Talloires

Geography

Talloires is located south of Geneva, Switzerland, on Lake Annecy and 13 km (8.1 mi) from the local "prefecture" Annecy, near the border of Italy. The town is situated in the French Alps, along a bay on the east side of the lake.

History

The area of Talloires has been settled since Neolithic times. In Roman times, Talloires was a stage on the consular road leading from Milan to Strasbourg; the town is however mentioned for the first time in the 9th century AD. In 1016 an abbey was founded here by King Rudolph III of Burgundy and monks from Savigny and Lyon. The now standing structures of the Abbey were built in 1681. The famous chemist Claude Louis Berthollet was born in Talloires, then part of the Duchy of Savoy, in 1749.

Tourism

Talloires' mountainous landscapes and picturesque setting on Lake Annecy, medieval architecture, charming character, and summer and winter sports and activities, have created a small but vibrant tourist industry in the village.

The summer activities in and around the Lake Annecy include sports (golf, water skiing, sailing, trekking in the surrounding Alps, tennis, canyoning, paragliding, horse back riding, and other activities) and events (the annual Fête du Lac and Pyro Concerts). The Tour de France has been staged in the area on several occasions with a time trial stage around the lake. Talloires is also close to famed ski resorts, such as Megève, Espace Diamant, and La Clusaz, less than 30 minutes away.

The village of Talloires is 13 km (8.1 mi) away from Annecy, a larger city and major tourist destination. Annecy is three and a half hours from Paris on the TGV high-speed trains. Geneva International Airport is 50 minutes away on the A43 highway.

The primary business of the town today is tourism, although it is still a complete community in its own right, with a central church, post office, bank, library, and a small general store.

Conferences and education

Several international conferences have been conducted in Talloires, especially within the sustainable development and educational communities. The town was the birthplace of "The Talloires Declaration: University presidents for a Sustainable Future," an influential declaration on actions required by university leaders to reverse "environmental pollution and degradation, and the depletion of natural resources." Several conferences of the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University have been held in Talloires.

Talloires was also the site of a September 2005 conference on university civic engagement. This conference of 29 university presidents produced the Talloires Declaration on the Civic Roles and Social Responsibilities of Higher Education, which calls upon the university to "use the processes of education and research to respond to, serve and strengthen its communities for local and global citizenship." The declaration established the Talloires Network, an association of universities committed to advancing the principles of the declaration. As of July 2012, 247 universities have signed the declaration and have become members of the Talloires Network.

Tufts University maintains its European Center in the local 11th-century (former) Benedictine priory. The priory serves as a conference center and campus for visiting college students. Offering views of Lake Annecy, lush gardens, and a millennium of history, the Priory is one of Talloires' focal points.

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