Albertville
Albertville (French pronunciation: [albɛʁvil] (listen); Arpitan: Arbèrtvile) is a commune in the Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France. The town is best known for hosting the 1992 Winter Olympics. In 2017, the commune had a population of 18,899, and its urban area had 40,489 inhabitants.[2]
Albertville | |
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Subprefecture and commune | |
A general view of Albertville | |
Coat of arms | |
Location of Albertville | |
Albertville Albertville | |
Coordinates: 45°40′36″N 6°23′36″E | |
Country | France |
Region | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes |
Department | Savoie |
Arrondissement | Albertville |
Canton | Albertville-1 Albertville-2 |
Intercommunality | Arlysère |
Government | |
• Mayor (2020-2026) | Frédéric Burnier-Framboret |
Area 1 | 17.54 km2 (6.77 sq mi) |
• Urban | 189.8 km2 (73.3 sq mi) |
Population (2017-01-01)[1] | 18,899 |
• Density | 1,100/km2 (2,800/sq mi) |
• Urban (2017) | 40,489 |
• Urban density | 210/km2 (550/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
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. |
Geography
Albertville is one of two subprefectures of the Savoie department, alongside Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne.
Albertville is situated on the river Arly, close to the confluence with the Isère river. Its altitude ranges from 345 to 2,037 metres (1,132 to 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.
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 to the 14th century, with the town of L'Hôpital. Since then, Albertville has fostered trade between France, Italy and Switzerland. Industries such as paper mills and hydroelectricity are 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".
Population
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
2006 | 18,009 | — |
2007 | 17,814 | −1.1% |
2008 | 18,480 | +3.7% |
2009 | 18,967 | +2.6% |
2010 | 18,876 | −0.5% |
2011 | 18,832 | −0.2% |
2012 | 19,271 | +2.3% |
2013 | 19,071 | −1.0% |
2014 | 18,950 | −0.6% |
2015 | 18,969 | +0.1% |
2016 | 19,055 | +0.5% |
Notable people from Albertville
- Gérard Mourou (born 1944), Nobel Prize winner in Physics, 2018
- Justine Braisaz (born 1996), world and Olympic medalist in biathlon
- Jean-Luc Crétier (born 1966), Olympic champion in alpine skiing (WOC 1998, downhill)
- Léa Lemare (born 1996), ski jumper and national champion
- Florine De Leymarie (born 1981), skier
- Adrien N'Goma, rugby player
- Jérôme Jarre (born 1990), comedian on Vine (app)
Sites of interest
- La halle de glace Olympique, or the Olympic ice hall, the ice arena that hosted events during the 1992 Winter Olympics.
- L'anneau de vitesse, or speed oval, the athletic stadium that previously served as the site of the speed skating competitions of 1992 Winter Olympics.
International relations
Albertville is twinned with:
- Aosta, Italy[3]
- Winnenden (Baden-Württemberg)
- Sainte-Adèle, Quebec
- Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, which like Albertville, hosted a Winter Olympics, doing so in 2010.
References
- "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
- Unité urbaine d'Albertville (73401), INSEE
- 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)