Heritage in Les Gets
The Col des Gets: A journey through history
The village of Les Gets 🌄 lies at an altitude of between 940 m at the Pont des Gets and 1,848 m at Mont-Chéry, and boasts a remarkable historical heritage that reflects the development of the region over the centuries.
In the 10th century, the area was sparsely inhabited, but it attracted people from the valley who came in search of wood 🪵, hence the toponym "Gets," meaning "passages, corridors through which felled trees were slid." The village was mainly agricultural, with peasants known as the "des Gets," rearing livestock, producing cheese and growing a few cereals for their livelihood.
The village's history was marked by various lords, notably the Lords of Faucigny and the Counts of Savoy. In 1860, Savoie became French, bringing gradual changes to local life.
In the 1930s, Les Gets turned to winter tourism ⛷ and gradually became a popular ski resort. The first ski lift, "la Boule de Gomme," was installed in 1936, marking the beginning of the winter sports adventure ❄ in the area. New lifts were added over the years, and Les Gets became part of several resort associations, highlighting their harmonious development.
Today, the village of Les Gets proudly preserves its historic heritage while being a renowned winter sports tourist destination.
Every winter, the tourist office organises heritage outings to pass on this history to visitors to the magnificent resort of Les Gets.
The village of Les Gets 🌄 lies at an altitude of between 940 m at the Pont des Gets and 1,848 m at Mont-Chéry, and boasts a remarkable historical heritage that reflects the development of the region over the centuries.
In the 10th century, the area was sparsely inhabited, but it attracted people from the valley who came in search of wood 🪵, hence the toponym "Gets," meaning "passages, corridors through which felled trees were slid." The village was mainly agricultural, with peasants known as the "des Gets," rearing livestock, producing cheese and growing a few cereals for their livelihood.
The village's history was marked by various lords, notably the Lords of Faucigny and the Counts of Savoy. In 1860, Savoie became French, bringing gradual changes to local life.
In the 1930s, Les Gets turned to winter tourism ⛷ and gradually became a popular ski resort. The first ski lift, "la Boule de Gomme," was installed in 1936, marking the beginning of the winter sports adventure ❄ in the area. New lifts were added over the years, and Les Gets became part of several resort associations, highlighting their harmonious development.
Today, the village of Les Gets proudly preserves its historic heritage while being a renowned winter sports tourist destination.
Every winter, the tourist office organises heritage outings to pass on this history to visitors to the magnificent resort of Les Gets.