Perched at more than 1,000 meters of altitude, the little village of La Clusaz boasts an exceptional location in the heart of the Aravis mountains, and at the meeting point of the Nant and the Nom rivers.
With a still-prominent animal husbandry and agriculture sector, La Clusaz has masterfully taken full advantage of the opportunities offered by tourism, while protecting its rich heritage and continuing its longstanding traditions.
But living in such an idyllic setting can come at a cost! As it happens, the seasonal alpine tourism and the agricultural traditions still very much alive in La Clusaz explain why many locals have more than one job. Dominique Thovex, President of the La Clusaz Heritage and Tradition Association, told us more « I was born and raised in La Clusaz », he says. « I have done a lot of different things in my time, including mountain hiking guide, ski touring instructor and heritage tour guide around La Clusaz. My parents were farmers, and we all gradually turned to the tourism sector. Lots of people have different activities now. Some are members of the ski patrol, or instructors, and have a farming profession alongside it! »
THE MOUNTAIN, A HARSH AND DEMANDING ENVIRONMENT
Not every
ski resort can claim to have a
history and
traditions as rich as in La Clusaz...
« We renovated and relaunched an old sawmill », says Dominique Thovex,
« And we have also restored an original bread oven. The Association also recently contributed to creating le Hameau des Alpes, offering a site to be visited with different spaces, including a ski museum and an educational centre dedicated to Reblochon. » Perfect for really understanding the
history and
methods behind this famous cheese!
Local traditions in La Clusaz are also perpetuated thanks to a range of events.
« During the Foire de La Croix festival, the farmers and producers bring their cattle herds down from the mountain pastures and take part in a Reblochon contest! », says Dominique Thovex. « We also have a local day-long celebration in honor of our iconic cheese. »
A SHORT, TIMELESS BREAK
There's no escaping the fact that tourism has overtaken agriculture. But there are still many farmers in La Clusaz. Some 17 farms still raise cattle and make reblochon, while two goat farms and one exe farm continue to produce different cheeses.
As for the architecture, unlike certain other resorts, disfiguring the stunning mountain landscape in La Clusaz is out of the question. « There are still old chalets that were built 200 or 300 years ago! » says Dominique Thovex. « Sometimes you can see the original construction dates engraved in the beam above the entrance. Most of these chalets in fact used to be home to a mixture of people and animals! »
This combination of tradition and modern installations is typical of La Clusaz, and continues to attract diverse groups of people throughout summer and winter. Maybe this little mountain village has found the secret to success?)