Annecy-le-Vieux

French commune|nomcommune=Annecy-le-Vieux|

caption=Plage d’Albigny
région=Rhône-Alpes
département=Haute-Savoie
arrondissement=Annecy
canton=Annecy-le-Vieux
insee=74011
cp=74940
maire=Bernard Accoyer
party=UMP
mandat=1989-2008
intercomm=Annecy
longitude=6.14277777778
latitude=45.92
alt moy=
alt mini=420
alt maxi=1290 m
hectares=1702
km²=17.02
sans=18,885
date-sans=1999
dens=1110
date-dens=1999

Annecy-le-Vieux is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the region of Rhône-Alpes in southeastern France.

It is the fourth largest town in Haute-Savoie in terms of population, and is located on north-eastern banks Lake Annecy. It is essentially a residential suburb of Annecy, being less than 3 km from its centre, and is sometimes known at the "XVIe arrondissement" of Annecy.

Its mayor, Bernard Accoyer, is serving his second term, a doctor by profession, is also the député of the district and has been president of the UMP group in the Assemblée nationale since 2002.

Geography

The commune is 50% urbanised with 33 hectares of public forest, and 50% agricultural and forests.Population: 18,885 (1999 census); 20,520 (2003 estimate). The commune is located on the foothills of Mount Veyrier (1,291 m), on a moraine at the junction of two old large glaciers.

History

The shores of Lake Annecy have been occupied by since at least 4000 BC. A Gallic tribe, the Allobroges, occupied the area in pre-Roman times: the Allobroges were finally conquered by the Roman legions in 62 BC, and the area was colonised by Rome, who founded the town of Boutae (later Annecy) in 50 BC. The town was at a strategic crossroads of three Roman roads across the Alps, to Italy, to Geneva, and to Vienna, and grew rapidly to a population of several thousand. Roman villas are found in the surrounding countryside.

Annecy was attacked by invaders in the post-Roman period, but regained its importance from AD 1107.

Its population has grown to 470 inhabitants by 1756. Grape vines, for producing wine, have been cultivated on the surrounding hills since the Middle Ages.

Various artists lived in the area in the late 19th and early 20th century, including Eugene Sue, Adolphe de Custine, John Ruskin and Gabriel Fauré.

Two principal industrial activities arose in the mid-19th century, the Cléchet flour mill and the Paccard bell foundry. One of largest bells in the world, "La Savoyarde" which hangs at the Sacré Cœur in Paris, was cast in Annecy-le-Vieux in 1891. It weighs 18,835 kg, stands 3.06 m tall and has a circumference of 9.60 m, is 22 cm thick at the base, and has a clapper weiging 850 kg.

At the end of the 19th century, attacks of mildew and phylloxera almost completely destroyed the grape vines, being replaced by dairy production.

Annecy includes a university site, attached to the Université de Savoie, with more than 4,000 students in 2003, studying technology, commercial arts and trades, engineering, and particle physics.

Tourism

Attractions include the beach Annecy-le-Vieux, boating on Lake Annecy, walking in the hills, including Mount Rampon (957 m), Mount Veyrier (1,291 m) and Mount Rampignon (894 m).

Annual events include the "Ancilevienne", a 46 km race for teams of runners and cyclists around Lake Annecy, and the Gabriel Fauré music festival.

External links

* Town hall - http://www.mairie-annecy-le-vieux.fr/
* Insee - http://www.cinam.com/insee-rhone-alpes/pages/c7401100.htm
* L’Ancilevien - http://michel.lassiouve.free.fr/acylevxfoto.htm
* Tourism - http://www.tourisme-annecy.net/annecy-le-vieux.html
* Tourism - http://www.annecytourisme.com/fr/communes/agglo/Annecy-le-Vieux/annecylevieux.htm