tourism has grown exponentially in the last 50 years, especially since the 1960s when skiing became popular and new resorts such as Flaine and Morzine–Avoriaz were constructed, opening up hundreds of kilometres of ski runs, those of the Portes du Soleil linking with Switzerland. Climbing and walking have also become increasingly popular activities, aided by the building of refuges for overnight stays and the construction of long-distance footpaths that run through the area. The creation of nature reserves has ensured that the beauty of the environment, with its rich wildlife and flora, is protected for posterity.