Stone’s throw visiting

CSSN site location

  

Our club is in Savoy which forms part of the most attractive worldwide well-known apline winter resort region. The club site is implemented in the locality named “Lieu dit Chapinan” close to the town of Yenne.

 

Within a short driving distance, one can reach the nearby towns such as Chambéry, Aix le Bains and The Bourget du Lac on the shore of the biggest natural lake in France. A close airport connects Alps winter resort sites.

 

In summer and spring the terrain position is the ideal spot to start off trecks, hiking, nature discovery, bicycle tours, rowing…

 

 

 

LAC DU BOURGET

 

 

Lac du Bourget (Bourget Lake), also locally known as Lac Gris (Grey Lake) or Lac d'Aix, is a lake in Savoy. It is considered as the biggest natural lake in France due to its 145 metres depth, the largest and about 11 miles long. The Bourget Lake is of a major ecological interest and constitutes an important part of French natural heritage.

 

The largest town on its shore is Aix-les-Bains. Chambéry, the capital of Savoy, lies about 6 miles south of the lake. It is mainly fed by the Leysse river and all interconnected small rivers.

 

The lake flows towards the river Rhône via the artificial channel called "Canal de Savières". At the junction of the two it can be found the Chanaz village, often considered as ‘La Petite Venise Savoyarde’ since situated on the shore of the canal.

 

The lake is surrounded by steep mountains. The Mont du Chat and the Chaîne de l’ Epine on the west, then Bauges mountains on the east, form its shores. Not to mention the Cross placed on top of the Nivolet.

 

Lac du Bourget was made famous by several romantic poems of Alphonse de Lamartine, including Le Lac, as well as by descriptions by Xavier de Maistre, Honoré de Balzac, and Alexandre Dumas.

  

 

Yenne

 

The town size is about 3000 citizens. When driving through the “Tunnel du Chat”, Yenne is situated to the east of the La Balme Gorge in the ‘Avant Pays Savoyard” and slightly away from the Rhône river. It could be the starting point to visit Jongieux and its well known vineyards.

 

 

 

Chambéry

 

Chambéry is the capital of Savoy, roughtly 60,000 inhabitants, nearly 200,000 including the surrounding communities. It is located 15 miles from Yenne via the Chat tunnel.

 

The old town centre is lively and very pleasant to discover. The Castle peal of bells sounds the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month at 17:30. With 70 bells, it is the largest carillon in France.

 

A short history: the city is nicknamed the "City of the Dukes" obtained by the House of Savoy in 1232. The town became the political capital of the County of Savoy in 1295, and will remain it for 3 centuries until the Dukes of Savoy moved to Turin in 1562. However, Chambéry stayed the Savoy states historical capital.

 

Thanks to the control of great Alpine passageways and the way to Italy, the Dukes did get the Gatekeepers’ nickname of the Alps. Thus the Earls and Dukes of Savoy became Kings of Sardinia in 1718, exercise some influence in Europe by promoting the idea of what was called of "enlightened absolutism". From 1792 to 1815, and since 1860, Savoy and thus Chambéry are part of France.

 

  

Hautecombe

 

During the twelfth century, Hautecombe Cistercian abbey became the necropolis house of the Princes of Savoy. The gothic architecture construction was restored by the King of Piedmont Sardinia Charles Felix in 1825.

 

The abbey had indeed been deteriorated in the parenthesis of the French revolution in Savoy, but also the necropolis was abandoned by the Savoyard nobleness since its installation in Turin in 1562.

 

Today, the “Chemin Neuf community“ follows a vocation of prayer and hospitality of the Abbey. There are different ways to reach the Abbey. Nevertheless the most attractive one is driving around the lake from Aix les Bains, to Chanaz and Hautecombe.

 

  

Aix–les-Bains

 

The inhabitants call their town “Aix”. The population is about 25,000 citizens. Aix is part of the French renowned thermal station network. The Aix water benefits have been recognized since roman time. However its reputation and development have been established from 1860 when Savoy integrated France. Aix does have a large freshwater marina to accommodate boats.

 

  

 

 

Chanaz

 

This beautiful village on the shore of the Savière canal allows the Bourget Lake to flow towards the Rhône River. The nice season starts in summer. The village mild climate eases flowers spreading everywhere. A nice boat trip gives the chance to navigate along the channel and discovering the natural environment and local crafts.

 



 

  

 

« Le naturisme est une manière de vivre en harmonie avec la nature, caractérisé par la pratique de la nudité en commun, et qui a pour conséquence de favoriser le respect de soi-même, le respect des autres et de l’environnement » – Définition internationale du naturisme, retenue en 1974 par la Fédération Internationale de Naturisme ". Le mouvement naturiste a été reconnu en tant qu'Association Nationale de Jeunesse et d'Education Populaire (Arrêté ministériel du 28.10.1983). Extraits de " Naturisme " de la FFN.