La Clusaz
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La Clusaz is a French ski resort in the Alps near the Swiss border. The commune of La Clusaz is part of the Haute-Savoie département. An old village, La Clusaz has been hosting winter sports since 1907. It is the birthplace of famous French skier Vincent Vittoz and sailor Philippe Monnet. Based in the Aravis mountain range La Clusaz (originally from the word cluse - meaning a narrow path between two mountains) was once called Clusa Locus Dei meaning God's narrow place.
In 1902, the opening of the road connecting Annecy and the valley of Thônes with the Aravis Valley which allowed La Clusaz to become a tourist center for summer and winter sports.
In 1956 the first cable car was introduced. The commune of La Clusaz is classified winter sports resort and of alpinism per decree of June 18 1969. The first luge was added in 1985. The first snow cannon added in 1994
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[edit] Coat of Arms
Many sheep herds were found in the parish of La Clusaz. The King of Sardinia, the Duke of Savoy, no doubt wished to evoke this pastoral activity when in 1602 he gave the village the right to use the arms of “a silver sheep on a green field”.
[edit] Nearby
Nearby villages include Manigod, Thónes, Le Grand Bornand, Saint-Jean-de-Sixt and the larger Chamonix.
[edit] Tourism
La Clusaz's main tourist draw is skiing, mostly downhill and cross country and as such La Clusaz has produced a number of different skiing celebrities including:
Candide Thovex, Vincent Vittoz, Mirabelle Thovex, Guy Perillat, Alain Pessey, Catherine Lombard, Raphaelle Monod, Edgar Grospiron, Regine Cavangnoud, Loic Collomb-Patton, Laurent Favre
[edit] Candide Invitational
The Candide Invitational is an annual ski contest/demonstration hosted on La Balme Mountain, La Clusaz. Organized by Candide Thovex and consisting of a number of top international skiers.
[edit] Geography
The commune of Clusaz is located at 28 km to the East of Annecy, in the Aravis Valley - there are a number of different lakes nearby, the most famous of which is the Lac Du Confins.
[edit] External links
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