Installed halfway between Lake Annecy and that of Le Bourget, Alby clings to the rock walls that the Cheran dug in the mountain. Alby-sur-Chéran is located in the heart of Albania, at the gateway to the Massif Prépont des Bauges and at the foot of the Semnoz (1710 m).
The ancient Gallo-Roman village of Arbiacum was born from a ford on the Chéran. What most characterizes this village is its medieval apogee: on the edge of Geneva and Savoie, Alby is an economic and administrative center and the Middle Ages shapes the city. Alby is then the primitive chief town of the Albanian. Its importance is symbolized by the granting of franchises in 1297 and the presence of an astonishing number of castles and strong houses. The era is essential for its architectural development. The city was located on the left bank of the Cheran, which gives it its triangle shape. It was surrounded by walls pierced by three doors. Crafts have always been very active: weavers thanks to hemp and linen grown on the spot, and shoemakers, Alby specialty from 1325. Leather constitutes the only trade and the only industry until the 19th century when the market town Whole is populated by cobblers.