Évian-les-Bains facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Évian-les-Bains Èvian  (Arpitan)
Commune
A view of Lake Geneva from Évian-les-Bains
Coat of arms
Évian-les-Bains Location in France Show map of France Évian-les-Bains Location in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Show map of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Country	France
Region	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Department	Haute-Savoie
Arrondissement	Thonon-les-Bains
Canton	Évian-les-Bains
Intercommunality	Pays d'Évian Vallée d'Abondance
Area 1	4.3 km2 (1.7 sq mi)
Population  (2021)	9,214
• Density	2,143/km2 (5,550/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	74119 /74500
Elevation	372–739 m (1,220–2,425 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Évian-les-Bains, or simply Évian, is a town in eastern France. It is located right by the border with Switzerland. You can find it in the northern part of the Haute-Savoie area, within the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

This town is a popular holiday spot and a famous spa town on the shores of Lake Geneva. For over 200 years, many important people have visited Évian. These include kings like Edward VII and George V from the United Kingdom, and King Farouk of Egypt. Even famous writers like Marcel Proust enjoyed their time here.

History of Évian-les-Bains

How Évian Became a Spa Town

A postcard of Évian from 1907.

The special water springs in Évian were not very well known before the French Revolution. But in the early 1800s, scientists started studying the Évian springs. They found out the water had unique qualities.

To help the town grow, a port was built on the lake. A new road was also made in 1809, connecting Évian to big cities like Milan and Paris. In 1823, a businessman named M. Fauconnet started the Évian mineral water company. He bought the town's two main springs, including the famous Cachat spring.

Later, M. Fauconnet's company had problems. The springs were then bought by a hotel. After that, many hotels were built in Évian, like the Hôtel des quatre saisons. This made the town even more popular for holidays.

The Golden Age of Évian

The Cachat spring, where the famous water comes from.

The entrance of the Lumières brothers' villa.

In 1859, a new company was formed by investors from Paris. It was called the Cachat mineral waters company. This company sold the special Évian water. In 1865, the small town changed its name to Évian-les-Bains. This new name helped show that it was a growing spa town. More springs, like Guillot and Bonnevie, joined the Cachat spring.

Getting to Évian became easier when a train station was built. This helped the town become even more famous. By the late 1800s, Évian had over 20 hotels. Beautiful houses and fancy villas were built along the lake and on the hills. A theatre and a casino were also built by the lake.

In 1902, new bathhouses were constructed. In 1909, a very fancy hotel called the Royal Hotel was built. Évian became known as one of Europe's top spa towns. Many famous people visited, including the Lumiere Brothers, who invented cinema.

Even after World War I, Évian stayed a high-class spa town. Important people like King George V of the United Kingdom and King Fuad I of Egypt continued to visit.

In July 1938, an important meeting called the Évian Conference took place in Évian. Leaders discussed how to help people who had to leave their homes. During World War II, German forces took over Évian for a time.

Évian Today

A beautiful lakeside view of Évian.

The Évian Accords were signed here on March 18, 1962. These agreements helped end a big conflict and led to Algeria becoming independent. In 2003, Évian hosted the G8 summit, where leaders from eight major countries met.

In August 2015, the 6th Annual Summit of the G-20Y Association was also held in Évian. Today, Évian still earns money as a popular holiday spot and spa town.

Geography

Climate in Évian

Évian has a mountain climate. This means it often has a lot of moisture in the air. Winters are cold with snow. Summers are mild, but sometimes there are storms. Spring (April) and autumn (October) are usually quite humid.

Economy

Évian is famous for its Évian mineral water. This water company is a big part of the town's economy. The Casino d'Evian is also important, as it is one of the biggest themed casinos in Europe. The Evian Royal Resort is another major attraction. Many people who live in Évian also work in nearby Swiss cities like Lausanne.

The two largest hotels in Évian are the Hotel Royal and the Hilton.

Transport

The Montreux ferry leaving Évian-les-Bains in July 2002.

Getting around Évian is easy. The town has a bus network. There is also a train station with regular trains to Geneva, Annemasse, and Bellegarde. You can also find less frequent trains to Paris and Lyon.

A very busy ferry service connects Évian to Lausanne in Switzerland. There is also a ferry that takes tourists to the charming town of Yvoire.

Education

Évian has several public schools for children. These include nursery (preschool) and primary schools like Ecole du Centre and Ecole de la Détanche. For junior high, there is Collège des Rives du Léman. Older students attend Lycée Anna de Noailles for senior high school.

There is also a private school called Ecole Saint-Bruno, which has nursery, primary, and junior high levels.

Sport

Évian has some golf courses. Every summer, it hosts The Evian Championship, a major professional golf tournament for women. This tournament started in 1994 and is now one of the top five women's golf championships.

The Evian Thonon Gaillard F.C. football (soccer) club used to be located here before moving to Thonon-les-Bains. The town also has a local rowing club called the Club de l'Aviron d'Évian.

Population

Notable people

• Patrick Blanc, a French ski mountaineer, was born in Évian in 1972.
• General Dupas, a famous general during the time of Napoleon, was also born in Évian.

See also

In Spanish: Évian-les-Bains para niños