Vallorcine

Coordinates: 46°02′07″N 6°56′02″E / 46.0353°N 6.9339°E / 46.0353; 6.9339
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Vallorcine
Église Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption
Église Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption
Location of Vallorcine
Map
Vallorcine is located in France
Vallorcine
Vallorcine
Vallorcine is located in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Vallorcine
Vallorcine
Coordinates: 46°02′07″N 6°56′02″E / 46.0353°N 6.9339°E / 46.0353; 6.9339
CountryFrance
RegionAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes
DepartmentHaute-Savoie
ArrondissementBonneville
CantonLe Mont-Blanc
IntercommunalityVallée de Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Jérémy Vallas[1]
Area
1
44.57 km2 (17.21 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
409
 • Density9.2/km2 (24/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
74290 /74660
Elevation1,120–3,098 m (3,675–10,164 ft)
WebsiteVallorcine.com
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Vallorcine (French pronunciation: [valɔʁsin]) is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.

Geography[edit]

Vallorcine is located in the Valley of the L'Eau Noire between the Col des Montets and the Swiss border.

It is the terminus of the Saint-Gervais–Vallorcine railway on the route between Saint-Gervais-les-Bains in France and Martigny in Switzerland; it is served by a railway station where passengers must change between French and Swiss trains. In the Swiss direction, the line continues to Le Châtelard where it joins the Martigny–Châtelard Railway which is partially rack-operated.

There is a small museum at Barberine next to the Swiss border and there is a tourist information office and a post office near the railway station.

Le Buet[edit]

Within the commune is the small settlement of Le Buet, which also has its own railway station; it is the location of the spectacular Cascade de Bérard, which has a viewing gallery that enters the gorge of the main waterfall. Further up this valley is the Aiguilles Rouges National Nature Reserve and the Nature Reserve of Vallon de Bérard.

Skiing[edit]

The community was transformed in 2004 with the construction of a high-speed gondola lift which allowed access to the established Domaine de Balme and La Tour ski areas. This gave rise to the construction of a selection of restaurants and ski accommodation.[3]

Émosson Dam[edit]

Although the Émosson Dam for hydroelectric power generation is physically just over the Swiss border, water from the reservoir crosses the border to first power the 189 MW Vallorcine Power Station just over the border in Vallorcine. Water is then sent through a headrace tunnel to the 162 MW La Bâtiaz Power Station, 12 kilometres (7+12 miles) to the east in Martigny, Switzerland. The drop between the dam and La Bâtiaz Power Station is 1,400 metres (4,600 feet).[4]

Climate[edit]

Climate data for Vallorcine (1991–2020 averages, 1958–2024 extremes): elevation 1326m
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 19.5
(67.1)
15.5
(59.9)
19.7
(67.5)
22.0
(71.6)
27.7
(81.9)
32.6
(90.7)
32.3
(90.1)
31.9
(89.4)
28.4
(83.1)
25.8
(78.4)
20.0
(68.0)
19.6
(67.3)
32.6
(90.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 2.3
(36.1)
3.3
(37.9)
7.0
(44.6)
10.9
(51.6)
15.2
(59.4)
19.2
(66.6)
21.0
(69.8)
20.5
(68.9)
16.3
(61.3)
12.4
(54.3)
6.3
(43.3)
2.9
(37.2)
11.4
(52.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) −1.6
(29.1)
−1.1
(30.0)
2.2
(36.0)
5.8
(42.4)
9.9
(49.8)
13.6
(56.5)
15.4
(59.7)
15.1
(59.2)
11.3
(52.3)
7.8
(46.0)
2.5
(36.5)
−0.7
(30.7)
6.7
(44.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −5.5
(22.1)
−5.5
(22.1)
−2.6
(27.3)
0.6
(33.1)
4.6
(40.3)
8.0
(46.4)
9.8
(49.6)
9.6
(49.3)
6.3
(43.3)
3.2
(37.8)
−1.4
(29.5)
−4.3
(24.3)
1.9
(35.4)
Record low °C (°F) −24.5
(−12.1)
−23.3
(−9.9)
−24.2
(−11.6)
−13.7
(7.3)
−9.0
(15.8)
−3.0
(26.6)
−0.8
(30.6)
−1.0
(30.2)
−3.2
(26.2)
−10.0
(14.0)
−16.3
(2.7)
−20.2
(−4.4)
−24.5
(−12.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 176.7
(6.96)
133.0
(5.24)
120.1
(4.73)
91.9
(3.62)
120.4
(4.74)
113.3
(4.46)
130.2
(5.13)
133.5
(5.26)
98.1
(3.86)
117.9
(4.64)
118.9
(4.68)
182.5
(7.19)
1,536.5
(60.51)
Source: Meteociel[5]

Demography[edit]

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 314—    
1975 283−1.47%
1982 303+0.98%
1990 329+1.03%
1999 390+1.91%
2009 419+0.72%
2014 397−1.07%
2020 407+0.42%
Source: INSEE[6]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Vallorcine Chamonix Mont-Blanc, Haute-Savoie, French Alps". Mountain Passions. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  4. ^ "Électricité Émosson SA" (in French). Electricity of Émosson. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  5. ^ "Normales et records pour Vallorcine (74)". Meteociel. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  6. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE