Évian-les-Bains
Encyclopedia
Évian-les-Bains or Évian (evjɑ̃ le bɛ̃) is a commune
in the northern part of the Haute-Savoie
department in the Rhône-Alpes
region
in south-eastern France
. An elite holiday resort and spa town
on the shores of Lake Geneva
, for two centuries, it has hosted many Royals
such as Kings Edward VII and George V
of England and King Farouk of Egypt
, and celebrities such as countess Anna de Noailles and Marcel Proust
.
. But the First Empire's interest for spa towns inspired a scientist to analyze the Evian springs in 1807 and 1808: Evian mineral waters revealed astonishing curative qualities and the waters began to be used for medicinal purposes. A lakeside port and a new road (RN5) connecting the town to Milan
and Paris
were constructed in 1809. In 1823, Genevan entrepreneur M. Falconnet launched the Évian mineral water company (Société des Eaux Minérales d'Évian) and purchased the cities' two main springs (the most famous being the Cachat spring named after the family that sold it) in March 1827. M. Fauconnet's company eventually went bankrupt, and the springs were bought by the Hôtel des Bains. In the following years, many hotels (Hôtel des quatre saisons, Hôtel de France, Hôtel des Alpes) were built, turning the town into a popular holiday resort.
In the late 19th century, the city contained more than 20 hotels. The hills and the lakeshore were covered with noble houses and luxurious villas and a theatre
and a casino
were built on the lakeside. In 1902, the baths were constructed and in 1909, famous architect Hébrard built one of the most luxurious hotels ever built: the Royal Hotel. Evian is therefore confirmed as one of the top European spas, popular with notable high society figures such as Countess Anna de Noailles, Frédéric Mistral
, the Lumières or Marcel Proust
.
After World War I
, the city kept its status as an exclusive spa town, hosting socialites and royalty such as Aga Khan III
, the Maharaja of Kapurthala
, Albert Lebrun
(President of the République), King George V
of England and King Fuad I of Egypt
.
The Évian Conference
was convened in Évian in July 1938 to discuss the problem of Jewish refugees
. During World War II
German forces occupied Évian and the town's statue of General Dupas was removed.
were signed there on 18 March 1962, and the G8
began its 29th summit meeting
in Évian on 1 June 2003.
Évian remains a famous holiday resort and spa town, home of luxurious hotels (the G8 was held at the Royal Hotel) and golf courses (the Évian Masters
women's professional golf tournament, founded in 1994, is held every summer).
mineral water
, which makes up the foundation of the economy together with the Casino d'Evian, the largest themed casino
in Europe, and the Evian Royal Resort, favorite holiday destination of former French President François Mitterrand
and King Farouk of Egypt
. Many of the inhabitants of Évian work in Lausanne and other Swiss cities nearby.
The two largest hotels in Évian are the Hotel Royal (where the G8 summit was held) and the Hilton.
Évian is served by a good bus network, as well as a train station with regular trains to Geneva
, Annemasse
, and Bellegarde
, as well as less frequent services to Paris
and Lyon
. There is also a very busy ferry service running between the town and Lausanne
, as well as a more tourist-centered service that runs to Yvoire
.
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 northern part of 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...
. An elite holiday resort and spa town
Spa town
A spa town is a town situated around a mineral spa . Patrons resorted to spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word comes from the Belgian town Spa. In continental Europe a spa was known as a ville d'eau...
on the shores of Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva or Lake Léman is a lake in Switzerland and France. It is one of the largest lakes in Western Europe. 59.53 % of it comes under the jurisdiction of Switzerland , and 40.47 % under France...
, for two centuries, it has hosted many Royals
Royals
Royals can refer to:* A royal family* Reading Football Club, a football team currently playing in the Football League Championship* Rajasthan Royals, an Indian Premier League franchise* Kansas City Royals, a Major League Baseball team...
such as Kings Edward VII and George V
George V
George V was king of the United Kingdom and its dominions from 1910 to 1936.George V or similar terms may also refer to:-People:* George V of Georgia * George V of Imereti * George V of Hanover...
of England and King Farouk of Egypt
Farouk of Egypt
Farouk I of Egypt , was the tenth ruler from the Muhammad Ali Dynasty and the penultimate King of Egypt and Sudan, succeeding his father, Fuad I, in 1936....
