Aix-les-Bains

Aix-les-Bains
Èx-los-Bens (Arpitan)
Aix-les-Bains on Lake Bourget
Aix-les-Bains on Lake Bourget
Coat of arms of Aix-les-Bains
Location of Aix-les-Bains
Map
Aix-les-Bains is located in France
Aix-les-Bains
Aix-les-Bains
Aix-les-Bains is located in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Aix-les-Bains
Aix-les-Bains
Coordinates: 45°41′19″N 5°54′55″E / 45.6885°N 5.9153°E / 45.6885; 5.9153
CountryFrance
RegionAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes
DepartmentSavoie
ArrondissementChambéry
CantonAix-les-Bains-1
Aix-les-Bains-2
IntercommunalityCA Grand Lac
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Renaud Beretti[1] (LR)
Area
1
12.62 km2 (4.87 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
31,874
 • Density2,500/km2 (6,500/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
73008 /55344
Elevation224–524 m (735–1,719 ft)
(avg. 320 m or 1,050 ft)
WebsiteOfficial website
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Aix-les-Bains (US: /ˌks l ˈbæ̃, ˌɛks -/,[3] French: [ɛks le bɛ̃] ; Arpitan: Èx-los-Bens; Latin: Aquae Gratianae), known locally and simply as Aix, is a commune in the southeastern French department of Savoie.[4]

Situated on the shore of the largest natural lake of glacial origin in France, the Lac du Bourget, this resort is a major spa town; it has the largest freshwater marina in France.[5] It is the second largest city in the Savoie department in terms of population, with a population of 31,100 as of 2020. It is part of the Chambéry functional urban area.[4]

A leading town of the Belle Époque, of international renown, Aix-les-Bains was a vacation destination for nobility and the wealthy. Although the thermal baths are no longer the main attraction in Aix, the area continues to draw visitors for water sports and activities. The town has partially compensated for the loss of visitors coming for spa treatments by developing tourism. It hosts up to 200,000 general visitors annually, between tourists and people seeking mineral bath therapy.[6] It is also an industrial city, with a few large companies such as General Electric, the headquarters of the Léon Grosse companies, ABB Cellier, Aixam, as well as a high-quality leather goods factory.

In addition to thermal baths and tourism, Aix-les-Bains is known for its national Musilac festival. It has four flowers and two golden flowers at the Concours des villes et villages fleuris, as well as the City of Art and History label.

  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 6 June 2023.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Aix-les-Bains". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  4. ^ a b Commune d'Aix-les-Bains (73008), INSEE
  5. ^ Gloaguen, Philippe (2007). Le guide du routard - Alpes. Hachette Tourisme. ISBN 978-2-01-240635-3.
  6. ^ "Cahier touristique > Aix les Bains". Aix en poche. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2 April 2015.