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Chambéry

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A gateway to Alpine outdoor culture

Because Chambéry lies at the foot of the Belledonne range, it works as a natural staging post for cyclists, hikers and skiers who prefer a base with urban comforts. The city's tram‑linked train station drops you within minutes of mountain trailheads, and the local bike‑share fleet includes sturdy models fitted for steep climbs. While many visitors head straight to the high‑altitude resorts, seasoned trekkers often start their multi‑day traverses from Chambéry’s well‑stocked outdoor shops, where staff can fine‑tune gear for the variable snow‑pack conditions of early winter. The proximity to the Chartreuse and Bauges massifs means you can swap a day on the slopes for a leisurely walk through limestone pastures, sampling the region’s cheese alpages without venturing far from the city centre.

The subtle taste of Savoyard cuisine beyond the tourist plates

Chambéry’s restaurants retain a culinary lineage that predates the popularisation of fondue and raclette abroad. In the backstreets of the historic quarter, modest bistros still serve tartiflette seasoned with locally produced Reblochon, yet the dish is often accompanied by a side of ‘bagnes’ – thinly sliced potatoes fried crisp, a tradition borrowed from alpine farming families. For a more nuanced experience, seek out the weekly market at Place Saint‑Pierre, where vendors offer fresh, cured Charolais beef and wild mushrooms harvested from nearby woodlands. Pair these with a glass of Monidière, a red wine from the Savoie foothills, and you’ll taste the terroir’s subtle shift from the more internationally known Alpine wines.

When the city’s calendar slows, locals retreat to their summer “villages”

August in Chambéry is less about festivals and more about a quiet exodus to mountain hamlets such as Le Bourget du Lac or the lake‑fringed villages of the Lac du Bourget region. Residents swap city apartments for seasonal cottages, a pattern that leaves downtown cafés less crowded but opens up informal street chess games and impromptu music sessions in the plazas. Travelers who stay during this lull can enjoy more intimate interactions with artisans, who often use the slower period to demonstrate traditional Savoyard crafts, from hand‑woven wool blankets to copper cookware. Booking a room in one of the modest guesthouses during these weeks offers a rare glimpse into the rhythm of life when the Alpine pulse slows to a gentle, community‑focused beat.

Introduction

Prefecture and city in Savoie, France Not to be confused with Chamberí, Champéry, or Pregny-Chambésy. "Chambery" redirects here. For the neighbourhood in Canada, see Chambery, Edmonton. Prefecture and commune in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, FranceChambéry Chambèri (Arpitan)Ciamberì (Italian)Prefecture and commune From top to bottom, left to right: Panorama of Chambéry with Belledonne mountain range at the background, place St-Léger in the old town, the castle of the Dukes of Savoy, panoramic sight on the roofs of the Chambéry historical center, the Place du Centenaire and Chambéry Courthouse. FlagCoat of armsLocation of ChambéryChambéryShow map of FranceChambéryShow map of Auvergne-Rhône-AlpesCoordinates: 45°34′12″N 5°54′42″E / 45.57°N 5.9118°E / 45.57; 5.9118CountryFranceRegionAuvergne-Rhône-AlpesDepartmentSavoieArrondissementChambéryCantonChambéry-1, 2 and 3IntercommunalityGrand ChambéryGovernment • Mayor (2020–2026) Thierry Repentin (DVG)Area120.99 km2 (8.10 sq mi) • Urban327.5 km2 (126.4 sq mi) • Metro1,147 km2 (443 sq mi)Population (2023)59,964 • Rank94th in France • Density2,857/km2 (7,399/sq mi) • Urban (2022)200,867 • Urban density613.3/km2 (1,589/sq mi) • Metro (2022)263,919 • Metro density230.1/km2 (595.9/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET) • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)INSEE/Postal code73065 /73000Elevation245–560 m (804–1,837 ft) (avg. 270 m or 890 ft)Websitewww.chambery.fr1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. Chambéry (UK: /ˈʃɒ̃bəri/, US: /ˌʃɒ̃beɪˈriː/, French: [ʃɑ̃beʁi]; Arpitan: Chambèri; Italian: Ciamberì) is the prefecture and largest city of the Savoie department in the southeastern Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. The population of the commune of Chambéry was 60,251 as of 2022, while the population of the Chambéry metropolitan area was 263,919. The city is located at the foot of the French Alps between Bauges and Chartreuse mountains, and is a railway and highway crossroads. It was the capital of Savoy since the 13th century to the 16th century, when Amadeus V, Count of Savoy, made the city his seat of power. The annexation of Savoy merged the city to France in 1860. Together with other alpine towns Chambéry engages in the Alpine Town of the Year Association for the implementation of the Alpine Convention to achieve sustainable development in the Alpine Arc. Chambéry was awarded Alpine Town of the Year 2006.

