Aix-les-Bains, Savoie Département, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

🇫🇷 Aix-les-Bains, locally simply Aix, is a commune in the south-eastern French department of Savoie.

Situated on the shore of the largest natural lake of glacial origin in France, the Lac du Bourget, this resort is a major spa town; it has the largest freshwater marina in France. It is the second largest city in Savoy department in terms of population. It is part of the Chambéry functional urban area.

A leading town of the Belle Époque, of international renown, Aix-les-Bains was a vacation destination for nobility and the wealthy. Although the thermal baths are no longer the main attraction in Aix, the area continues to be draw visitors for water sports and activities. The town has partially compensated for the loss of visitors coming for spa treatments by developing tourism. It hosts up to 200,000 general visitors annually, between tourists and people seeking mineral bath therapy. It is also an industrial city, with a few large companies such as General Electric, the headquarters of the Léon Grosse companies, ABB Cellier, Aixam, as well as a high-quality leather goods factory.

In addition to thermal baths and tourism, Aix-les-Bains is known for its national Musilac festival. It has four flowers and two golden flowers at the Concours des villes et villages fleuris, as well as the City of Art and History label.

Location Aix-Les-Bains is located in the south-east of France, 107 km (66 mi) east of Lyon. The town is located in a corridor between the mountain of Mont Revard, the first natural rampart of the Massif des Bauges to the east and the Lac du Bourget, the largest natural lake of France to the west. Thus, the city extends mostly on a north–south axis. Its extension is such that its agglomeration merges gradually with that of Chambéry. The area of the commune is 12.62 square km (4.87 sq mi), which is large for the department. The town is traditionally divided into two, the lower town that occupies the banks of the lake to the west and the upper town, where the town centre is located, overlooking the Lac du Bourget. The town was first built on the heights in order to avoid the many floods of the lake until it was regulated by the dam of the Compagnie Nationale du Rhône (CNR) between the Rhône and the natural spillway of lake, the Canal de Savières. The average altitude of the city is about 320 metres (1,050 ft) while the lower part of it is only around 224 metres (735 ft), at the level of the lake.

560 square km (220 sq mi) of the Lac du Bourget watershed is occupied by the spa town of Aix, which borders on the shore. The lake is primarily fed to the south by the waters of the Leysse, and to the east, by those of the Tillet  and the Sierroz , both from the Aix territory. Native fish can be admired in the aquarium of Aix. The shore, which is occupied by Aix and Tresserve, is highly urbanized and developed along the north-eastern part with the road and the railway track. Many restaurants and nightclubs are located there (mostly on the south-eastern side). A nautical complex was built on its shore, this includes a swimming pool and a beach which has an Art Deco-style main entrance dating from 1936. After which is a vast esplanade, allowing walkers to stroll and special events to settle temporarily on this site. It offers a panoramic view of the lake and the Dent du Chat, where birds such as mute swans, mallards, grey herons, black-headed gulls and common moorhens can be found.

The esplanade is bounded to the north and to the south by the Grand port and the Petit port respectively, thus constituting the Aix port which is the largest fresh water port in the country with 1,500 mooring rings, having privileged places for boating on the lake, with boats having a summer or annual allocation. The festival of yachting takes place each year. This event has old boats coming from all horizons, a professional market, demonstrations and shows.

The slopes above the lake that culminate in the Tour de l'Angle Est, which overlooks the town and lake at a height of 1,562 m (5,125 ft). The western shore of the lake is narrower as the mountains along its edge are closer to the lakeshore, although lower than those on the eastern side. The lake drains out of its northern end into the River Rhône about 5 km (3 miles) to the north.

