Corbel (; frp, Korbé) is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the

Savoie Savoie (; Arpitan: ''Savouè'' or ''Savouè-d'Avâl''; English: ''Savoy'' ) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Southeastern France. Located in the French Alps, its prefecture is Chambéry. In 2019, Savoie had a population of ...

department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

in the

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (ARA; ; frp, Ôvèrgne-Rôno-Ârpes; oc, Auvèrnhe Ròse Aups; it, Alvernia-Rodano-Alpi) is a region in southeast-central France created by the 2014 territorial reform of French regions; it resulted from the merger of Au ...

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...

in south-eastern France. It borders the department of

Isère Isère ( , ; frp, Isera; oc, Isèra, ) is a landlocked department in the southeastern French region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Named after the river Isère, it had a population of 1,271,166 in 2019.Guiers Vif The Guiers Vif (, literally ''live Guiers'') is a river in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in eastern France. It is located in the Regional Natural Park of Chartreuse, on the border between the municipalities of Saint-Pierre-d'Entremont (Isère) and Sain ...

. The Gringalet separates ''Corbel valley'' from north to south and Guiers Vif goes on its southern border, in the gorges du Guiers. The Gringalet rises in the township, close to ''les Cruz'', and empties into the Guiers Vif. River of

Hyères Hyères (), Provençal Occitan: ''Ieras'' in classical norm, or ''Iero'' in Mistralian norm) is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. The old town lies from the sea clustered around t ...

(or Hyère), meanwhile, has its source at the Col des Égaux and down to the township of

Saint-Jean-de-Couz Saint-Jean-de-Couz is a commune in the Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. Geography Saint-Jean-de-Couz is located at the level of the col de Couz (630m) along the road D1006 which winds through the ''C ...

. At the level of ''Corbel valley'', if the district is more forested and steepits at his southern border (with Guiers Vif), it is less at the center and at the north. At the Col des Égaux, there are more grasslands and flat surfaces. Two mountains of the

Chartreuse Mountains The Chartreuse Mountains (french: massif de la Chartreuse ) are a mountain range in southeastern France, stretching from the city of Grenoble in the south to the Lac du Bourget in the north. They are part of the French Prealps, which continue a ...

are located on the territory of the township: Roche Veyrand (1356 m) and Thivelet (1231m). Northeast of the town is ''la Cluse'' that can reach the

col de la Cluse The Col de la Cluse is a mountain pass located 1,169 m above sea level in the Chartreuse Mountains. It connects Le Désert d'Entremont (commune of Entremont-le-Vieux Entremont-le-Vieux ( Arpitan: ''Entremont-le-Viûx'') is a commune in the Savo ...

by D45 road. The town of Corbel (845 m), the center of the township, is located on the east side of Thivelet (or Thimelet), and is about 20 km from Chambéry, by the D45 and the D1006 roads. Between Roche Veyrand and Thivelet lies the hamlet of ''Les Fiolins'' (860m). Further north of the township are the hamlets of ''Les Mathés'' (900m) and of ''Les Cruz'' (1000 m). ''Morel'' and ''La Cochette'' subdivision are located below the mountain named

La Cochette La Cochette (or Pointe de la Cochette) is a mountain of the Chartreuse Mountains culminating at 1618 m above sea level and located at the edge of Corbel, of Saint-Jean-de-Couz and of Entremont-le-Vieux in Savoie. Geography La Cochette is part o ...

, and near the hamlets of ''Les Burneys'' and ''Les Perrucons''. On the other side of the slope of "Le Thimelet" mountain range lies the village of ''Egaux'', near the Col des Égaux. From the Col des Égaux, there is a continuous descent of about 5 km from the RD 45 to

. On the other hand, the southern border of the township, bounded by the Guiers Vif, is bordering with the department of Isère.

