Orsières

Orsières
Orsières village
Coat of arms
Orsières Show map of Switzerland Orsières Show map of Canton of Valais
Location of Orsières
Coordinates: 46°2′N 7°9′E / 46.033°N 7.150°E / 46.033; 7.150Coordinates: 46°2′N 7°9′E / 46.033°N 7.150°E / 46.033; 7.150
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Valais
District	Entremont
Government
• Mayor	Jean-François Thétaz
Area
• Total	165.02 km2 (63.71 sq mi)
Elevation	887 m (2,910 ft)
Population (Dec 2015)
• Total	3,179
• Density	19/km2 (50/sq mi)
Postal code	1937
SFOS number	6034
Localities	La Duay, Orsières, Somlaproz, Issert, Les Arlaches, Praz-de-Fort, Branche, Prayon, La Fouly, Ferret, Commeire , Reppaz, Chez-les-Addy, Chez-les-Giroud, La Rosière, Chamoille, Soulalex, Verlonne, Chez-les-Reuse, Champex-Lac, Prassurny, Le Biolley
Surrounded by	Bagnes, Bourg-Saint-Pierre, Bovernier, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (FR-74), Courmayeur (IT-AO), Liddes, Martigny-Combe, Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses (IT-AO), Sembrancher, Trient
Website	www.orsieres.ch SFSO statistics

Orsières is a municipality in the district of Entremont in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.

Orsières is first mentioned in 972 as Pons Ursarii. In medieval times, it was a stage on the Via Francigena.

Orsières has an area, as of 2011^[update], of 165 square kilometers (64 sq mi). Of this area, 16.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 25.2% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 1.5% is settled (buildings or roads) and 56.5% is unproductive land.

The municipality is located at the foot of the Mont Blanc Massif on the road over the Great St Bernard Pass. It is located on the border with both Italy and France and covers two valleys, the Val Ferret and the Vallée de Champex. It consists of the village of Orsières and twelve hamlets including Champex, Ferret, Issert, La Fouly and Praz-de-Fort.

La Fouly (1,992 m (6,535 ft)) is a tourist destination for families and a starting point for many hikes into the surrounding mountains. This hamlet in the municipality of Orsières is located in the Val Ferret (Valais, Switzerland). It is a small ski resort sits at the feet of the Dolent (3,823 m (12,543 ft)) and the Tour Noir (3,836 m (12,585 ft)) in the Mont Blanc Massif. La Fouly is a stopping place for the Tour du Mont Blanc.

The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Argent, a Bear rampant Sable langued, armed and viriled Gules.

Orsières has a population (as of December 2015^[update]) of 3,179. As of 2008^[update], 11.5% of the population are resident foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (1999–2009 ) the population has changed at a rate of 6.9%. It has changed at a rate of 6.5% due to migration and at a rate of 2.9% due to births and deaths.