Neighbouring communes The municipality of Aix-les-Bains is bordered by nine communes. To the north, the municipality adjoins the territory of Brison-Saint-Innocent. To the north-east, Aix is bordered by the commune of Grésy-sur-Aix. Then, to the east, in the continuity of the Aix heights, the commune of Pugny-Chatenod is followed by the commune of Mouxy towards the southeast. Further to the south-east, Aix shares the boundaries of its territory with the neighbouring commune of Drumettaz-Clarafond. It follows south to the communes of Viviers-du-Lac and Tresserve. Finally, in the west, there are two communes bordering Aix, across the lake. These are Bourdeau, La Chapelle-du-Mont-du-Chat. One of the specific limits of the municipal territory of the commune of Aix-les-Bains, on its western side, is the existence of the boundary imposed by the Lac du Bourget. This limit of the territory is shared with five other municipalities, these being Bourdeau, Brison-Saint-Innocent, La Chapelle-du-Mont-du-Chat, Tresserve and Viviers-du-Lac.

Economy Essentially a spa town until the mid-20th century, Aix-les-Bains has gradually transformed its local economy and is no longer dependent on the thermal baths which are less frequently used than before. Like the cities of Vichy, Évian and other spas, Aix-les-Bains has diversified the economy and invested a lot on tourism potential and health. In 2000, the commune had a network of 34 stations classified by the label of France Station Nautique . It also obtained the label of Station Touristique at the end of October 2013.

Revenues of the population and taxation The average income per household in Aix-les-Bains is about €15,606 per year. However, this number does not reflect the reality for the majority of Aix-les-Bains households whose earnings are modest, or even precariously low. The share of households taxed in 2005 was 66.8%. The number of indebted taxpayers of the wealth tax is two hundred and twelve. The average wealth tax for the commune is approximately €4,091 per year which is slightly lower than the national average which has an average tax of €5,683 per year. With respect to the mean wealth of those liable to pay the Solidarity tax on wealth, it amounts locally to €1,338,548 per year compared to €1,493,167 per year for the average national.

Employment The commune of Aix-les-Bains had approximately 14,086 total jobs (employee + self-employed) in 1999, including 1,039 salaried jobs. The average annual rate of change of total employment, between 1990 and 1999, was 0.07%. The number of jobseekers (categories 1-2-3-HAR) on 31 December 2006 was 1,412 with a 13.7% unemployment rate. The rate of activity for those between 20 and 59 years of age stood at 82%, which equals the national average of 82.2%. There were 42.9% of working age against 24.3% of retirees whose number is well above the national average of 18.2%. There were 20.5% of school age and 12.2% of people without activity.

Companies of the agglomeration The companies and institutions total at 1 January 2006 was 2,624. Aix-les-Bains had reached a number of 198 new businesses for the year 2004. It lay at 216th position in the national ranking. There are mainly thirteen types of institutions. Agricultural and food industry institutions represent 3.3% of the total number of companies with a number of 58. Consumer goods industries represent 1.7% with twenty-nine institutions, car industries are two companies at about 0.1% of the companies. Capital goods industries have a share of 1.5% with twenty-seven companies. The intermediate goods industry includes twenty companies or 1.1 per cent, energy amounts to 0.1% with its two companies. Construction has 135 companies representing 7.7%, trade represents no less than 28.4% of the total number of companies with four hundred and ninety-six institutions. Transportation includes forty-three institutions or 2.5 per cent, real estate activities totalled sixty seventeen companies or 4.4 per cent. Services to the companies represent 12.4% with two hundred and sixteen institutions. Services to individuals include two hundred eighty-two companies at around 20.6% and, finally, with respect to the last type of school education, health and social action  there are 282 companies or 16.1% of the total number of establishments.

