Cluses
Encyclopedia
Cluses is a commune
in the Haute-Savoie
department in the Rhône-Alpes
region
in south-eastern France
.
Citizens are known as Clusiens. The commune is situated in the Arve
Valley, on the river which bears the same name. Cluses is known for its Alpine setting and (during the first part of the 20th century) its watch-making industry.
and Chamonix
, Cluses is located near a number of popular ski slopes.
In 1720, Claude-Joseph Balladoud introduced clockmaking in the Arve Valley, previously a farming community. Soon, family-owned workrooms and cottage industries emerged, supplying the main clock-making centres of Geneva
. In 1848, the "Ecole Royal d’Horlogerie" (Royal school of clockmaking) was created, and precision clock manufacturing in the Arve Valley soon became a mainstay of the town.
On June 20, 1844, all of the town's wooden chalet-style buildings were destroyed in a fire. The town was rebuilt with new architecture, according to the style of Turin, Italy. This style is still represented in Cluses today, making the city particularly noteworthy in the region Haute-Savoie
.
Reel company, who in 1948 introduced the world's first modern spinning reel for sportfishing. In 1984, after building nearly 25 million fishing reels, low-cost labor competition from Asia forced the company to manufacture its products outside France. The company still exists however, and its corporate headquarters are now located in the nearby community of Marignier
, France.
Today, Cluses is a favorite tourist and winter sports destination. Watchmaking now accounts for only a small part of Cluses’ industry, though the town continues to serve as a high-tech centre for precision engineering
and design of advanced technical products. Somfy S.A., a manufacturer of controls and motors for awnings, roller shutter
s, window covering
s, and projection screens, is the largest company still located in the city.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie is a French department in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. It borders both Switzerland and Italy. The capital is Annecy. To the north is Lake Geneva and Switzerland; to the south and southeast are the Mont Blanc and Aravis mountain ranges and the French entrance to the Mont...
department 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 south-eastern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Citizens are known as Clusiens. The commune is situated in the Arve
Arve
The Arve river flows for approximately 100 km through France, in the département of Haute-Savoie, and in Switzerland...
Valley, on the river which bears the same name. Cluses is known for its Alpine setting and (during the first part of the 20th century) its watch-making industry.
Geography
The town is located in the Arve Valley, in the region Faucigny. Situated between GenevaGeneva
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 Chamonix
Chamonix
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc or, more commonly, Chamonix is a commune in the Haute-Savoie département in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It was the site of the 1924 Winter Olympics, the first Winter Olympics...
, Cluses is located near a number of popular ski slopes.
Population
Cluses began as a commune with 2208 citizens in 1902, growing to 16,732 residents in 1990.History
During the Middle Ages, a bridge was built on the Arve River. Travelers crossing the bridge soon stimulated trade in the area, and the first village was born at the center of the "cluse" (a narrow valley), situated between the mountains and the Arve River. Cluses became an independent commune on 4 May 1310. The Baron Hughes of Faucigny had an important role in the town's evolution as an independent commune.In 1720, Claude-Joseph Balladoud introduced clockmaking in the Arve Valley, previously a farming community. Soon, family-owned workrooms and cottage industries emerged, supplying the main clock-making centres of 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...
. In 1848, the "Ecole Royal d’Horlogerie" (Royal school of clockmaking) was created, and precision clock manufacturing in the Arve Valley soon became a mainstay of the town.
On June 20, 1844, all of the town's wooden chalet-style buildings were destroyed in a fire. The town was rebuilt with new architecture, according to the style of Turin, Italy. This style is still represented in Cluses today, making the city particularly noteworthy in the region Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie is a French department in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. It borders both Switzerland and Italy. The capital is Annecy. To the north is Lake Geneva and Switzerland; to the south and southeast are the Mont Blanc and Aravis mountain ranges and the French entrance to the Mont...
.
Economy and commerce
At the beginning of the 20th century, farming was still the most important commercial actitivity in Cluses, but eventually the watch and clock-making industries emerged as the dominant trade, and Cluses' reputation in the field soon attracted other precision manufacturing industries. For many years Cluses served as the location of the factory and headquarters of the famous MitchellMitchell
Mitchell may refer to:* B-25 Mitchell, an American World War II-era bomber aircraft* Billy Mitchell Award, a Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program award* Mitchell , an automobile built in Racine, Wisconsin from 1903-1923...
Reel company, who in 1948 introduced the world's first modern spinning reel for sportfishing. In 1984, after building nearly 25 million fishing reels, low-cost labor competition from Asia forced the company to manufacture its products outside France. The company still exists however, and its corporate headquarters are now located in the nearby community of Marignier
Marignier
Marignier is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-References:*...
, France.
Today, Cluses is a favorite tourist and winter sports destination. Watchmaking now accounts for only a small part of Cluses’ industry, though the town continues to serve as a high-tech centre for precision engineering
Precision engineering
Precision engineering is a subdiscipline of electrical engineering, electronics engineering, mechanical engineering, and optical engineering concerned with designing machines, fixtures, and other structures that have exceptionally low tolerances, are repeatable, and are stable over time...
and design of advanced technical products. Somfy S.A., a manufacturer of controls and motors for awnings, roller shutter
Roller shutter
A roller shutter, roller door or sectional overhead door is a type of door or window shutter consisting of many horizontal slats hinged together. The door is raised to open it and lowered to close it. On large doors, the action may be motorized. It provides protection against wind and rain...
s, window covering
Window covering
Window coverings are material used to cover a window to manage sunlight, to provide additional weatherproofing, to ensure privacy or for purely decorative purposes....
s, and projection screens, is the largest company still located in the city.
Culture
- The Faucigny Music Festival, held to commemorate François Curt, founder of the Music Federation of Faucigny, takes place among the 14 towns of the Arve Valley on the last Sunday of every June. Each year, a different town hosts the festival: Cluses last hosted the event in June 2000.
- Each year, Cluses also holds a modern folk rock and rock music festival called "Musiques en Stock", a free event with many well-known artists and performers.
Monuments
- The "Pont Vieux" is an historic bridge on the Arve. It was the only bridge over the river for many centuries.
- The National School of Clockmaking, a historic monument, is now a secondary school (Lycée Charles Poncet)
Districts
Sardagne, Centre-ville (downtown), Messy, the Ewües I and II, the Noiret, Marzan, Ponthior, Curzeilles, St Vincent, and Saint Nicolas.Twin cities
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