Historical and Cultural Highlights of the Haute Savoie

Home to the world famous resort and its catered chalets, the ski resort of La Tania is a typical centre of Haute Savoie culture.

When you are off on your next skiing holiday you might like to think about the cultural background of your resort. La Tania is an example of the sort of centre that rewards an exploration of the area's history and culture. Nestled in the mountains of La Savoie, La Tania was a small hamlet half way between Courchevel and Méribel known locally as La Tagna. When you discover that this name means 'lair of the bears' in Savoyard Patois, you might not feel so snug in your cosy catered chalets. The ski resort of La Tania is based in the Tarentaise forests that were known for their bear population until the beginning of the 20th century, when they were driven out of the valley by the inhabitants.

History Highlights

The resort is part of the French Haute Savoie, which is rich in history. Between 1416 and 1847 the House of Savoy ruled the Duchy after Sigismund, the Holy Roman Emperor, granted the territory to Count Amadeus VIII. In the 15th century the duchy was made up of Moriana, Valle d'Aosta and the Piedmont. It soon expanded to the coastal area around Nice. Under Amadeus La Savoie became established as a cultural centre in art, architecture and literature long before the emergence of catered chalets. The ski resort of La Tania was a tiny village of little significance at this time but nonetheless has developed a strong Savoyard nature.

Between 1536 and 1559 the French had the upper hand during the two-decade occupation by King Francis I. A century later the Frankish influence was maintained under the leadership of Duke Charles Emmanuel II. Savoy was occupied from 1792 to 1815 by French Revolutionary forces, and finally in 1860 the duchy was annexed by France.

Language

In the Savoyard region a vernacular language developed, traces of which one might hear spoken around the catered chalets. The ski resort of La Tania is home to some of the 35,000 remaining speakers of this Patois.

Cuisine

Savoyard food is a rich cuisine based on potatoes, Savoyard cheeses, sausages and patés. There are plenty of opportunities within this resort for visitors to sample some of these tasty dishes. La Savoie is equally renowned for its ancient tradition of viticulture, producing some of the world's best wines from ancient times to the present day.