Prefecture: Savoie (73)
Population: 60,000 (Chambéry residents), 135,000 for the 38 communes of Chambéry Métropole - Cœur des Bauges
Specialities: crozets, Tome des Bauges, creation of the first chocolate truffle in 1895, Gâteau de Savoie, Savoie wines (AOC), vermouth, Opinel knives
Personalities: Jean-Jacques Rousseau (philosopher, born and bred in Chambéry), Daniel Toscan du Plantier (film critic), Jean-Claude Blanc (deputy CEO of PSG), Jean Bertolino (journalist and writer), Yann Barthès (journalist and television presenter), Vincent Lavenu, Samuel Dumoulin, Guillaume Bonnafond (cycling)
Sport: Chambéry Savoie Mont Blanc (handball, Division 1, French champions in 2001), Stade olympique Chambéry (rugby, Fédérale 1), Chambéry Cyclisme Formation (training centre for the Decathlon-AG2R team). Events: Odyssea Chambéry (charity foot race), be Run half-marathon
Economy: Solar Energy National Institutez, major companies (Alpina Savoie, Cafés Folliet, Opinel, Placoplatre), Digital Polytechnic, Savoie Mont Blanc University (14,000 students)
Heritage: Château of the Dukes of Savoy (14th to 19th centuries), Saint-François-de-Sales cathedral (15th century), Saint-Pierre de Lémenc church and crypt (11th century), elephants fountain, Museum of Fine Arts, Les Charmettes (home of Jean-Jacques Rousseau), Galerie Eurêka (science centre)
Festivals: Fête des éléphants, Chambery Comics Festival (comics), First Novel Festival, Pharaonic (electronic music), Savoy Fair etc
Sustainable development: bike station, bike lockers at the train station, Balcons de Chambéry (a 41km discovery loop by bike), zero pesticide territory, etc
Labels: Town of Art and History, 9 "Accueil Vélo" accredited accommodation establishments, Territoire connecté, 3 flowers of flowers
Websites: www.chambery.fr / www.chambery-tourisme.com / https://www.facebook.com/ChamberyOfficiel/ / https://twitter.com/VilledeChambery
CHAMBÉRY AND CYCLING
Strangely enough for a town nestling at the foot of the mountains, Chambéry has often seen male and female cyclists pass through its streets but has rarely hosted a Tour de France finish. The only men's finish was in 2017, when Rigoberto Uran won. But the prefecture of Savoie, which has also hosted two starts of the men's Tour in 1996 and 2010, has other cycling titles to its name, such as the Criterium du Dauphiné, which it has logically hosted 32 times, the Classique des Alpes and the Tour des Pays de Savoie.
In the women's category, the City of Dukes has organised the Grand Prix de Chambéry every year since 2003, the last edition of which was won by Belgian rider Lore de Schepper.
But the most important date in the history of cycling in Chambéry was undoubtedly the 1989 world championships, which saw Greg LeMond confirm his return to the forefront by winning ahead of Dimitri Konyshev and Sean Kelly, just a few months after his second victory in the Tour de France. That same year, Jeannie Longo won the fourth of her five women's world titles in the road race.
The men's stage of the Tour that started in Chambéry in 1996 is remembered for the fact that Yellow Jersey winner Stéphane Heulot was forced to retire from the race on the road to Les Arcs after suffering from a sore knee. The climb up to the resort then signalled the end of the Indurain era, with a failure that relegated the five-time winner to a good distance behind the new leader, Evgueni Berzin.
Chambéry is also the home of the Décathlon-AG2R team and the birthplace of its former boss and founder, Vincent Lavenu, as well as former professional racer Sophie Creux.
SIGHTS
Les Charmettes
Construction: 18th century
Characteristics: set in the heart of an unspoilt valley on the heights of Chambéry, this house is where Jean Jacques Rousseau stayed from 1736 to 1742. Listed as a historic monument and a "Maison des illustres", the house is reopening its doors after some renovation work, with two new and original tour routes, using the latest technologies to immerse visitors in a new sensory experience
Current purpose: museum
Listed as: Historic Monument in 1905. Maison des Illustres
Railway Rotunda
Construction: 1906 to 1910
Characteristics: built between 1906 and 1910, this railway rotunda, the only one of its kind in France, is covered by an Eiffel-style articulated metal framework. Comprising two parts, the building is 34 m high, 110 m in diameter and weighs 900 tonnes. Maintained and restored by the SNCF, it is still used for locomotive maintenance and also houses several historic models
Listed as: Historic Monument in 1984
http://patrimoine.chambery-tourisme.com/
Castle of the Dukes of Savoy
Foundation: first built in the 11th century, then modified several times during the 13th century and completed in the 15th century
Style: Medieval, with Gothic additions
History: the castle suffered several fires in the 18th century, and from 1800 onwards, the first prefects began work on it. When Savoie became part of France in 1860, it was given to the département free of charge. A major restoration project, requested by Emperor Napoleon III, was carried out, including a new wing and a monumental staircase for the half-round tower
Characteristics: an immense building designed as an irregular quadrilateral, with a square keep flanked by a turret-watchguard, a high semi-circular tower and a high chapel
Current use: used by the Savoie Prefecture, the Savoie Departmental Council and the Savoie Academy
Listed as: Historic Monument since 1881
Elephant Fountain
Built in: 1838
History and features: better known as the "4 arse-less", the Elephant Fountain is the town's most emblematic monument. Built in 1838 as a tribute to General de Boigne, a great benefactor of Chambéry, it was completely restored in 2015. Standing 17.65 metres high, it is a fountain, column and statue in one. And all you can see of the 4 elephants are their trunks!
Listed as: Historic Monument in 1982
Saint-François de Sales Cathedral
Construction: 15th to 16th centuries
Style: Flamboyant Gothic
History: originally a modest Franciscan chapel, construction of which began around 1420, it was enlarged and completed in 1585. From the 15th century onwards, the Turin Shroud was sometimes transferred to this Cordeliers church, attracting many pilgrims. When the bishopric of Chambéry was created in 1779, Saint-François became a cathedral under the name of Saint François de Sales in 1802. Restoration of the molasse stone façade was completed in 2009. In 2014, the diocese of Turin presented the cathedral with a copy of the Shroud of Turin, which can be seen in the Chapel of the Resurrection
Characteristics: built on 30,000 larch pilings, behind a sober façade it houses a vast trompe l'oeil painting scheme covering the walls and vault. Its organ, dating from 1847, is a listed historic monument and, with its 50 registers, is one of the largest in the Auvergne Rhône Alpes region
Trivia: the people of Chambéry call it "the Metropolis"
Listed as: historic monument in 1906
Eureka Gallery
Galerie Eurêka is the City of Chambéry's Centre for Scientific Culture. Its permanent and temporary exhibitions offer a wealth of opportunities for discovery, playful experimentation and exchange. With exhibitions, events, lectures and other highlights, there's something for everyone and every age!
www.chambery.fr
TO EAT
Savoy cake
According to legend, Savoy cake was invented in 1358 in Chambery during a visit by Charles IV of Luxembourg to Amadeus VI, Count of Savoy. Wishing to appease his suzerain, the count asked his chef, Pierre de Yenne, to make a cake as light as a feather. To achieve this, the pastry chef began by beating the egg yolks with sugar for a long time, then lightened the mixture with beaten egg whites. The Savoy cake is therefore a particularly light, fat-free dessert, perfect for children. It is made only from eggs, sugar, flour, lemon zest and potato starch. It is very popular at the end of a meal because of its lightness, but also as a snack with a good cup of coffee or hot chocolate.