La Rosière, Savoie
Encyclopedia
La Rosière is a ski resort
in southeastern France
. It is located in the territory of the commune
of Montvalezan
, in the Haute-Savoie
department, located at 1850 metres above sea level, and faces South with fine views across the valley to nearby Les Arcs
.
It was developed in the early 1950s on the site of an old hamlet, and was linked with the nearby Italian resort of La Thuile
in 1984 via two fairly long drag lifts
through the Little St Bernard Pass
.
Compared to its neighbour, Val d'Isère
, La Rosière is relatively small, with 150 km (93.2 mi) of piste. The ski area of l'Espace San Bernardo (which includes La Thuile) caters for all abilities: as of early 2008, it provides 6 green and 23 blue slopes for beginners, and 32 red and 6 black runs for the more advanced skiers.
A notable feature on the higher pistes is the Redoute Ruinée, a border fort built by France in the early 1890s after the loss of Alsace and Lorraine
to Germany in 1870, as part of a general strengthening of the borders. It was heavily reinforced between 1936 and 1940 as part of the Alpine Line
, in anticipation of invasion from Italy. In June 1940, during the Battle of France
at the start of World War II, a small force of 47 men resisted several attacks from Italy, before being allowed to leave with the flag after the Armistice with Germany
. The fort suffered heavy damage when French forces attempted to retake it towards the end of the war. It is now ruined, and public access to the interior is prohibited for safety reasons.
It is the world famous St Bernard breed of dog that takes its name from this region, and the chapel nestling in the col.
Hannibal is thought to have marched his elephants through this area on his passage through the Alps.
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
in southeastern 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...
. It is located in the territory of the commune
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...
of Montvalezan
Montvalezan
Montvalezan is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-References:*...
, 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, located at 1850 metres above sea level, and faces South with fine views across the valley to nearby Les Arcs
Les Arcs
Les Arcs is a ski resort located in Savoie, France, in the Tarentaise Valley town of Bourg-Saint-Maurice. Initially created by Robert Blanc and Roger Godino...
.
It was developed in the early 1950s on the site of an old hamlet, and was linked with the nearby Italian resort of La Thuile
La Thuile
La Thuile is a town and comune in the Aosta Valley of northwest Italy.-Geography:La Thuile is situated in the Alps at the extreme north-west of the country, close to the French alpine town of La Rosière...
in 1984 via two fairly long drag lifts
Platter lift
A platter lift , platter pull or button lift is a surface lift, a mechanized system for pulling skiers and snowboarders uphill, along the surface of the slope. In Europe they are also known as Poma lifts...
through the Little St Bernard Pass
Little St Bernard Pass
The Little St Bernard Pass is a mountain pass in the Alps on the France–Italy border. Its saddle is at 2188 metres above sea level. It is located between Savoie, France and Aosta Valley, Italy to the south of the Mont Blanc Massif, precisely on the main alpine watershed. There is also a Great St...
.
Compared to its neighbour, Val d'Isère
Val d'Isère
Val d'Isère is a commune of the Tarentaise Valley, in the Savoie department in south-eastern France. It lies from the border with Italy. It is on the border of the Vanoise National Park created in 1963. The Face de Bellevarde was the scene of the men's downhill race as part of the 1992 Winter...
, La Rosière is relatively small, with 150 km (93.2 mi) of piste. The ski area of l'Espace San Bernardo (which includes La Thuile) caters for all abilities: as of early 2008, it provides 6 green and 23 blue slopes for beginners, and 32 red and 6 black runs for the more advanced skiers.
A notable feature on the higher pistes is the Redoute Ruinée, a border fort built by France in the early 1890s after the loss of Alsace and Lorraine
Alsace-Lorraine
The Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle region of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east...
to Germany in 1870, as part of a general strengthening of the borders. It was heavily reinforced between 1936 and 1940 as part of the Alpine Line
Alpine Line
The Alpine Line or Little Maginot Line was the component of the Maginot Line that defended the southeastern portion of France...
, in anticipation of invasion from Italy. In June 1940, during the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
at the start of World War II, a small force of 47 men resisted several attacks from Italy, before being allowed to leave with the flag after the Armistice with Germany
Armistice with France (Second Compiègne)
The Second Armistice at Compiègne was signed at 18:50 on 22 June 1940 near Compiègne, in the department of Oise, between Nazi Germany and France...
. The fort suffered heavy damage when French forces attempted to retake it towards the end of the war. It is now ruined, and public access to the interior is prohibited for safety reasons.
It is the world famous St Bernard breed of dog that takes its name from this region, and the chapel nestling in the col.
Hannibal is thought to have marched his elephants through this area on his passage through the Alps.