Geography

[edit] Chambéry was founded at a crossroads of ancient routes through the Dauphiné (Dôfenât) region of France, Switzerland, and Italy, in a wide valley between the Bauges and the Chartreuse Mountains on the Leysse River. The metropolitan area has more than 125,000 residents, extending from the vineyard slopes of the Combe de Savoie [fr] almost to the shores of the Lac du Bourget, the largest natural lake in France. The city is a major railway hub at the midpoint of the Franco-Italian Turin–Lyon high-speed railway (TGV). Chambéry is situated in southeast France, 523 kilometres (325 miles) from Paris, 326 kilometres (203 miles) from Marseille, 214 km (133 mi) from Turin, 100 kilometres (62 miles) from Lyon and 85 kilometres (53 miles) from Geneva. It is found in a large valley, surrounded by the Massif des Bauges to the east (dominated by Le Nivolet, upon which La Croix du Nivolet is found), Mont Granier (Chartreuse) and the Chaîne de Belledonne [fr] to the south, the Chaîne de l'Épine (the most southern mountain of the Jura) to the west and the Lac du Bourget to the north. If seen as the meeting point of the Jura and the Alps, it is the westernmost point of the Swiss plateau which lies between them. The towns surrounding Chambéry are Barberaz, Bassens, Cognin, Jacob-Bellecombette, La Motte-Servolex, La Ravoire, Saint-Alban-Leysse and Sonnaz. Panorama of Chambéry.

History

[edit] The Hôtel de Ville The history of Chambéry is closely linked to the House of Savoy and was the Savoyard capital from 1295 to 1563. During this time, Savoy encompassed a region that stretched from Bourg-en-Bresse in the west, across the Alps to Turin, north to Geneva, and south to Nice. Chambéry declined after Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy moved his capital to Turin in 1563. France annexed the regions that formerly constituted the Duchy of Savoy west of the Alps in 1792; however, the former duchy and Chambéry were returned to the rulers of the House of Savoy in Turin in 1815 following the defeat of Napoleon 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 château. Chambéry and lands of the former duchy, as well as the County of Nice, were ceded to France by Piedmont in 1860, under the reign of Napoleon III. The Hôtel de Ville was officially opened in 1867. Chambéry in 1645. Around 1780. In 1864.

