Haute-Savoie Explained

Department:Haute-Savoie
Number:74
Region:Rhône-Alpes
Prefecture:Annecy
Subprefectures:Bonneville
Saint-Julien-en-Genevois
Thonon-les-Bains
Population:631,679
Pop Date:1999
Pop Rank:33rd
Density:144
Area:4388
Area Scale:9
Arrond:4
Cantons:34
Communes:294
President:Ernest Nycollin
Pres Party:UMP

Haute-Savoie (Arpitan : Savouè d’Amont / Hiôta-Savouè) is a French department, named for its location in the Alps mountain range.

History

Haute-Savoie (English: "Upper Savoy") is one of two departments of the region of Savoy that was annexed by France on 24 March 1860, the other being Savoie. For its history prior to 1860, and details of the annexation and reasons for the current separatist movement in the two departments, see Savoy.

Geography

To the north, Haute-Savoie borders on Switzerland, with Geneva as the closest major town, and Lake Geneva. To the east, Haute-Savoie borders Italy, and to the west the department of Ain. To the south it borders Savoie.

Mont Blanc and Lake Annecy are located in Haute-Savoie, as well as the town of Évian-les-Bains, the most famous town on the French shore of Lake Geneva, and well-known around the world for its mineral water, Evian.

Some of the world's most well-known ski resorts are located in Haute-Savoie. For instance, Chamonix — a city where skiing and mountaineering are at the heart of the economic activity, thanks to the Mont-Blanc, Europe's second highest mountain (4808 meters high).

Lakes in Haute-Savoie:

Miscellaneous topics

See also

History

Language

Places

Wine

External links