The four main businesses present in the town of Aix-les-Bains are Léon Grosse with a turnover of 627 million Euros (consolidated 2008, given to "Léon Grosse"), Aixam with a turnover of 74 million Euros, Aixam production, which is an entity independent of Aixam, with a turnover of 47 million Euros and ABB Process Automation with 50 million Euros of turnover (2003 figure). The Aix area includes many other companies. Among other things, also present in Aix-les-Bains, are the Savoie-Yaourt (Savoy yoghurt) business, the Société des eaux minérales d'Aix-les-Bains  which is a mineral water producer, the Cavaillé company in the wine field, the company Areva as well as the manufacture of high-quality leather goods, the Bauer Compressor Company, and the company Clipsol which is very in vogue thanks to its production of solar heating. Moreover, in recent years the hospitality sector has tended to develop. Hospitality giant Accor is particularly present in the area of Aix, in order to benefit from the growth of health markets and hydrotherapy.

Trade Aix-les-Bains has nearly 500 shops. These are, for the largest number, present in the town centre. Merchants benefit from the attractiveness of the geographical situation of the commune with the proximity of the lake and the Massif des Bauges, but also thanks to the casino. However, its aging image as well as competition from neighbouring communes tend to undermine the Aix shops. Indeed, the peripheral communes such as Tresserve, Grésy-sur-Aix, Albens or even Le Bourget-du-Lac attract ever slightly more local clientele. On the other hand, the Chambéry area is facing competition from the area of activity of Les Landiers, where most of the big names are, such as Darty, la Halle aux vêtements, Feu vert, but also the large Carrefour hypermarket. This presence has forced the town of Chambéry to revitalize its own town centre. Aix-les-Bains shops have, in this general situation, struggled to survive and attract potential customers.

However, the Aix-les-Bains municipality became aware of this state of affairs. A Fisac record has been opened. The city has set many objectives and measures. For example, to include the creation of an office of trade and crafts, which organises special events à la carte, the creation of an internet site, support for food shops, the study of facilities in the south of the town as well as on the improvement of the bond between the Lac du Bourget and the town centre, the valuation of public space, and more generally the improvement of communication and the development of multiple channels of information for advice.

Hydrotherapy Springs, gushing on the hillsides, through two holes in the cliff, were already known to the Celts (the Allobroges tribe), who worshipped them under the auspices of the god Borvo. Attached to the city of Vienne, after the conquest of Caesar, the Roman vicus of Aquae (Aix) grew around a first-class bathing establishment, continually improved and expanded. Therefore, this tradition of baths was permanently preserved over the centuries. There are also testimonies of the presence of King Henry IV in 1600, who washed in the unique Roman swimming pool still accessible at the time, called the Royal Bath. In 1783, through the subsidies of King Victor Amadeus III, a first modern thermal hotel was built. These thermal baths, several times enlarged (1818 to 1856–1860), naturally became the national baths during the incorporation of Savoy into France in 1860. New buildings completed the complex in 1897, and especially in 1934. In 1996, a new state institution, the Thermes Chevalley were inaugurated, relying on several new deep catchment sources.

The underground travel of the waters, from the opposite shore of the lake (more than thirty years at 2 km (1.2 mi) deep), explains its temperature of 46°. Many sources provide calcium, sulphated, silica-rich waters which are very slightly radioactive at 45° or cold, and finally with bicarbonatees. They, according to their origin and their temperature, are used either for showers or baths, in a swimming-pool, or to drink. These warm waters are especially indicated for degenerative rheumatism such as lumbar or cervical arthritis, osteoarthritis, sciatica, acute lumbago, recurrent arthritis of the hands, knee osteoarthritis, and for inflammatory rheumatism and spontylarthrite rheumatism. The use of sources is also beneficial for the algodystrophy, tendonitis, and phlebological problems (chronic venous insufficiency, suites and sequelae of thrombosis, lymphatic insufficiency, Raynaud's disease), on the other hand, these waters are contraindicated for the varicose ulcer, stroke or recent cardiac events. The cure techniques are the use of showers, individual enclosure (Berthollet), physiotherapy, mud application, underwater showers, and rehabilitation in a swimming pool. By their calming of the nervous system, the waters can cause euphoric relaxation.

