Albertville
Albertville | ||
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A general view of Albertville | ||
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Albertville | ||
Location within Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region Albertville | ||
Coordinates: 45°40′36″N 6°23′36″E / 45.6767°N 6.3933°ECoordinates: 45°40′36″N 6°23′36″E / 45.6767°N 6.3933°E | ||
Country | France | |
Region | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | |
Department | Savoie | |
Arrondissement | Albertville | |
Canton | Albertville-Nord and Albertville-Sud | |
Government | ||
• Mayor (2014–2020) | Martine Berthet | |
Area1 | 17.54 km2 (6.77 sq mi) | |
Population (2008)2 | 18,480 | |
• Density | 1,100/km2 (2,700/sq mi) | |
Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | |
• Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | |
INSEE/Postal code | 73011 / 73200 | |
Elevation |
328–2,030 m (1,076–6,660 ft) (avg. 352 m or 1,155 ft) | |
Website | http://www.albertville.com/ | |
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. |
Albertville (French pronunciation: [al.bɛʁ.vil]; Arpitan: Arbèrtvile) is a commune in the Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.
The town is best known for hosting the 1992 Winter Olympics.
Geography
Albertville is situated on the Arly River, close to the confluence with the Isère River. Its altitude is between 345 and 2,037 metres (1,132 and 6,683 ft).
Nearby mountains include: Belle Etoile, Dent de Cons, Négresse, Roche Pourrie, Mirantin, Pointe de la Grande Journée, and Chaîne du Grand Arc.
Nearby mountain ranges include: the Bauges; the Beaufortain; and the beginning of the Vanoise.
Albertville is also one of two subprefectures of the Savoie department, alongside Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne.
History
The modern city of Albertville was formed in 1836 by King Charles Albert of Sardinia, who merged the medieval town of Conflans, which has buildings dating back to the 14th century, with the town of L'Hôpital. Since then, Albertville has developed trade between France, Italy and Switzerland. Industries such as paper mills and hydroelectricity can be found along its river.
The 1992 Winter Olympics were organised in the Savoie region, with Albertville hosting it. Some of the sports venues were later adapted for other uses. Some sports venues still remain such as the ice rink, La halle de glace Olympique, designed by the architect Jacques Kalisz. Despite this, the town remains more industrial than touristic.
In 2003, the town was labelled a "Town of art and history".
Notable people from Albertville
- Léa Lemare (born 21 June 1996), ski jumper and national champion
- Florine De Leymarie (born 9 May 1981), skier.
- Adrien N'Goma, rugby player
- Jerome Jarre, comedian on Vine (app)
Sites of interest
- La halle de glace Olympique: Ice arena that hosted events during the 1992 Winter Olympics.
- L'anneau de vitesse: Athletics stadium that previously served as the site of the speed skating competitions of 1992 Winter Olympics.
International relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
Albertville is twinned with:
- Aosta, Italy[1]
- Winnenden (Baden-Württemberg)
- Sainte-Adèle, Quebec
- Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, which like Albertville, hosted a Winter Olympics, doing so in 2010.
See also
References
- ↑ Annuaire-Mairie.fr. "Ville d'Aoste" (in French). Retrieved 2013-06-18.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Albertville. |
- City council website
- Tourism webpage about Albertville (in French)
- Tourism webpage about Albertville(in English)