Sports & leisure
Winter sports are a very important part of the economy in Savoie, which boasts 60 ski stations and resort locations in the area. The development of winter sports is a natural effect for this region, thanks to the fabulous winter season and the perfect terrain.
After the Second World War, the General Council of Savoie adopted a development effort for the winter sports resorts; a policy that gave birth to the first ski station, Courchevel, in 1946. More recently, the 1992 Olympic Games in Albertville brought much attention to the area and reinforced the international notoriety of its sites.
Summer tourism is also strongly developed with a wide range of outdoor activities : water sports in the lakes, via ferratta and rock climbing in Maurienne at the portal to Italy, canyoning in Bauges, mountain biking in Tarentaise or summer skiing in the glaciers of the Vanoise Park... not to mention hiking, fishing, cyclotourism...
For more information on tourism in Savoie, visit the website http://www.savoie-tourisme.com/
If you enjoy nature, discover 3 national natural parks:
- The Parc National de la Vanoise is situated between the Maurienne and the Tarentaise. Connected to the Grand Paradise Park in Italy, it was the first to protect the emblematic ibex. Its remarkable fauna and flora bear witness to the many climatic influences.
http://www.vanoise.com/
- The Bauges Nature Park stands above the two great lakes of the Savoie, Le Bourget and Annecy. Country life here is authentic and woodworking is a traditional local craft industry.
http://www.parcdesbauges.com/
- The Chartreuse Nature Park, where the Charterhouse monks are living, is also a heaven of peace for mountain animals like goats, crested grouse, Tengmalm owls - and many others.
http://www.parc-chartreuse.net/
But Savoie don’t forget the other sports!
All collective sports are represented on the agglomeration, as well as indoor activities (squash, bowling, karting, fitness …) and some teams even reach a national level (hand ball, basket ball, rugby, water polo, hocky ice, athletic sports …).
Please note that the Chambéry Hand Ball team, the Chambéry Savoie Hand Ball, is playing in the first division and that its half centre is the France ’s team captain, Jackson Richardson, who has joined the team in 2005.