The national baths of Aix-les-Bains consist of two buildings located on two very distinct sites. Thus the Thermes Pellegrini and the Thermes Chevalley Spa facilities are located on the height. There is also the Marlioz Spa.[00] This is located in a park of 10 hectares (25 acres). It uses water from springs discovered around 1850. A first private institution was built in 1860, then entirely rebuilt in 1980. This spa is particularly suitable for the release of the respiratory system and heals diseases of the mouth. Treated ENT diseases are otitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, the pharyngitis, tonsillitis, the laryngitis, surgical preparations and post-surgical in ENT. Also treated are pathologies in pneumology, tracheitis, bronchitis, bronchial dilation and finally asthma.

Thanks to its thermal baths, in 1986, the town had around 52,000 hydrotherapy visitors[01] and 1992, more than 44,550 hydrotherapy visitors. Since the year 2000, as a result of the disappearance of the agreements with the social security, attendance has decreased. Aix-les-Bains hosted approximately 35,200 hydrotherapy visitors[02] for the year 2005. This number represents about 7% of all spa guests in France and 60% of the Savoy hydrotherapy visitors. Between the year 2004 and 2005, a significant decrease of 3% in the rate of attendance was found.[02] March 2008 began with a serious conflict between staff and management which resulted in a strike.[03] Since 2007, the direction of the National Baths of Aix-les-Bains conducted a deliberate policy to revitalize attendance and privatise the facility. This privatisation should be effective in the course of the year 2009.

Local culture and heritage Aix-les-Bains is an integral part of the Savoy. A tourist resort, the culture is mixed between its food and its communal history. Its heritage is an anthology of influences from many historical invasions. It owes much to its status as a spa town which in the Belle Epoque allowed it to boom and offered it a rich and varied heritage capital. Therefore, it is classified as a City of Art and History.

Places and monuments With its rich past and its recent evolution, the commune of Aix-les-Bains has an important and varied heritage. The commune has seventeen monuments listed as monument historique and over 900 listed within the General Inventory of Cultural Heritage .[04] In addition, it has 56 objects listed in the Inventory of Historic Monuments and thirteen listed within the General Inventory of Cultural Heritage.[05] Heritage was also the subject of studies by the Directorate of Culture of the region of Rhône-Alpes in its series Les dossiers de l'inventaire (Études sur le patrimoine) [The inventory files (heritage studies)]. It has no less than 1163 buildings which have thus retained some attention.[06]

Casino Grand-Cercle The Casino Grand-Cercle is located in Aix-les-Bains, and constitutes a major architectural complex in Savoy, in the same way as the casino of Évian. The casino was opened in 1850 by the King Victor-Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy. The ceiling of his living room is covered with a mosaic of 3.5 million small cubes of glass mounted on a golden background. At the time, the building included a ballroom at its centre, flanked by two rooms, one for games, the other for reading and correspondence. Thirty years later, the casino had gained momentum and was expanded with two side pavilions. In 1899, the building acquired a 900-seat theatre, equipped with wooden machinery. Recently four works by the painter Di Credico  were placed in the room of traditional games (boules, roulette, blackjack, etc.). The Casino Grand-Cercle was ranked at 24th in the classification of French casinos, on the basis of its gross product from the games for the fiscal year of 2004–2005.[07]

Château of the Rock of the King The Château of the Rock of the King is a 20th-century château. It is located on the heights of Aix-les-Bains, built on a hillside, the château dominates much of the town and overlooks the racecourse and golf course among others. It was built in 1900 by the architect of the town, Jules Pin Sr. as well as by the Léon Grosse company. This château is now a classified historical monument. Its architectural style is a mix of oriental palaces and châteaux of the Renaissance. The total area of the building is approximately 500 square metres (5,400 sq ft). It is built on a terrace supported by a vaulted semicircular basement. Outside of the château, in its periphery, is a dense forest of many hundreds of trees, brush, and plants common to the region. The château currently belongs to a foreign private owner. The town attempted to acquire the building after noting that it was abandoned for many years, and after several major damages had been reported and multiple interventions by firefighters called to deal with fires.

