Abondance, Haute-Savoie Explained

Abondance
Commune Status:Commune
Image Coat Of Arms:Blason Ville Fr Abondance.svg
Coordinates:46.2797°N 6.7228°W
Arrondissement:Thonon-les-Bains
Canton:Évian-les-Bains
Mayor:Paul Girard-Despraulex[1]
Term:2020 - 2026
Intercommunality:Pays d'Évian Vallée d'Abondance
Area Km2:55.84
Elevation M:930
Elevation Min M:840
Elevation Max M:2420
Insee:74001
Postal Code:74360
Dialling Code:0450
Demonym:Abondanciers, Abondancières or Abondanciens, Abondanciennes

Abondance (in French pronounced as /abɔ̃dɑ̃s/) is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.

It lies in the French Alps just south of Lake Geneva on the Swiss border. The people of this commune are referred to as Abondanciers.

Abondance has given its name to a variety of cheese made in the region, the breed of cattle from whose milk the cheese is made and the valley in which it stands. Other villages in the Vallee D'Abondance are Chatel and La Chapelle D'Abondance. It is a small and quiet town with several bars, hotels, restaurants, a bank, some food and ski/outdoor shops and a lively Sunday morning Market serving the Vallee D'Abondance. One of its features is the 14th century Abbey. The commune was founded around the year 1040.

In the 2006–2007 ski season, a year of very poor snowfall, a decision was made to shut down the town's ski area after a long period of loss-making. The town's plea for government aid to support the resort was denied due to its unlikeliness to return to profit due to lack of snow. However, the resort reopened in 2009–10 and each winter since has remained open throughout the season. L'Essert is the name of the town's ski area and it has 7 lifts and 13 runs of which there are two nursery slopes, 6 blue runs, 3 red and 2 black [2] and a mountain restaurant. Ecole du Ski Francais operates in Abondance.[3] In addition to downhill skiing, the resort has 10 km of cross country ski and snow shoe trails. Summer visitors go to Abondance for the walking, history and outdoor activities.

Abondance is home to the international boarding school Sainte Croix des Neiges.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Répertoire national des élus: les maires. data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022. fr.
  2. Web site: Office de Tourisme d'Abondance : village abondance, haute savoie, savoie, montagne, Suisse, abbaye, neige, chalet. www.abondance.org. 16 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20121020002932/http://www.abondance.org/map-abondance.html. 2012-10-20. dead.
  3. Web site: French ski school : Book your ski and snowboard lessons for adults and children in France . 2013-06-25 . https://archive.today/20130628025427/http://abondance.esf.net/en/index.htm . 2013-06-28 . dead .