Chambéry
Encyclopedia
Chambéry is a city in the department of Savoie
Savoie
Savoie is a French department located in the Rhône-Alpes region in the French Alps.Together with the Haute-Savoie, Savoie is one of the two departments of the historic region of Savoy that was annexed by France on June 14, 1860, following the signature of the Treaty of Turin on March 24, 1860...

, located in the Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes is one of the 27 regions of France, located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris...

 region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...

 in southeastern France.

It is the capital of the department and has been the historical capital of the Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....

 region since the 13th century, when Amadeus V of Savoy made the city his seat of power.

Geography

Chambéry was founded at crossroads of ancient routes through the Dauphiné
Dauphiné
The Dauphiné or Dauphiné Viennois is a former province in southeastern France, whose area roughly corresponded to that of the present departments of :Isère, :Drôme, and :Hautes-Alpes....

 (Dôfenâ), Burgundy, Switzerland, and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

, in a wide valley between the Bauges and the Chartreuse Mountains
Chartreuse Mountains
The Chartreuse Mountains is a mountain range in eastern France, stretching to the north from the city of Grenoble to the Lac du Bourget. It is the southernmost range in the Jura Mountains and belongs to the French Prealps....

 on the Leysse River. The metropolitan area has more than 125,000 residents, extending from the vineyard slopes of the Combe de Savoie, almost to the shores of the Lac du Bourget
Lac du Bourget
The lac du Bourget is a lake in the Savoie department of France. It is the largest and the deepest lake located entirely within France. The most important town on its shore is Aix-les-Bains. Chambéry, the capital of Savoie, lies about 10 km south of the lake. The lake is named after the town Le...

, the largest natural lake in France. The city is a major railway hub, at the mid-point of the Franco-Italian "Lyon-Turin Ferroviaire" rail
SNCF
The SNCF , is France's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV, France's high-speed rail network...

 link.

Chambéry is situated in the south-east of France, 523 km from Paris, 326 km from Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...

, 214 km from Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...

, 100 km from Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....

 and 85 km from Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...

. It is found in a large valley, surrounded by massif des Bauges to the east (dominated by le Nivolet, upon which la croix du Nivolet is found), le Mont Granier (Chartreuse) and la Chaîne de Belledonne to the south, la chaîne de l'Épine (the most southern mountain of the Jura) to the west and le lac du Bourget to the north.

The bordering towns of Chambéry are Barberaz
Barberaz
Barberaz is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France....

, Bassens, Cognin
Cognin
Cognin is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France....

, Jacob-Bellecombette
Jacob-Bellecombette
Jacob-Bellecombette is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-External links:*...

, La Motte-Servolex
La Motte-Servolex
La Motte-Servolex is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-External links:*...

, La Ravoire
La Ravoire
La Ravoire is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-External links:*...

, Saint-Alban-Leysse
Saint-Alban-Leysse
Saint-Alban-Leysse is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-External links:*...

 and Sonnaz
Sonnaz
Sonnaz is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France....

.

History

The history of Chambéry is closely linked to the House of Savoy
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...

 and was the Savoyard capital from 1295 to 1563. During this time, Savoy encompassed a region that stretched from Bourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse
Bourg-en-Bresse is a commune in eastern France, capital of the Ain department, and was capital of the former province of Bresse . It is located north-northeast of Lyon.The inhabitants of Bourg-en-Bresse are known as Burgiens.-Geography:...

 in the west, across the Alps to Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...

, north to Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...

, and south to Nice. To insulate Savoy from provocations by France, Duke Emmanuel Philibert moved his capital to Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...

 in 1563, and, consequently, Chambéry declined. At its height, Savoyard weapons were highly respected, and many of Europe's mightiest armies fought with weapons made in Savoy. France annexed the regions that formerly constituted the Duchy of Savoy west of the Alps in 1796; however, the former Duchy and Chambéry were returned to the rulers of the House of Savoy in Turin in 1815 following the defeat of Napoléon Bonaparte. The need for urban revitalization was met by the establishment of the Société Académique de Savoie in 1820, which was devoted to material and ethical progress, now housed in an apartment of the ducal Chateau. Chambéry and lands of the former Duchy, as well as The Duchy of Nice, were annexed by France again in 1860 under the reign of Napoléon III.

Toponymy

The town known as Lemencum first changed its name in the Middle-Ages during the period that the Duc de Savoie erected his castle. It was called Camefriacum in 1016, Camberiaco in 1029, Cambariacum in 1036, and Cambariaco in 1044. In the next century, Cambariaco changed to Chamberium (1233), finally becoming Chamberi in 1603. The actual name supposedly comes from the Gaulois term camboritos (a ford situated in a curve). The Latin name cambarius, meaning beer brewer, may also explain the name. Another hypothesis is that the Gallo-Roman name Camberiacum suggests the idea of currency changing (cambium) or trade (camerinum : market), or perhaps, a room (camera) where the toll taxes are collected.

Main sights

Château de Chambéry

The first counts of Savoy settled into an existing fortress in 1285 and expanded it in the early 14th century to serve as a residence, seat of power and administration, and as stronghold for the House of Savoy. However, it quickly became obsolete as a serious fortification genuinely capable of resisting a siege. Due to constant French hostilities on the chateau, Duke Emmanuel Philibert decided to move his capital to Turin.

