Resort history

All what you need to know about the origins of La Clusaz and its evolution !

Origin of La Clusaz

La Clusaz comes from the word “cluse”, a narrow pass between two mountains. Old parchments call it “Clusa Locus Dei”, God’s Narrow Place, which became La Clusa Lieu Dieu, used until May 1772. This name was given by the Abbots of Talloires on whom La Clusaz depended.

Origin of the Coat of Arms

Many sheep herds were found in the parish of La Clusaz. The King of Sardinia, the Duke of Savoy, no doubt wished to evoke this pastoral activity when in 1602 he gave the village the right to use the arms of “a silver sheep on a green field”.

Life in the old days

La Clusaz was a particularly poor village. The climate of the area only allowed the cultivation of barley and rye for bread, oats for the animals, linen and hemp for clothes and potatoes for domestic food. The two main occupations were agriculture, including the making of reblochon, and forestry.

The whole La Clusaz story is on www.laclusaz-histoire.com

You can also have a look on "La Clusaz - Histoire d'une station de ski" by Marc-Antoine Codron, available at our office.