Chamb?ry, the gateway to the Savoy ski resorts?and so much more ...

Chambery is well known as being a name on the road to the ski resorts ? and that of an airport too.

How many of you have ever thought of stopping in the town which has been the Capital of the Duchy of Savoy state for centuries?

Did you know that most of the French queens were Duchesses of Savoy, not to mention many of the Austrian ones as well? Did you also know that Savoy once belonged to the Kingdom of Sardinia and has always played a major role in relations between Italy and France??

Today, Chambery is a small town with just over 60,000 inhabitants.? As an active, modern town that is proud of its heritage, Chambery has managed to retain the intense culture of its past and ensured its development by embracing a special quality of life.

In the 18^th century, French philosopher Rousseau said himself ?If there is in the world a little town where one tastes the sweetness of life in pleasant and certain commerce, it is Chamb?ry?.???????

The city has obviously changed since he lived there, but the quality of life he enjoyed is still very much present: pedestrian streets in the shadows of the Chateau of the Dukes of Savoy in the old town, dynamic and varied shops, pleasant gardens, high quality leisure and sporting facilities, events all year round?

I have to apologise: I only just discovered Chambery a couple of weeks ago! Before then, all I knew about it was that the ?Fontaine des 4 Elephants? stood there. But there is definitely more to see in the area. It was quite a nice discovery and, as you are probably going to drive to the ski resorts soon, I thought it was time to give you some good reasons to stop there.

The Dukes of Savoy castle, the Franciscan Cathedral and ?the General de Boigne?s elephants!

The Castle of the Dukes of Savoy is the former residence of the Counts and Dukes of Savoy, and consists of an unusual group of buildings constructed mainly in the Middle Ages. You can go on a guided tour to the Treasury tower (14^th century), the lower rooms (14^th century), the semi-round tower (14^th -19^th century) and the Saint Chapel (15^th century). From 1502 to 1578, this Chapel with Gothic vaults painted in trompe l??il and stained glass windows also from the 15^th century, housed the Holy Shroud which is today in Turin. Who would have thought!?

The building is now home to the prefecture and city council.

Not too far from the Castle, the 15^th century Franciscan Cathedral contains the largest collection of trompe-l?oeil paintings in Europe: 6000 m² of absolutely breathtaking and perfectly preserved marvels! The cathedral has another treasure with its 12^th century ivory diptych of Byzantine origin. And last but not least, its organ is among the largest and most beautiful of the Rhone-Alps region.

One thing you mustn?t miss is the incredible Fountain of the Elephants set up in 1838 by the Grenoblois sculptor Sappey in remembrance of General de Boigne (1751-1830) who won fame and fortune in India. On his return to his native town, he proved his generosity and the fact that he was a clever town planner by carving out the monumental ?rue de Boigne? lined with Turin-style porticos. The statue represents four truncated elephants placed in the shape of the Savoie cross , and supporting a column with a palm tree trunk on which General de Boigne stands! Gloire au general!????????

Between the Elephants and the Castle lies the Old Town surrounded by wide exceptional green spaces

The Italian influence on the architecture of Chambery is everywhere and quite amazing in the heart of Rhone Alpes (if you don?t know about the history).

Nestled at the foot of the ducal chateau, the Old Town is a veritable labyrinth of lanes with dense and narrow cobbled streets. Many of these are lined with half timber houses that open on squares and that are surrounded by charming Piemont-inspired mansions. This also includes trompe-l?oeil decoration, ironwork and sculpture, shutters? All of this highly resembles the similar architecture in Provence, or Italy (again!).

The Old Town is also the place to stop for the world-famous fondue Savoyarde and to enjoy, on Saturdays, the freshest cheeses, meats and local Alpine produce from the lively market. And don?t miss savouring one of the local wines made from the local vineyards to go with it! You?ll also want to head to the new H?tel le 5 which is Chamb?ry?s newest four star luxury hotel. It?s got a wellbeing area which includes a pool so you can relax whilst enjoying the beautiful town.

As far as nature is concerned, Chambery is just a few minutes? drive from the largest natural lakes in France: the Bourget Lake and the Aiguebelette Lake, jewel of the Savoyard foothills. Located near some of the most important ski resorts in Europe, Chambery is the gateway to the regional natural parks of Chartreuse and of the Bauges and to the Vanoise National Park.

So, instead of queuing in the traffic jams around Albertville, and stressing with the children yelling in the back of the car, think about a definitive stopover in Chambery and let your next ski holidays begin with a Savoyard state of mind J

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Source: http://www.myfranceamoi.travel/2012/chambery-the-gateway-to-the-savoy-ski-resortsand-so-much-more/

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