Verchaix
| Verchaix | ||
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
| region | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | |
| Department | Haute-Savoie | |
| Arrondissement | Bonneville | |
| Canton | Cluses | |
| Community association | Montagnes du Giffre | |
| Coordinates | 46 ° 6 ′ N , 6 ° 41 ′ E | |
| height | 654–2,092 m | |
| surface | 15.89 km 2 | |
| Residents | 752 (January 1, 2017) | |
| Population density | 47 inhabitants / km 2 | |
| Post Code | 74440 | |
| INSEE code | 74294 | |
Verchaix is a French commune in the department of Haute-Savoie in the region of Auvergne Rhône-Alpes .
geography
Verchaix is located at 787 m , northeast of Cluses , about 43 kilometers east-southeast of the city of Geneva (as the crow flies). The village extends on a terrace on the northern slope of the Giffre , around 100 m above the valley floor, in the Savoy Alps , in Faucigny .
The area of the municipal area of 15.89 km² covers a section of the Savoy Alps. The southern border runs along the Giffre, a right tributary of the Arve , which flows here in a wide and largely natural gravel bed from east to west. From the course of the river, the municipal area extends northward over the floodplain and the alluvial plain, which is up to 2 km wide. This is followed by the slope of Verchaix, which is dominated by the La Mouille ridge (up to 1650 m ). The eastern border of the municipality forms the deeply cut valley of the Valentine torrent . In a narrow corner, the municipal soil extends northeast into the area of the Col de Joux Plane, to the adjacent mountain peak of the Pointe d'Angolon (at 2090 m, the highest elevation of Verchaix) and over the watershed into the catchment area of the Dranse .
Verchaix includes the hamlets of Les Hôtes ( 669 m ) in the valley floor of the Giffre and Cossin ( 960 m ) on the slope above the village as well as various farms. Neighboring municipalities of Verchaix are Les Gets and Morzine in the north, Samoëns in the east, Morillon in the south and La Rivière-Enverse and Taninges in the west.
history
The village, first mentioned in the 14th century under the name Verchey , only became an independent municipality in 1865. Before that, Verchaix belonged to the municipality of Samoëns.
Attractions
The village church of Saint-Guérin was built at the end of the 18th century. There is a chapel in the hamlet of Cossin.
population
| Population development | |
|---|---|
| year | Residents |
| 1962 | 218 |
| 1968 | 215 |
| 1975 | 219 |
| 1982 | 296 |
| 1990 | 391 |
| 1999 | 558 |
| 2006 | 636 |
With 752 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2017) Verchaix is one of the small communities in the Haute-Savoie department. Since the late 1970s, thanks to the attractive residential area, there has been a significant increase in population.
Economy and Infrastructure
Verchaix was a village dominated by agriculture and alpine farming until well into the 20th century . Today there are various small business enterprises. The mountain railways and ski lifts in the northernmost part of the municipality (accessible from Morzine and Les Gets) are part of the extensive Portes du Soleil ski area .
The village is off the main thoroughfares, but is easily accessible from the main road through the Giffre Valley (Taninges-Samoëns). Another road connection is with Morillon on the other side of the Giffre valley.
