Chalais, Switzerland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chalais
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Vercorin village
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 Chalais
Location in Switzerland
Chalais
Location in Canton of Valais
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Valais | |
| District | Sierre | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 24.34 km2 (9.40 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 557 m (1,827 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 3,606 | |
| • Density | 148.15/km2 (383.71/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
3966
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| Surrounded by | Anniviers, Chippis, Grône, Sierre | |
Chalais is a town in Switzerland, located in the Valais region. It's part of the Sierre district. Chalais is known for its beautiful natural surroundings and its connection to the mountain village of Vercorin.
Contents
A Look at Chalais' Past
Chalais is quite old! It was first mentioned way back in the 11th century. Back then, it was known as Jaler.
Later, in 1425, its name changed slightly to Challir. Sadly, in 1892, a big fire destroyed a large part of the village.
Where is Chalais?
Chalais covers an area of about 24.5 square kilometers (about 9.5 square miles). A big part of this land, about 67.7%, is covered by forests. About 19% of the land is used for farming.
Roughly 8.5% of Chalais is built up with buildings and roads. A tiny part, 0.1%, is rivers or lakes. The rest, about 4.7%, is unproductive land, like rocky areas.
The town is on the left side of the Rhone river. Chalais includes the main villages of Chalais and Réchy, which are near the valley. It also includes Brie and Vercorin, which are mountain villages located higher up on a terrace.
Chalais' Coat of Arms
The coat of arms for Chalais is a cool design! It features a silver background. In the middle, there's a green cross with wide arms. Around this cross, there are four red five-pointed stars.
People of Chalais
Chalais has a population of about 3,122 people (as of 2022). Over the past ten years, the number of people living here has grown quite a bit.
Most people in Chalais speak French as their main language. Some also speak German or Italian.
In Chal000, about 24% of the population were children and teenagers (0-19 years old). Adults (20-64 years old) made up about 60% of the population. Seniors (over 64 years old) made up about 16%.
Many people in Chalais were born there or in the same region of Switzerland. About 14% of the people were born outside of Switzerland.
The chart below shows how the population of Chalais has changed over many years:
Jobs and Work
In Chalais, many people have jobs in different areas. Some work in farming or forestry (primary sector). Others work in factories or construction (secondary sector).
The largest number of jobs are in the service industry (tertiary sector). This includes jobs in shops, restaurants, transportation, and health care.
Many people who live in Chalais travel to other towns for work. About 75% of workers use a private car to get to their jobs.
Beliefs and Religions
Most people in Chalais are Roman Catholic. A smaller number belong to the Swiss Reformed Church or other Christian churches. There are also some people who follow Islam or other religions.
Some people in Chalais do not belong to any church.
Learning and Education
Many adults in Chalais have finished high school. Some have also gone on to higher education, like university.
Chalais has a local library called Bibliothèque communale et scolaire de Chalais et Vercorin. In 2008, this library had over 16,000 books and other items. It loaned out more than 30,000 items that year!
Getting Around
One cool way to travel in Chalais is by using the aerial tramway. This gondola lift connects the main town of Chalais with the mountain village of Vercorin. It runs every 15 minutes, making it easy to go up into the mountains!
Images for kids
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Rue de la Poste in Chalais in 1927
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Historic aerial photograph by Werner Friedli from 1949
See also
In Spanish: Chalais (Valais) para niños