History

In the eighteenth century, the township experienced a huge growth of population. The population grew up from 260 inhabitants in 1755 to 555 inhabitants in 1801. The township of Corbel became part of the township of

Saint-Thibaud-de-Couz Saint-Thibaud-de-Couz () is a commune of the Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. Geography The village of Saint-Thibaud-de-Couz is located in the middle valley of the Hyères between Mont Grêle (1425 ...

during the French Revolution, and later, that of Les Échelles. In the nineteenth century, the township was relatively poor and populated (580 inhabitants in 1848). Famine often threatened ''Corbelains'' ''(inhabitants)'' because the earth only allowed to grow oats and potatoes. The main resource of the township was the common trade, including the export of timber to Les Échelles and

Chambéry Chambéry (, , ; Arpitan: ''Chambèri'') is the prefecture of the Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. The population of the commune of Chambéry was 58,917 as of 2019, while the population of the Chambér ...

. From 1850, with the creation of the main road to Chambéry (D45), the township depopulated, and saw its population divided by two in less than fifty years. With these new roads, famine and poverty have gradually disappeared permanently from the township. In the twentieth century, the wealth of the township and the standard of living of the population increased progressively. In 1994 was created a small road reserved to the residents that directly connects Saint-Pierre-d'Entremont in Savoie to Corbel.

Population and society

Cultural events and festivities

Church and trails, ovens and fountains: Hiking on the trail to see the ovens and fountains of Corbel.

Sports

Many sports activities can be practiced in the township. Trails have been marked for tourists. You can practice cycling, climbing, horse riding, glider and kanoé in the gorges du Guiers Vif. The Fiolins hamlet is the starting point of a path that leads to a

via ferrata A via ferrata (Italian for "iron path", plural ''vie ferrate'' or in English ''via ferratas'') is a protected climbing route found in the Alps and certain other locations. The term "via ferrata" is used in most countries and languages except n ...

through Roche Veyrand to get to Saint-Pierre-d'Entremont in Savoie. Corbel is near skiing and tobogganing stations ( Le Desert d'Entremont). There is also the presence of indicated snowshoes paths that connect Corbel to the winter sports resort of the Desert, but also doing a variety of loops in the township only.

Media

* Local TV:

France 3 Alpes France 3 Alpes is one France 3's regional broadcasting services to people in the Rhône-Alpes region. It was launched as ORTF Rhône-Alpes in 1968. It is headquartered in La Tronche. The service is also one of 2 services to be broadcast to people l ...

TV8 Mont-Blanc ''TV8 Mont-Blanc'' is a Savoie-based local television channel, broadcast on Télévision Numérique Terrestre Television in France was introduced in 1931, when the first experimental broadcasts began. Colour television was introduced in October ...

* Local radio: France Bleu Pays de Savoie

Personalities

Arcabas Jean-Marie Pirot (December 26, 1926 – August 23, 2018), popularly known as Arcabas (a name given to him by his pupils), was a French contemporary sacred artist. Pirot was born in Trémery. He studied in the ''École Nationale Supérieure des ...

(1926) - Painter and sculptor, he is one of the authors of contemporary sacred art in France.

Sights

Ovens and fountains

In the town, some basins (fountains) cut in the stone are very famous. Indeed, in 1999, most of the basins of the township were renovated. Ovens of different hamlets are also significant and have their specificities. The walking tour "ovens and fountains" was created specially to visit most of the ovens and fountains of the township.

Other notable sights

* The views over the

Chartreuse Chartreuse () may refer to: Food and drink * Chartreuse (liqueur), a French liqueur * Chartreuse (dish), a French dish of vegetables or meat tightly wrapped in vegetable leaves and cooked in a mould Religion * Carthusians, a Catholic religi ...

are countless on the heights of Corbel, we can see in particular the ''Ruchère'', the Grand Som or the ''Crête des Eparres''. * The church of Corbel dates from the thirteenth century, but it was renovated in the eighteenth century. It is the oldest church of the ''Entremonts''. It features

's stained glasses from the twentieth century (1997). * A mill from the sixteenth century is on the road between ''Les Fiolins'' and ''Les Perrucons''.