WELCOME TO
FAVERGES!
 The
City of Faverges occupies the glacial valley which gave birth
to Lake Annecy. Originally, at the end of the Ice Age, the lake
extended some 30km, from Sillingy all the way to our community.
In those times, the waters of the lake joined the Isère
river, and people first settled the lakeshores and sunny slopes.
The digs in Viuz and at the
Thovey site have yielded a great deal
of information about Gallo-Roman times, some two thousand years
ago. The vicus of Viuz, which covered some fifty acres,
was an important stop along the Roman road which ran from Turin
to Geneva. Merovingian times also left numerous traces on the
landscape. In the Middle Ages, pre-industrial metalworks were
reknowned for their iron and copper tools and jewelry. Numerous
forges, making nails, clasps, and all types of iron implements,
were built along the rivers and streams from which they derived
some of their energy needs. The Tamié
Abbey was founded in 1132, and Faverges castle around 1250.
At that time, Rodolphe (or "Ruph") lived a hermit's
life on a nearby mountain and left his name to the hamlet of
St. Ruph. The deep religious fervor of the XIVth and XVth centuries
is responsible for the ten chapels and sanctuaries dedicated
to St. Ruph in the area.
 
The French Revolution left few
traces on the community, except for some vandalism to the town
church. In 1811, the castle was turned into a cotton-weaving
factory, thus launching Faverges into the Industrial Revolution.
This is a fitting heritage for a town whose name derives from
the Latin faber, fabricae ("manufacture").
Faverges now has several important factories providing some 2,500
jobs, which is especially remarkable in that Faverges itself
has only 7,000 inhabitants.
If you would like to learn more
about Faverges and its history, please come to the
Archeological Museum and meet Les Amis
de Viuz Faverges who will gladly share their knowledge with
you.
end of the Faverges
Welcome web page - May 08 2000
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