, and celebrities such as countess Anna de Noailles and Marcel Proust
Marcel Proust
Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust was a French novelist, critic, and essayist best known for his monumental À la recherche du temps perdu...
.
Birth of an elite spa town
The springs of Evian were still rather unknown at the time of the French RevolutionFrench 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...
. But the First Empire's interest for spa towns inspired a scientist to analyze the Evian springs in 1807 and 1808: Evian mineral waters revealed astonishing curative qualities and the waters began to be used for medicinal purposes. A lakeside port and a new road (RN5) connecting the town to Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
were constructed in 1809. In 1823, Genevan entrepreneur M. Falconnet launched the Évian mineral water company (Société des Eaux Minérales d'Évian) and purchased the cities' two main springs (the most famous being the Cachat spring named after the family that sold it) in March 1827. M. Fauconnet's company eventually went bankrupt, and the springs were bought by the Hôtel des Bains. In the following years, many hotels (Hôtel des quatre saisons, Hôtel de France, Hôtel des Alpes) were built, turning the town into a popular holiday resort.
The Golden Age of the Belle epoque and the Roaring Twenties
The Cachat mineral waters SA (Société Anonyme des Eaux Minérales de Cachat) was created in December 1859 by Parisian investors, selling Évian water, and in 1865 the small town changed its name to Évian-les-bains to promote its rise as a spa town. Three others springs joined the Cachat (Guillot, Bonnevie, Corporau) and further studies bore out the curative characteristics of the water. Improvement in transportation (a railroad station) helped the town to become a renowned spa.In the late 19th century, the city contained more than 20 hotels. The hills and the lakeshore were covered with noble houses and luxurious villas and a theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
and a casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
were built on the lakeside. In 1902, the baths were constructed and in 1909, famous architect Hébrard built one of the most luxurious hotels ever built: the Royal Hotel. Evian is therefore confirmed as one of the top European spas, popular with notable high society figures such as Countess Anna de Noailles, Frédéric Mistral
Frédéric Mistral
Frédéric Mistral was a French writer and lexicographer of the Occitan language. Mistral won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1904 and was a founding member of Félibrige and a member of l'Académie de Marseille...
, the Lumières or Marcel Proust
Marcel Proust
Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust was a French novelist, critic, and essayist best known for his monumental À la recherche du temps perdu...
.
After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the city kept its status as an exclusive spa town, hosting socialites and royalty such as Aga Khan III
Aga Khan III
Sir Sultan Muhammed Shah, Aga Khan III, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, GCVO, PC was the 48th Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims. He was one of the founders and the first president of the All-India Muslim League, and served as President of the League of Nations from 1937-38. He was nominated to represent India to...
, the Maharaja of Kapurthala
Kapurthala
Kapurthala is a city in Punjab state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Kapurthala District. It was the capital of the Kapurthala State, a princely state in British India. The secular and aesthetic mix of the city with its prominent buildings based on French and Indo-Saracenic...
, Albert Lebrun
Albert Lebrun
Albert François Lebrun was a French politician, President of France from 1932 to 1940. He was the last president of the Third Republic. He was a member of the center-right Democratic Republican Alliance .-Biography:...
(President of the République), King George V
George V
George V was king of the United Kingdom and its dominions from 1910 to 1936.George V or similar terms may also refer to:-People:* George V of Georgia * George V of Imereti * George V of Hanover...
of England and King Fuad I of Egypt
Fuad I of Egypt
Fuad I was the Sultan and later King of Egypt and Sudan, Sovereign of Nubia, Kordofan, and Darfur. The ninth ruler of Egypt and Sudan from the Muhammad Ali Dynasty, he became Sultan of Egypt and Sudan in 1917, succeeding his elder brother Sultan Hussein Kamel...
.
The Évian Conference
Evian Conference
The Évian Conference was convened at the initiative of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt in July 1938 to discuss the issue of increasing numbers of Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution. For eight days, from July 6 to July 13, representatives from 31 countries met at Évian-les-Bains, France...
was convened in Évian in July 1938 to discuss the problem of Jewish refugees
Jewish refugees
In the course of history, Jewish populations have been expelled or ostracised by various local authorities and have sought asylum from antisemitism numerous times...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
German forces occupied Évian and the town's statue of General Dupas was removed.