The chateau remained purely an administrative centre until Christine Marie of France
Christine Marie of France
Christine of France was the sister of Louis XIII and the Duchess of Savoy by marriage. At the death of her husband Victor Amadeus I in 1637, she acted as regent of Savoy between 1637 and 1648....

, Duchess of Savoy, returned to hold court in 1640. It was the site of the 1684 marriage between Victor Amadeus II of Sardinia
Victor Amadeus II of Sardinia
Victor Amadeus II was Duke of Savoy from 1675 to 1730. He also held the titles of marquis of Saluzzo, duke of Montferrat, prince of Piedmont, count of Aosta, Moriana and Nizza. Louis XIV organised his marriage in order to maintain French influence in the Duchy but Victor Amadeus soon broke away...

 and Anne Marie d'Orléans, niece of Louis XIV. Victor Amadeus II, having abdicated, lived here with his second wife Anna Canalis di Cumiana
Anna Canalis di Cumiana
Anna Carlotta Teresa Canalis di Cumiana was the morganantic spouse of Victor Amadeus II, King of Sardinia. She was created Marchioness of Spigno.-Lady of the court:...

 before they were imprisoned at the Castle of Rivoli
Castle of Rivoli
thumb|300px|The unifinished façade by [[Filippo Juvarra]].thumb|300px|Remains of the connection between Juvarra's section and the Manica Lunga.The Castle of Rivoli is a former Residence of the Royal House of Savoy in Rivoli...

 for trying to reclaim the throne.

In 1786, Victor Amadeus III enlarged it, adding a Royal Wing.

Under Napoleon Bonaparte, the Aile du Midi ("South Wing") was rebuilt and redecorated to house the imperial prefecture of the department of Mont-Blanc. Elaborate modification to the structure were made again after Savoy was annexed by France in 1860.

Today, the political administration of the department of Savoie is located in the castle, and it is open for tours and concerts.

Fontaine des Éléphants

The Fontaine des Éléphants ("Elephants Fountain") is the most famous landmark in Chambéry. It was built in 1838 to honour Benoît de Boigne
Benoît de Boigne
Benoît Leborgne , better known as Count Benoît de Boigne or General Count de Boigne, was a military adventurer from the Alps of French Savoy, who made his fortune and name in India...

's feats when he was in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. The monumental fountain has strikingly realistic sculptures of the head and forelimbs of four lifesize elephants truncated into the base of a tall column in the shape of the savoyan
Savoie
Savoie is a French department located in the Rhône-Alpes region in the French Alps.Together with the Haute-Savoie, Savoie is one of the two departments of the historic region of Savoy that was annexed by France on June 14, 1860, following the signature of the Treaty of Turin on March 24, 1860...

 (savoyarde) cross, topped by a statue of de Boigne. At first, the landmark was mocked by the local residents who were annoyed by it, but it now is accepted as one of the city's symbols. Since the early controversy, the statue kept its nickname of les quatre sans culs, ("the four without arses", which sounds in French similar to the title of the best-known movie by nouvelle vague director François Truffaut
François Truffaut
François Roland Truffaut was an influential film critic and filmmaker and one of the founders of the French New Wave. In a film career lasting over a quarter of a century, he remains an icon of the French film industry. He was also a screenwriter, producer, and actor working on over twenty-five...

: Les quatre cents coups, "The 400 Blows").

Others

The Cistercian Abbey of Hautecombe, founded in 1135, is one of the burial places of the rulers of the House of Savoy. Saint Francis de Sales
Francis de Sales
Francis de Sales was Bishop of Geneva and is a Roman Catholic saint. He worked to convert Protestants back to Catholicism, and was an accomplished preacher...

 officiated at Notre-Dame de Myans (established before the 12th century). Francis I of France went to Notre-Dame de l'Aumône at Romilly
Romilly
-People:*Baron Romilly, title created in 1866**John Romilly, 1st Baron Romilly , English judge*Esmond Romilly , British socialist and anti-fascist, married to one of the Mitford sisters...

 in the 13th century as a pilgrim. The Sisters of St Joseph, an order founded at Chambéry in 1812, devotes itself to teaching and charitable work, and today, its members are now widespread.

Transportation

Chambéry Airport
Chambéry Airport
-Charter airlines:-Airport statistics:-External links:* * *...

 serves Chambéry. The Chambéry-Challes-les-Eaux station
Gare de Chambéry-Challes-les-Eaux
Chambéry-Challes-les-Eaux station is a railway station in the Savoie département of France. The station serves the city of Chambéry. The station is served by two major high speed services, the TGV and Thalys.-Services:-References:*...

 provides rail connections, including a nonstop TGV
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....

 service to Paris-Gare de Lyon
Paris-Gare de Lyon
Paris Lyon is one of the six large railway termini in Paris, France. It is the northern terminus of the Paris–Marseille railway. It is named after the city of Lyon, a stop for many long-distance trains departing here, most en route to the south of France. In general the station's SNCF services run...

