Albertville


Albertville is a commune in the Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.
The town is best known for hosting the 1992 Winter Olympics.

Geography

Albertville is situated on the river Arly, close to the confluence with the Isère. Its altitude ranges from.
Nearby mountains include: Belle Etoile, Dent de Cons, Négresse, Roche Pourrie, Mirantin, Pointe de la Grande Journée, and Chaîne du Grand Arc.
Nearby mountain ranges include: the Bauges; the Beaufortain; and the beginning of the Vanoise.
Albertville is also one of two subprefectures of the Savoie department, alongside Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne.

History

The modern city of Albertville was formed in 1836 by King Charles Albert of Sardinia, who merged the medieval town of Conflans, which has buildings dating to the 14th century, with the town of L'Hôpital. Since then, Albertville has fostered trade between France, Italy and Switzerland. Industries such as paper mills and hydroelectricity are found along its river.
The 1992 Winter Olympics were organised in the Savoie region, with Albertville hosting it. Some of the sports venues were later adapted for other uses. Some sports venues still remain, such as the ice rink, La halle de glace Olympique, designed by the architect Jacques Kalisz. Despite this, the town remains more industrial than touristic.
In 2003, the town was labelled a "Town of art and history".

Population

Notable people from Albertville

Twin towns and sister cities

Albertville is twinned with: