Faverges

Sister cities

• Bühlertal

History

The digs in Viuz and at the Thovey site in Faverges have yielded a great deal of information about Gallo-Roman times, some two thousand years ago. The vicus of Viuz, which covered some fifty acres (200,000 m2), was an important stop along the Roman road which ran from Turin to Geneva. Merovingian times also left numerous traces on the landscape. In the Middle Ages, pre-industrial metalworks were renowned for their iron and copper tools and jewelry. Numerous forges, making nails, clasps, and all types of iron implements, were built along the rivers and streams from which they derived some of their energy needs. The Tamié Abbey was founded in 1132, and Faverges castle around 1250. At that time, Rodolphe (or "Ruph") lived a hermit's life on a nearby mountain and left his name to the hamlet of St. Ruph. The deep religious fervor of the 14th and 15th centuries is responsible for the ten chapels and sanctuaries dedicated to St. Ruph in the area. The French Revolution left few traces on the community, except for some vandalism to the town church. In 1811, the castle was turned into a cotton-weaving factory, thus launching Faverges into the Industrial Revolution. This is a fitting heritage for a town whose name derives from the Latin faber, fabricae (manufacture).