Abondance, Haute-Savoie

Abondance
A view within Abondance A view within Abondance
Coat of arms of Abondance Coat of arms
Abondance
Location within Rhône-Alpes region Abondance
Coordinates:
Country	France
Region	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Department	Haute-Savoie
Arrondissement	Thonon-les-Bains
Canton	Abondance
Area1	55.84 km2 (21.56 sq mi)
Population (2006)2	1,476
• Density	26/km2 (68/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (GMT +1)
INSEE/Postal code	74001 / 74360
Dialling codes	0450
Elevation	840–2,420 m (2,760–7,940 ft) (avg. 930 m or 3,050 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Abondance is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.

It lies in the French Alps just south of Lake Geneva on the Swiss border. The people of this commune are referred to as Abondanciers.

Abondance has given its name to a variety of cheese made in the region, the breed of cattle from whose milk the cheese is made and the valley in which it stands. Other villages in the Vallee D'Abondance are Chatel and La Chapelle D'Abondance. It is a small and quiet town with several bars, hotels, restaurants, a bank, some food and ski/outdoor shops and a lively Sunday morning Market serving the Vallee D'Abondance. One of its features is the 14th century Abbey. The commune was founded around the year 1040.

Abondance was the first ski resort in the Alps to shut down due to lack of snow, due to alleged global warming. In the 2006–2007 ski season, the town lost money due to lifts being shut down. The town's plea for government aid to support the resort was denied due to its unlikeliness to return to profit due to lack of snow. However, the resort reopened in 2009–10 and each winter since has remained open throughout the season. L'Essert is the name of the town's ski area and it has 7 lifts and 13 runs of which there are two nursery slopes, 6 blue runs, 3 red and 2 black and a mountain restaurant. Ecole du Ski Francais operates in Abondance. In addition to downhill skiing, the resort has 10 km of cross country ski and snow shoe trails. Summer visitors go to Abondance for the walking, history and outdoor activities.

Abondance is home to the international boarding school Sainte Croix des Neiges.

References

• INSEE

External links

• (French) Official website