Divonne-les-Bains facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Divonne-les-Bains
Digouona (Arpitan)
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Château de Divonne
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 Divonne-les-Bains
Location in France
Divonne-les-Bains
Location in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
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| Country | France | |
| Region | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | |
| Department | Ain | |
| Arrondissement | Gex | |
| Canton | Gex | |
| Intercommunality | CA Pays de Gex | |
| Area
1
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33.88 km2 (13.08 sq mi) | |
| Population
(2021)
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10,137 | |
| • Density | 299.20/km2 (774.93/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) | |
| INSEE/Postal code |
01143 /01220
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| Elevation | 464–1,447 m (1,522–4,747 ft) (avg. 509 m or 1,670 ft) |
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| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | ||
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Divonne-les-Bains, often called Divonne, is a lovely town in eastern France. It's located in the Ain department, which is part of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
This town is famous as a spa town, known for its special water springs. It sits right on the border with French-speaking Switzerland. You'll find it nestled between the Jura Mountains and Lake Geneva. Divonne is about 8 kilometers (5 miles) from Gex and 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Geneva. It's also close to Nyon, about 10 kilometers (6 miles) away. Since 2012, Divonne-les-Bains has been part of the larger Grand Genève area, which connects many towns around Geneva.
In the 1800s, people started using Divonne's natural springs for spa treatments. This made the town very popular. Later, in the 1930s, a golf course was built. After 1945, many more fun places were added. These include a casino, a horse racing track (hippodrome), and an outdoor swimming pool. The beautiful Lac de Divonne, an artificial lake, was also created. The Casino de Divonne opened in 1954. A modern cultural center called L'Esplanade du Lac was finished in 2005.
Divonne-les-Bains used to have a small music festival each summer. The historic Château of Divonne, now a fancy hotel, had a big fire in 2017 and is being rebuilt. The town is always busy with a lively market on Sundays. Many cultural and sports events happen throughout the year. Every July, the town hosts a folk festival called Les Vaches Folks at the hippodrome.
Contents
- What's in a Name? The Etymology of Divonne
- A Look Back: The History of Divonne-les-Bains
- Where is Divonne-les-Bains? Geography and Climate
- How Many People Live Here? Population
- Getting Around: Transport in Divonne-les-Bains
- How Divonne-les-Bains Makes Money: Economy
- Fun Things to Do: Recreation
- Images for kids
- See also
What's in a Name? The Etymology of Divonne
Have you ever wondered where the name Divonne-les-Bains comes from? People have a few ideas about its origin:
Divona, the Ancient Goddess
One idea is that the name comes from Divona or Devona. This was the name of a Gaulish goddess of a sacred spring. She was mentioned in an old Latin poem from the 4th century. In the 1800s, people thought this poem was about Divonne. They even carved the Latin words on a stone tablet above a spring in Divonne. You can still see it near the casino today!
Rich Water or Flowing River
Another theory combines two Latin words. Divis means "rich" or "abundant." Ona or ana means a "flowing river," like in the name of the Rhône river. So, Divonne could mean "abundant river."
Celtic Spring
Some think the name comes from Celtic words. Vonne meant "a source" or "spring," and di meant "abundant." This would also suggest "abundant spring."
Divine Water
A more imaginative idea is that the name comes from "divine" and "eau," the French word for water. This would mean "divine water," which sounds perfect for a spa town!
A Look Back: The History of Divonne-les-Bains
Divonne-les-Bains has a long and interesting history, going back thousands of years.
Roman Times
Around 200 BC, the Romans started taking over the land north of the Alps. They settled near Lake Geneva. Famous Roman leaders like Julius Caesar fought and won battles here. Roman towns like Nyon and Geneva grew and became important.
The Romans loved Divonne's natural springs. They built a long aqueduct, about 11 kilometers (7 miles) long, to carry water from Divonne to their army base in Nyon. Today, builders often find parts of this ancient aqueduct when they dig for new buildings.
The Middle Ages and the Castle
During the Middle Ages, Divonne became known for its church and its strong castle. In the 12th century, Divonne was part of the Diocese of Geneva. The Lords of Divonne built a fortified castle where the current Château de Divonne stands today.
Over the centuries, the castle and land changed hands between different noble families. In 1225, the Lord of Gex gave Divonne to a monastery. But later, in 1285, the Lady of Gex and her son asked for the castle back, and it was returned to them.
From Feudal Lords to Modern Times
The Divonne estate stayed in one family, the de La Forest family, until the French Revolution in 1789. This revolution changed many things in France. Even though the aristocracy lost much of their wealth, Louis de la Forest managed to get some of his land back.
In the 18th century, the old castle was taken down, and the beautiful château you see today was built. At that time, Divonne had just over 1,000 people living there.
Where is Divonne-les-Bains? Geography and Climate
Divonne-les-Bains is located in a beautiful spot, with mountains and a lake nearby.
Climate
The town has an oceanic climate, which means it has mild temperatures and rain throughout the year. The average yearly temperature in Divonne-les-Bains is about 10.5 degrees Celsius (50.9 degrees Fahrenheit). December is usually the wettest month.
