Valmeinier station and village in the south of Savoy in the heart of the Maurienne and nestled on the ski area "Galibier Thabor."
At the gates of Italy, nestled in the heart of the World Heritage Site of Mont Thabo real "weather control tower" between the Southern Alps and the Northern Alps, Valmeinier offers exceptional both for its natural protected area by the rational architecture.
It reached its heights from the city of Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne (17 km).
Valmeinier, "val-mining", perhaps because of the presence of copper and silver ore lead operated locally by hand in the 18th century as a result of the presence of vein of anthracite operated mainly on the family plan for domestic heating.
Valmeinier, Valley Neuvache, steep slopes whose land was retained by terraces still visible in winter terraces for the cultivation of cereals (especially rye), but also beans, turnips and potatoes ... from the 18th century; cones droppings with their stream where the villages are born with wooden houses and stone, interlocking others to leave more room for crops, pastures at altitudes between 1300 and 1800 m, up to 2500 m for the summer transhumance. Here, then, almost immutable from the 12th to the 20th century difficult agro-pastoral life, the rhythm of the seasons, set by religious practices, as evidenced by the crosses planted here and there, the district chapels church several times rebuilt.
However, despite the epidemics (plague in the 17th century), the wars, the bag Valmeinier by the French Revolution in 1793, years of poor harvest, the population increases, reaching its maximum (850 inhabitants) in 1848.
From there, with the industrialization began the decline. Bi-active for a few years (mine or factory and field work), men become factory workers and leave the mountain to settle in their workplace. Valmeinier and dying little by little, more cash than fifty permanent residents in 1971 with the closure of the last of its five schools in 1972.
That's when a new team comes ahead of the common and chooses the tourism development Valmeinier 1500, with the equipment operating Cret Quarter winter 73/74, followed by equipment capital ( between the two cities) 1984-85-86 with two holiday centers, co-properties, commercial premises, a new school, Transvaal to connect the two sides of the valley, the chairlift Roy.
In 1986 began the third phase of tourism development Valmeinier with the construction of the road, lifts and accommodation in early 1800 Valmeinier 1800 that would cease to equip and improve its reception capacity .. . in this context largely open landscapes to discover.
