Les Avants facts for kids
_-_aerial_shot_(summer_2024).jpg)
Les Avants is a charming village in Switzerland. It is located in the Vaud canton, which is like a state or region. The village is part of the Montreux area. You can find it in the eastern part of Vaud.
Les Avants is about 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) northeast of Montreux. It is also about 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) east of Lausanne.
History of Les Avants
Les Avants is a popular place for winter sports. It is located in the beautiful Vaud Alps. The village became a ski resort in the 1800s. The Dufour family helped to develop it. They built ski slopes for people to enjoy. They also built a large hotel called the Grand Hotel des Avants. This hotel welcomed many visitors.
In 1872, a special chapel was built near the hotel. It was for English visitors who followed the Anglican faith. Les Avants also has a cool sports history. It hosted the very first Ice Hockey European Championship in 1910!
The village is also known for a special train line. It is called the Chemin de fer Les Avants – Sonloup. This train line opened in 1901. It was the first part of a bigger railway project. It connects Montreux to Les Avants and Sonloup. Sonloup is about 0.5 kilometers (0.3 miles) northwest of Les Avants.
The Grand Hotel des Avants closed after the Second World War. Since then, it has been used as a school. Today, it is home to Le Châtelard international boarding school. A famous writer, Ernest Hemingway, stayed here in the 1920s. He even wrote about Les Avants in his book, A Moveable Feast.
Famous People in Les Avants
Many interesting people have lived in Les Avants. One famous resident was Dame Joan Sutherland. She was a world-renowned opera singer. She lived in a home called Chalet Monet with her husband, Richard Bonynge. He was a conductor, leading orchestras.
Dame Joan Sutherland's home was found for her by Noël Coward. He was a well-known playwright and composer. Noël Coward was a long-time friend of Sutherland. He also lived in Les Avants. He bought his own home there in August 1959. He jokingly thought of calling it Shilly Chalet. But he ended up using a local version of his own name, Chalet Covar.
After Noël Coward passed away in 1973, his partner, Graham Payn, lived at Chalet Covar. Graham Payn stayed there until he passed away in 2005.