The Church of Our Lady The Notre-Dame-des-Eaux ('Our Lady of the Waters') Church, parish of the Assumption, is located in the centre of Aix-les-Bains. An architectural competition was held to design the religious building and was won by Arthur Bertin. The construction was entrusted to the Bonna company. Work began in 1890 with completion planned for 1892 while, in reality, changes were still made until 1905.

The building takes the form of a cross. The general appearance is of Byzantine inspiration. The crossing of the transepts supports a dome. The colour of its green steeple is due to the oxidation of its cover which is made of wood. The tower rises 55 metres (180 ft) above the courtyard. One can also admire its simple barrel vaults which, for their part, are of rather Romanesque inspiration. The Way of the Cross, currently ranking in the supplementary inventory of historic monuments, comes from Spain, from where it was brought by General Forestier , during the campaigns of Napoleon. The tables of the Twelve Apostles, classified since 1976, and preserved in the choir, definitely come from Italy, according to expertise, and would be of 17th century origin.[08] The building dominates the heights of the Aix-les-Bains town, and it is very present in the daily life of the inhabitants.

The square in front of the church is used for public parking during the week, due to its central location in the urban fabric.

The Faure Museum The Faure Museum is based on works originally from a private collection, that of Dr. Jean Faure (1862–1942). They were bequeathed to the city and kept, in a villa built in 1902, since 1949.[09] This museum has the second greatest French collection of works of Rodin with not less than thirty-four sculptures, not counting the master studies. The establishment also displays a collection of paintings concerning impressionism to the public. Associated painters, such as those of romanticism, post-impressionism and symbolism are also displayed. It holds the second largest impressionist collection of the province.[09] Paintings by Corot, Boudin, Jongkind, Ravier, Puy, Cézanne, Sisley, Pissarro, Degas, Bonnard, Vuillard, Lebourg, Lebasque, Marquet, Robert Antral, Charles Cottet, Jules Desbois , Edmond Aman-Jean, John Singer Sargent, Victor Vignon, Constant Troyon and Stanislas Lépine. Adolphe Monticelli, Georges Michel, and Jean-Victor Bertin are also displayed.[09]

Green areas Regularly winning awards from the National Committee of the flowering of the France , since 1959, Aix-les-Bains has won several prizes: • Town of four flowers since 1981 • National grand prize of the flowering confirmed every 3 years since 1989 • National grand prize of the flowers of fall in 1991 • European grand prize of flowering towns and villages, in 1992 • Winner of the Golden Tree awarded by the National Union of Entrepreneurs of the Landscape • In 2012, the Fleur d'Or [Golden Flower]. It was awarded for one year and can no longer be granted back to the city before a period of six years Aix-les-Bains has averaged more than: • 860 bins and planters • 6,000 trees in the city centre including 2,150 in alignment • 279 hectares (690 acres) of parks, gardens, squares and sports facilities • 125,000 plants including 45,000 bulbs in spring • 72,000 plants in summer • 3,200 plants in autumn.

A flowering in four seasons is ensured in the town. Thus, its horticultural centre of approximately 2,500 square metres (27,000 sq ft) ensures continuous and regular production of about 300,000 plants per year. In summer 2008, more than 95,000 plants wrapped and decorated the town, divided into 103 species and separated into 241 varieties. Aix-les-Bains was the first city in Savoy to embark, in 2006, in integrated biological control, a mode of ecological production of plants.

The Parc floral des Thermes  is composed of old and rare trees. This is a theatre of greenery with three thousand seats. It welcomes open-air concerts, especially in summer.

The Parc du Bois Vidal , in an area of 18 hectares (44 acres) in the heart of the town, includes woods and meadows in its midst, along with hiking trails and a sports park.