Climate

[edit] Chambéry is right on the boundary between the humid subtropical (Cfa) and oceanic climates (Cfb) under the Köppen system. In spite of this it is highly influenced by its interior position within France, resulting in quite hot summers and winters with frequent temperatures below freezing, especially at night. Convective rainfall is frequent for much of the year, rendering high precipitation/day quotas. Climate data for Chambéry Airport (1991–2020 averages) Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high °C (°F) 20.3(68.5) 20.7(69.3) 25.1(77.2) 29.5(85.1) 32.7(90.9) 36.7(98.1) 38.8(101.8) 38.8(101.8) 32.3(90.1) 29.0(84.2) 23.3(73.9) 22.7(72.9) 38.8(101.8) Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 6.4(43.5) 8.5(47.3) 13.4(56.1) 17.3(63.1) 21.3(70.3) 25.3(77.5) 27.8(82.0) 27.1(80.8) 22.3(72.1) 17.0(62.6) 10.6(51.1) 6.9(44.4) 17.0(62.6) Daily mean °C (°F) 2.9(37.2) 4.1(39.4) 8.0(46.4) 11.4(52.5) 15.6(60.1) 19.4(66.9) 21.4(70.5) 20.9(69.6) 16.8(62.2) 12.3(54.1) 6.9(44.4) 3.4(38.1) 11.9(53.4) Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −0.7(30.7) −0.4(31.3) 2.5(36.5) 5.6(42.1) 10.0(50.0) 13.5(56.3) 15.0(59.0) 14.6(58.3) 11.3(52.3) 7.7(45.9) 3.1(37.6) 0.0(32.0) 6.8(44.2) Record low °C (°F) −19.0(−2.2) −14.4(6.1) −10.3(13.5) −4.6(23.7) −1.4(29.5) 2.8(37.0) 5.4(41.7) 5.0(41.0) 1.0(33.8) −4.3(24.3) −10.8(12.6) −13.5(7.7) −19.0(−2.2) Average precipitation mm (inches) 102.6(4.04) 79.1(3.11) 93.1(3.67) 87.9(3.46) 101.0(3.98) 94.5(3.72) 91.7(3.61) 97.6(3.84) 104.3(4.11) 113.3(4.46) 114.6(4.51) 124.2(4.89) 1,203.9(47.40) Average precipitation days 9.7 8.1 9.7 9.6 11.1 9.9 8.2 8.5 8.8 10.3 10.1 10.6 114.6 Average snowy days 5.4 4.6 2.2 1.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.7 3.2 18.3 Mean monthly sunshine hours 76.6 101.8 157.8 176.2 202.3 236.3 261.6 237.1 180.7 123.8 74.5 66.3 1,894.9 Source: Météo France

Main sights

[edit] Cour du Château in central Chambéry : Sainte-Chapelle (left) and Aile du Midi (right). Château des ducs de Savoie[edit] This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) The Château des ducs de Savoie, also known as Château de Chambéry, is a fortified castle dating from the 11th century. 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, Duke Emmanuel Philibert decided to move his capital to Turin. The château remained purely an administrative centre until Christine Marie of France, Duchess of Savoy, returned to hold court in 1640. It was the site of the 1684 marriage between Victor Amadeus II and Anne Marie d'Orléans, niece of Louis XIV. Victor Amadeus II, having abdicated, lived here with his second wife Anna Canalis di Cumiana before they were imprisoned at the Castle of 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. The most famous landmark in Chambéry: the Elephants Fountain. Fontaine des Éléphants[edit] The Fontaine des Éléphants ("Elephants Fountain") is the most famous landmark in Chambéry. It was built in 1838 to honour Benoît de Boigne's feats when he was in India. The monumental fountain has 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 (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: Les quatre cents coups, "The 400 Blows"). A total restoration was done between December 2014 and July 2015. Others[edit] This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Chambéry Cathedral 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 officiated at Notre-Dame de Myans (established before the 12th century). Francis I of France went to Notre-Dame de l'Aumône at Rumilly 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 spread worldwide. The cathedral of Saint Francis of Sales in Chambéry presents one of the best examples of Savoyard trompe-l’oeil paintings and the largest in Europe. It also houses an organ listed as a historic monument, as well as an identical replica of the Holy Shroud gifted by the Archbishop of Turin. The original had resided in the ducal chapel in Chambéry between 1466 and 1578. Chambéry is also the administrative headquarters of the Orchestre des Pays de Savoie.

