Snow Trippin: Chevril Dam

Wednesday, 8 February 2012

Chevril Dam

Every week, whilst on the way to Bourg to do our weekly shop, we've been passing the Chevril Dam. Today as we were many bookings down we had the time and chance to stop and take a closure look. The whole reservoir was totally frozen back right up to the monster dam. The original village of Tignes was in this very spot within Isère the valley directly below Val d'Isere. After the second world war, France needed utilities, electricity mainly, and it was decided to build a hydro-electric dam within the Isère valley. Whilst this was a great achievement for French engineering and was for the greater good of France, it resulted that the old village of Tignes was sadly drowned! The dam was completed and the village was totally submerged in 1952. A replica of the original church was created in Tignes les Boisses. Once every 10 years the lake behind the dam (Lac du Chevril) is drained for maintenance work and the remains of the old village becomes visible.

The dam was painted with a fresco of Hercules in 1989 with the help of eight mountain climbers. The fresco is considered one of the largest in the world. The portrait of Hercules was added and funded by private corporations interested in boosting the Olympic appeal during the winter games of 1992 which took place in nearby Albertville, Fran.

When you ski the Sache piste run above Tignes you and rewarded with a fantastic view right across this area which really highlights the impact of how the dam has changed the look of the valley head.

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Tales from a dining table.....

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