The warmest month is July, with an average temperature of 20.0 degrees Celsius (68.0 degrees Fahrenheit). The coldest month is January, with an average of 1.8 degrees Celsius (35.2 degrees Fahrenheit). The hottest temperature ever recorded was 39.3 degrees Celsius (102.7 degrees Fahrenheit) in July 2022. The coldest was -16.5 degrees Celsius (2.3 degrees Fahrenheit) in February 2012.
| Climate data for Divonne-les-Bains (1991−2020 normals, extremes 2003−present) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 17.0 (62.6) |
21.0 (69.8) |
23.3 (73.9) |
28.5 (83.3) |
32.0 (89.6) |
36.5 (97.7) |
39.3 (102.7) |
39.2 (102.6) |
33.5 (92.3) |
27.5 (81.5) |
23.1 (73.6) |
16.0 (60.8) |
39.3 (102.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 5.6 (42.1) |
7.1 (44.8) |
11.6 (52.9) |
16.9 (62.4) |
20.3 (68.5) |
24.8 (76.6) |
27.5 (81.5) |
26.3 (79.3) |
22.3 (72.1) |
16.3 (61.3) |
10.2 (50.4) |
5.8 (42.4) |
16.2 (61.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 1.8 (35.2) |
2.5 (36.5) |
5.9 (42.6) |
10.3 (50.5) |
13.9 (57.0) |
17.9 (64.2) |
20.0 (68.0) |
19.1 (66.4) |
15.6 (60.1) |
11.1 (52.0) |
5.9 (42.6) |
2.2 (36.0) |
10.5 (50.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −2.0 (28.4) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
0.2 (32.4) |
3.8 (38.8) |
7.4 (45.3) |
11.1 (52.0) |
12.6 (54.7) |
11.9 (53.4) |
8.9 (48.0) |
5.8 (42.4) |
1.7 (35.1) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
4.8 (40.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −15.5 (4.1) |
−16.5 (2.3) |
−14.5 (5.9) |
−6.9 (19.6) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
1.5 (34.7) |
5.0 (41.0) |
4.0 (39.2) |
0.0 (32.0) |
−6.0 (21.2) |
−14.0 (6.8) |
−15.0 (5.0) |
−16.5 (2.3) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 112.9 (4.44) |
80.7 (3.18) |
86.5 (3.41) |
75.8 (2.98) |
98.4 (3.87) |
98.4 (3.87) |
82.6 (3.25) |
93.0 (3.66) |
68.5 (2.70) |
103.7 (4.08) |
102.0 (4.02) |
127.3 (5.01) |
1,129.8 (44.48) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 10.8 | 8.8 | 10.0 | 8.7 | 11.9 | 9.3 | 9.4 | 9.2 | 7.5 | 9.8 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 116.7 |
| Source: Météo-France | |||||||||||||
How Many People Live Here? Population
The number of people living in Divonne-les-Bains has grown a lot over the years. Here's a look at how the population has changed:
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| Source: EHESS and INSEE (1968–2020) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Getting Around: Transport in Divonne-les-Bains
Divonne-les-Bains used to have a railway station, connecting it to other towns and even Paris.
Past Railway Connections
A train line from Bellegarde opened in 1889. However, the national railway company closed it in 1980. From 1905, Divonne-les-Bains also had a train link to Nyon in Switzerland. This line closed during World War II, reopened briefly, and then closed for good in 1962.
The old Divonne-les-Bains station building is still in the town center. Even though the local council wants to redevelop the area, you can still buy train tickets for other parts of France there.
Modern Bus Services
Since 2012, a bus service connects Divonne-les-Bains to the Swiss train network at Coppet. This makes it easy to get to Geneva quickly. There is also a regular bus service that runs between Divonne-les-Bains and Bellegarde.
How Divonne-les-Bains Makes Money: Economy
For a long time, the main jobs in Divonne and the surrounding area were farming and forestry.
Historical Economy
The Divonne river provided power for water mills. People say that the current thermal spa is built where a diamond-cutting workshop once stood. This workshop used a water wheel powered by the Divonne river. In the 1800s, people realized that Divonne's natural springs could be used for health spas. This changed the town's economy.
Modern Economy
Today, Divonne-les-Bains earns a lot of money from tourism and its casino. Many people who work in nearby cities like Geneva and Lausanne in Switzerland also live in Divonne. This makes it a "dormitory town" for commuters. Every Sunday, a popular market takes place in the town, where you can find all sorts of local goods.
Fun Things to Do: Recreation
Divonne-les-Bains has many great places for sports and fun activities.
Sports and Outdoor Activities
You can enjoy a large 50-meter outdoor swimming pool, football fields, and a tennis club. There's also a golf course for those who love to play. Around the artificial Lac de Divonne, there's a 3.3-kilometer (2-mile) path perfect for walking and cycling. Along this path, you'll find exercise points to help you stay active.
The Solar System Path
Between the lake and the horse racing track, there's a special path. It's a scale model of our solar system! Each planet is shown with its astrological symbol. You can learn interesting facts about each planet, like what it's made of, its weight, its density, how far it is from the sun, and its size compared to the sun. It's a fun and educational walk!
Images for kids
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The Lac de Divonne
See also
In Spanish: Divonne-les-Bains para niños