The esplanade of the lake spans the east shore of the Lac du Bourget. Bounded by two marinas, it includes a lawn and trees. The Musilac festival, as well as the Navig'Aix event, occur here each year. The Corsuet  forest stretches along the edge of the town of Aix-les-Bains in an area of approximately 116 hectares (290 acres). Many trails have been constructed. There are also sports courses and the presence of mountain bikers.

The Japanese Garden offers a composition of a design based on Kanji at its centre. It is located on the Avenue Charles de Gaulle, at the entrance of the Golden Tulip Hotel.

Hotels Among other tall buildings in Aix-les-Bains, the luxury hotels must be listed. Now though, they are vestiges of the Belle Époque, and have been mostly converted into collective housing. However, they maintain their impressive exterior façades as well as their masterful entries, adorned with most of the awnings from the time and with canopies of wrought iron. These palaces are the Beau-site, the Grand Hotel, the Bernascon, the Splendide, the Royal and the Mirabeau, etc. Not to mention the Astoria which is the only grand hotel still in operation.

The great hotel projects multiplied in Aix-les-Bains between 1883 and 1914. The funding emerged from the two prestigious figures of Gaudens-Antoine Rossignoli (1837–1908) and Jean-Marie Bernascon (1826–1912), while the designs illustrate the works of Antoine Gouy and Alfred Olivet, both architects in Geneva, and Sébastien Pin, known also as Jules Pin Sr., an architect of Aix-les-Bains. • The Splendide luxury hotel (1884) built by Gaudens Antoine Rossignoli • The Excelsior luxury hotel (1906) built by Gaudens Antoine Rossignoli • The Bernascon luxury hotel (1909) built by Jean-Marie Bernascon with its annex villa Regina • The Royal luxury hotel (1914) built by Louis Rossignoli • The Mirabeau luxury hotel (1910) • The Grand Hotel (1858) built by C-B Pellegrini with a "Les Ambassadeurs" annex in 1877 • The Hotel of the Globe (1868), today Hôtel de l'Europe with its annex Villa Victoria (1883) to receive the Queen • The Beau Site Hotel (1883) • The International Hotel (1893), burned in the years 1985–1995, now renovated • The Hôtel des Iles Britanniques [Hotel of the British Isles] (1903) • The Astoria Hotel (1904) • The Panoramic Hotel.

Other buildings The town of Aix-les-Bains is dotted with numerous historic buildings as well as buildings of character. Of the Gallo-Roman era, there is the Arc funéraire romain de Campanus [Roman funerary Arch of Campanus]. This arch was erected by the patrician of Gallia Narbonensis, Lucius Pompeius Campanus, honouring the dead of his family. This monument is a symbol representing the passage to the afterlife. The arch has a height of more than 9 metres (30 ft). It consists of an archway between two pillars surmounted by an entablature with architrave, all made of cut stones fitted without mortar. The arch includes a frieze, cornice and an attic. The frieze has eight niches to house the busts of some of the characters to which the arch is dedicated.

There is also the impressive building of the Thermes antiques [ancient baths]. Around 120 BC, the Romans built these comfortable baths in Roman fashion, such as was the case throughout the Empire. The structure includes several baths from a hot bath (caldarium), and a warm bath (tepidarium), to a cold bath (frigidarium). All of the basins are covered in marble. The rooms were decorated with columns and sculptures. Currently, the Roman ruins are still visible inside the national baths.

Also of note is the current Aix-les-Bains town hall. Originally, it was a mansion belonging to Conrad the Peaceful, then a château of the Marquis of Aix between the 15th and the 17th century. Next to the town hall there is the Gallo-Roman temple, known as the Temple de Diane [Temple of Diana] which became the Lapidary Museum. This ancient shrine is one of three temples in France which are fully preserved. Today converted into the Archaeological Museum, the building houses many statues and antique objects, as well as items from the Bronze Age.