Education

[edit] The Savoy Mont Blanc University (a.k.a. Chambéry University) is a university founded in 1979 with one campus in Annecy and two around Chambéry. It has about 15,000 students. Chambéry has a campus of the Arts et Métiers ParisTech (ENSAM) engineering graduate school, which created a research institute in 1994 there. It offers doctoral and master programs in the field of mechanical and industrial engineering. Chambéry is also home to the INSEEC Business School, a French business school which offers Master in Management – Grande école program educational system.

Transport

[edit] Chambéry-Challes-les-Eaux station The city is served by Chambéry Airport, located 10 km (6 mi) north of the city centre. The airport only provides direct routes to the United Kingdom. Other nearby airports are Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport, located 87 km (54 mi) south east and Geneva Airport, located 88 km (55 mi) north of Chambéry. The Chambéry-Challes-les-Eaux station provides rail connections. From 1892 to 1932, the Chambéry tramway, a narrow-gauge steam tram network, connected the town with its surroundings.

Demographics

[edit] In 2022, 60,251 people lived in the city, while its metropolitan area had a population of 263,919. Historical populationYearPop.±% p.a.1793 11,425—    1800 10,800−0.80%1806 11,991+1.76%1822 11,236−0.41%1838 15,916+2.20%1858 19,035+0.90%1861 19,953+1.58%1866 18,835−1.15%1872 19,144+0.27%1876 18,545−0.79%1881 19,622+1.14%1886 20,916+1.29%1891 20,922+0.01%1896 21,762+0.79%1901 22,108+0.32%1906 23,027+0.82%1911 22,958−0.06%YearPop.±% p.a.1921 20,617−1.07%1926 23,400+2.56%1931 25,407+1.66%1936 28,073+2.02%1946 29,975+0.66%1954 32,139+0.88%1962 44,246+4.08%1968 51,056+2.41%1975 54,415+0.91%1982 53,427−0.26%1990 54,120+0.16%1999 55,786+0.34%2007 57,420+0.36%2012 58,039+0.21%2017 58,919+0.30%2023 59,964+0.29%Source: EHESS and INSEE

Notable people

[edit] Chambéry was the birthplace of (chronological order): Thomas, Count of Savoy (1178–1233), who buys the city, with the exception of the castle, to Viscount Berlion de Chambéry, 15 March 1230. Amadeus V, Count of Savoy (ca.1252 - 1323), who buys in 1295 the castle of Chambéry, which will become the main county residence of the House of Savoy. François de Candie (ca.1314–1360), 1st Viscount of Geneva, nobleman and military commander of the Royal Guard of Savoy, Lord of the Chateau of Rumilly, and Salagine. Amadeus VIII, Duke of Savoy (1383–1451), Pope Felix V from 1439 to 1449. Joseph Colon Trabotto (c. 1420–1480), Jewish scholar, talmudist, and rabbi. César Vichard de Saint-Réal (1639–1692), novelist. Amédée-François Frézier (1682–1773), engineer, mathematician, spy, and explorer Benoît de Boigne (1751–1830), military adventurer in India. Joseph de Maistre (1753–1821), conservative political philosopher and critic of the French Revolution. Xavier de Maistre (1763–1852), soldier and author. Luigi Federico, conte Menabrea (1809–1896), Italian prime minister and general. Simone Antonio Saint-Bon (1828–1892), admiral of the Italian Regia Marina (Royal Navy). Pierre Lanfrey (1828–1877), historian and politician. Pierre Pendaries (1893–??), World War I flying ace Michel de Certeau (1925–1986), Jesuit and scholar Louis Besson (1937-2026), mayor of Chambéry and French minister for housing Jean-Michel Roddaz (born 1948), historian brothers Renaud Capuçon (born 1976) and Gautier Capuçon (born 1981); violinist & cellist Grégory Lemarchal (1983–2007), French singer and winner from the reality TV programme Star Academy in 2004 Olivier Giroud (born 1986), French international footballer and striker for American Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC Michaël Rossi (born 1988), racing driver Marion Allemoz (born 1989), captain of the France women's national ice hockey team and first French player to play professional women's hockey in North America