Saint-Jean-d'Aulps | ||
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Commune | ||
Saint Jean d'Aulps Village, in the heart of the Vallée d'Aulps
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Coordinates: 46°14′06″N 6°39′23″E / 46.235°N 6.6564°ECoordinates: 46°14′06″N 6°39′23″E / 46.235°N 6.6564°E | ||
Country | France | |
Region | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | |
Department | Haute-Savoie | |
Arrondissement | Thonon-les-Bains | |
Canton | Évian-les-Bains | |
Intercommunality | Vallée d'Aulps | |
Government | ||
• Mayor | Patrick Cottet-Dumoulin | |
Area1 | 40.19 km2 (15.52 sq mi) | |
Population (2014)2 | 1,225 | |
• Density | 30/km2 (79/sq mi) | |
Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | |
• Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | |
INSEE/Postal code | 74238 /74430 | |
Elevation | 734–2,240 m (2,408–7,349 ft) (avg. 801 m or 2,628 ft) |
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1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. |
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
Saint-Jean-d'Aulps is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. Situated in the heart of the Vallée d'Aulps, as well as being the home to an active farming community, it is popular with holiday-makers in the Summer, for walking, and in the Winter for skiing as it is a part of the massive Portes du Soleil ski area.
The inhabitants are called (in French) the "Jovanétiens". The commune is spread over 40,2 km² has 1,189 inhabitants, 6,900 beds for tourists, 464 main residences, and 1,358 secondary residences. The population density is 29,58 inhabitants/km². Saint-Jean-d'Aulps is surrounded by the communes of Seytroux, Le Biot, Abondance, Essert Romand and Bellevaux. The closest town is Thonon les Bains 25km away. The river "la Dranse de Morzine" is the main water course through the village. In the commune, at an altitude of 805m, is the ski-area "l’Espace Roc d’Enfer". One can ski between 900m and 1800m above sea-level and offers, amongst wild, unspoilt, and preserved terrain, 20 pistes (ski-runs) givings a total of 40km of tracks. A large portion of these tracks are covered by artificial snow-making machines to make the skiing more snow-sure in lighter Winters. Saint-Jean-d'Aulps also offers many summer-time activities, namely: rock climbing, via ferrata, walking and hiking, mountain-biking routes, fishing, and para-gliding.
The village grew up round Aulps Abbey, a Cistercian monastery founded at the very end of the 11th century and suppressed in 1793 during the French Revolution. The buildings were reduced to ruins in 1823 when they were quarried for stone to rebuild the village's parish church.
Being a Winter skiing resort town and Summer holiday destination activity in the town tends to be seasonal with an influx of tourists twice a year. As for the permanent residents, there is a higher-than-normal percentage of non-French residents (mostly British). These residents are typically involved in the skiing and tourism industry in the Portes du Soleil serving clients in their local language. In addition to this type of work there is an active sheep, cattle, and dairy farming community.