. High-speed rail service also continues east along the Maurienne Valley and through the Fréjus Rail Tunnel
Fréjus Rail Tunnel
The Fréjus Rail Tunnel is a rail tunnel of length in the European Alps, carrying the Turin–Modane railway through Mount Cenis to an end on connection with the Culoz–Modane railway and linking Modane, France and Bardonecchia, Italy...

 to Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...

, Italy.
STAC is the local bus system.

Notable people

Chambéry was the birthplace of:
  • François de Candie
    François de Candie
    François de Candia, 1st Vidominus or Vidame de Geneva was lawyer, diplomat and a nobleman of the House of Candia; also known as François de Genève...

    , 1st Vice-Count of Geneva, "Ancien Vidam de Genéve", (c. 1314–1360), nobleman and military commander of the Royal Guard of Savoy
  • Gauvain de Candie, count of Derruyre, novelist and poet of the House of Candia
    House of Candia
    The House of Candia is a European dynastic house, created by a junior branch of the House of Anjou originally from "Castrum Candiaco" in the Dauphiné of the nobility of Savoy and Piemont...

    , who in 1475 at age 28 he composed the famous "Chason d'Amoure" recited poems to the ducal couple of Marguerite of Austria and Philibert II, Duke of Savoy
    Philibert II, Duke of Savoy
    Philibert II , surnamed the Handsome or the Good, was the Duke of Savoy from 1497 until his death.-Biography:...

    .
  • César Vichard de Saint-Réal
    César Vichard de Saint-Réal
    César Vichard de Saint-Réal was a French polygraph.He was born in Chambéry, Savoy, but educated in Lyon by the Jesuits. He used to work in the royal library with Antoine Varillas. This French historiographer influenced the way Saint-Réal wrote history...

     (1639–1692), novelist
  • Amédée-François Frézier
    Amédée-François Frézier
    Amédée-François Frézier was a French military engineer, mathematician, spy, and explorer who is best remembered for bringing back five specimens of Fragaria chiloensis, the beach strawberry, from an assignment in South America, thus introducing this New World fruit to the Old.-Family...

     (1682–1773), engineer, mathematician, spy, and explorer
  • Benoît de Boigne
    Benoît de Boigne
    Benoît Leborgne , better known as Count Benoît de Boigne or General Count de Boigne, was a military adventurer from the Alps of French Savoy, who made his fortune and name in India...

     (1751–1830), military adventurer in India
    India
    India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

  • Joseph de Maistre
    Joseph de Maistre
    Joseph-Marie, comte de Maistre was a French-speaking Savoyard philosopher, writer, lawyer, and diplomat. He defended hierarchical societies and a monarchical State in the period immediately following the French Revolution...

    , (1753–1821) conservative political philosopher and critic of the French Revolution
    French Revolution
    The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...

  • Xavier de Maistre
    Xavier de Maistre
    Xavier de Maistre of Savoy , lived largely as a military man, but is known as a French writer. The younger brother of noted philosopher and counter-revolutionary Joseph de Maistre, Xavier was born to an aristocratic family at Chambéry in October 1763...

     (1763–1852), soldier and author
  • Michel de Certeau
    Michel de Certeau
    Michel de Certeau was a French Jesuit and scholar whose work combined history, psychoanalysis, philosophy, and the social sciences.-Education:...

     (1925–1986), Jesuit and scholar
  • Federico Luigi, Conte Menabrea
    Federico Luigi, Conte Menabrea
    Federico Luigi, 1º Conte Menabrea, 1st Marquis of Valdora was an Italian general, statesman and mathematician.-Biography:Menabrea was born at Chambéry, then part of the Kingdom of Sardinia....

     (1809–1896), Italian prime minister and general
  • Pierre Pendaries
    Pierre Pendaries
    Sous Lieutenant Pierre Pendaries was a World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories.-List of aerial victories:See also Aerial victory standards of World War I...

     (1893-????), World War I flying ace
    Flying ace
    A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...


Twin towns – Sister cities

Chambéry is twinned with: Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...

, Italy Albstadt
Albstadt
Albstadt is a city in the district of Zollernalbkreis in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the Swabian Alb mountains, about halfway between Stuttgart and Lake Constance...

, Germany Ouahigouya
Ouahigouya
Ouahigouya is the most important town in northern Burkina Faso. It is the capital of the Yatenga Province and one of its subdivisions the Ouahigouya Department. It is also the biggest town in the Nord Region. It is the third largest city in the country with a population of 122,677. It is situated ...

, Burkina Faso

See also

  • Duchy of Savoy
    Duchy of Savoy
    From 1416 to 1847, the House of Savoy ruled the eponymous Duchy of Savoy . The Duchy was a state in the northern part of the Italian Peninsula, with some territories that are now in France. It was a continuation of the County of Savoy...

  • House of Savoy
    House of Savoy
    The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...

  • Archdiocese of Chambéry
  • Kingdom of Sardinia
    Kingdom of Sardinia
    The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...

  • Arpitan language
  • Université de Savoie
  • Communes of the Savoie department

External links

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