Contemporary
The Évian AccordsÉvian Accords
The Évian Accords comprise a treaty which was signed in 1962 in Évian-les-Bains, France by France and the F.L.N. . The Accords put an end to the Algerian War with a formal cease-fire proclaimed for March 19, and formalized the idea of cooperative exchange between the two countries...
were signed there on 18 March 1962, and the G8
G8
The Group of Eight is a forum, created by France in 1975, for the governments of seven major economies: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In 1997, the group added Russia, thus becoming the G8...
began its 29th summit meeting
29th G8 summit
The 29th G8 summit took place in Évian-les-Bains, France, in June 2003. As is usual for G8 summits, there were a range of protests.-Overview:...
in Évian on 1 June 2003.
Évian remains a famous holiday resort and spa town, home of luxurious hotels (the G8 was held at the Royal Hotel) and golf courses (the Évian Masters
Evian Masters
The Evian Masters is a women's professional golf tournament played at the Evian Masters Golf Club in Évian-les-Bains, France each July.Founded in 1994 on the Ladies European Tour, it is one of two major championships on the LET. Not a major on the LPGA Tour, it became an LPGA co-sanctioned event in...
women's professional golf tournament, founded in 1994, is held every summer).
Economy
The town is home to ÉvianEvian
Evian is a French brand of mineral water coming from several sources near Évian-les-Bains, on the south shore of Lake Geneva.Today, Evian is owned by Danone Group, a French multinational company...
mineral water
Mineral water
Mineral water is water containing minerals or other dissolved substances that alter its taste or give it therapeutic value, generally obtained from a naturally occurring mineral spring or source. Dissolved substances in the water may include various salts and sulfur compounds...
, which makes up the foundation of the economy together with the Casino d'Evian, the largest themed casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
in Europe, and the Evian Royal Resort, favorite holiday destination of former French President François Mitterrand
François Mitterrand
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
and King Farouk of Egypt
Farouk of Egypt
Farouk I of Egypt , was the tenth ruler from the Muhammad Ali Dynasty and the penultimate King of Egypt and Sudan, succeeding his father, Fuad I, in 1936....
. Many of the inhabitants of Évian work in Lausanne and other Swiss cities nearby.
The two largest hotels in Évian are the Hotel Royal (where the G8 summit was held) and the Hilton.
Demographics
The town has an average sized Arab presence for the region (6%) as well as a sizeable Swiss presence (11%) due to its proximity to Switzerland. It also supports a small Jewish community, who maintain a synagogue in the town.Notable people
- The French ski mountaineer Patrick BlancPatrick Blanc (ski mountaineer)Patrick Blanc is a French ski mountaineer.Blanc is born in Évian-les-Bains, Haute-Savoie and has been member of the national team since 2002...
was born in Évian on 28 April 1972. - The Napoleonic General Dupas was also born in Évian.
Transport
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...
, Annemasse
Annemasse
Annemasse is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It lies on the border with Switzerland. It is the second town in the Haute-Savoie department with a population estimated to 29'450 in 2010.-Geography:...
, and Bellegarde
Bellegarde
Bellegarde may refer to:In communes in France:* Bellegarde, Gard* Bellegarde, Gers* Bellegarde, Loiret* Bellegarde, Tarn* Bellegarde-du-Razès, in the Aude département* Bellegarde-en-Diois, in the Drôme département...
, as well as less frequent services to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and 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....
. There is also a very busy ferry service running between the town and Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
, as well as a more tourist-centered service that runs to Yvoire
Yvoire
Yvoire is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-Geography:Being located at the tip of the Leman peninsula , Yvoire delimits the two main parts of the Lake Geneva, the "petit lac" and the "grand lac".-Features:It is well known for its medieval...
.
See also
- Communes of the Haute-Savoie department
- Évian MastersEvian MastersThe Evian Masters is a women's professional golf tournament played at the Evian Masters Golf Club in Évian-les-Bains, France each July.Founded in 1994 on the Ladies European Tour, it is one of two major championships on the LET. Not a major on the LPGA Tour, it became an LPGA co-sanctioned event in...
golf tournament, held annually