A little history | Le Grand Bornand

122 BC, ancient discoveries

The history of Le Grand-Bornand dates back to ancient times, when the land of the Allobroges fell under Roman domination. A peculiar anecdote has it that the famous “Allô” used on the telephone today is an indirect tribute to this ancient people.
Traces of this can be found in infrastructure such as roads and bridges, like the “Pont des Romains”, but also in the place names of certain locations. For example, “Villavit” means “Old Town” in patois, while the word “villa” refers directly to the Roman influence.

1569, a devastating fire

The village is going through one of its darkest chapters: a fire ravages everything, from the church to the houses. The church was rebuilt, and a large bell, forged from salvaged metal, was built. Unfortunately, this bell was requisitioned in 1792 to supply the cannon foundries of the Republic. After the Revolution, the bell tower was finally rebuilt, and work was completed in 1845.

1664, a chalet over 300 years old!

The oldest chalet, dating from 1664, is still inhabited by the same family.

1699, the introduction of Reblochon cheese

Reblochon, a local speciality, officially made its entry into local history, mentioned in a lease.

Today, with around forty farms operating all year round and 2060 cows, Le Grand-Bornand is the leading agropastoral commune in Haute-Savoie. Here, farming is more than just a tradition: it’s a well-established economic pillar that continues to thrive alongside booming tourism.

Want to find out more about Reblochon?

1795, the first weekly market

The Wednesday morning market,

has become a popular tradition. As such, it is the last surviving Reblochon market in the region.

It’s one of the most famous in the Aravis region, and a meeting place for holidaymakers and Bornandois alike. Alongside the stalls full of cheeses, charcuterie, vegetables and other local or manufactured products, you can meet the farmers of Grand-Bornand.

10 March 1817, a devastating avalanche

A devastating avalanche descends from the slopes of Tardevant, sweeping away forests and homes. This event marked the beginning of a flourishing trade in timber and planks in the region.

Joseph Vuillet, 1995

My father already worked with wood, but he didn’t have a machine; he planed the wood with a varlope, a plane; he cut the wood with a saw.

Tourism began in 1920

Le Grand-Bornand is gradually evolving,

with the appearance of the first hotels designed to welcome summer holidaymakers. The Hôtel La Croix Saint-Maurice and the Hôtel La Pointe Percée, which have been open since the 1850s, bear witness to a summer tourist industry that dates back to this period, although it underwent a significant transformation from the 1920s onwards.

Raymond Perrillat Mercerot, 1995

In the old days there wasn’t much to do, either in winter or summer, so there were no tourists.
Of course, now if there was no tourism, it wouldn’t be easy for young people to find work.

Until the first half of the century

Village life was based on farming, particularly livestock rearing and the production of Reblochon cheese. But tourism changed all that, with the mountains attracting mountaineers and adventurers. Shortly before 1900, the first tourist ascent of Pointe Percée (2750 m), the highest peak in the Aravis mountain range, was recorded.

History of skiing!

Winter 1906 / 1907

Skiing began in Grand-Bornand, thanks to a Swiss skier staying in the village with his bent wooden boards.

January 1936,

1st ascent of Mont Lachat on skis.

December 1944,

Creation of the SA du Téléski du Grand-Bornand, prior to the installation of the first ski lift at Les Dodes, in service during the winter of 1945/1946.

1949,

The ski jump in the village.

1953,

Construction of the first ski lift at Chinaillon, the Outalays ski lift.

Yvonne Perrillat Mercerot, 1995

I remember my older brothers used to ski, so they used to take me along, they were the ones who made their skis, and then it was fun, they’d go up like that, quite high up, and they’d do great descents.

Félicien Missilier, 1995

Better skiing conditions and a longer ski lift brought more visitors; the weak point: the distance from the village that had to be climbed: 6 km.

1961,

Two ski lift companies coexist, with the launch of the SA du Téléski de la Mulaterie, opposite the “historic” SA du Téléski du Grand-Bornand, and the installation of the longest ski lift in Haute-Savoie, the Floria lift (1,793 m high and 1,756 m long).

From 1962 to 1976,

Opening of the La Floria (1750m), Maroly (1850m) and Lachat chairlifts, bringing the highest point in the ski area to 2100m.

1973,

Creation of SAEM Les téléskis du Grand-Bornand, the only local ski lift company from 1981. Launch of the Joyère chairlift, providing access to the slopes from the village.

1982,

Opening of the Duche and Annes chairlifts, extending the ski area to the foot of Pointe Percée.

1987,

3 pairs of Bearded Vultures, a rare and fragile species, have been recorded in the Aravis following the reintroduction of the species in 1987.

Tourist resort

In 2017, Le Grand-Bornand was awarded the “tourist resort” label, in recognition of its dynamism, the quality of its infrastructure and its ability to welcome visitors in both summer and winter.

Winter 2019/2020,

Delivery of the detachable 6-seater Charmieux chairlift, the new “backbone” of the ski area.

2024,

Marcel Pernet-Solliet and Gilbert Fournier-Bidoz, pioneers of the ski lift industry born, so to speak, at the same time as Le Grand-Bornand’s first ski lift, symbolically mark the end of the Duche chairlift on 25 March 2024 after 40 years of loyal service.