Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, ville d'histoire

Description

Long before large-scale industry made the valley one of the world's leading centers for aluminum production, it was home to a host of small trades. Joseph Opinel created the world-famous Opinel knife, the story of which you can discover in the Opinel Museum.

You can also discover the Musée des costumes et des traditions, located in the baroque apartments of the former bishop's palace. Arvan's costumes are among the most colorful in Savoie!

The cathedral complex (with its cloister, crypt and bell tower) is our town's architectural jewel. All styles, from pre-Romanesque to neo-classical, are harmoniously represented.

A dynamic, commercial town, it boasts a theater offering a varied program all year round. Every Saturday, a market livens up life in Saint-Jeannais.

Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne is a gateway between France and Italy, at the foot of some of the world's greatest Alpine passes, the Sybelles ski area and the Vanoise National Park, and has much to offer nature and sports enthusiasts.

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In the 6th century, Gontran, King of Burgundy, conquered the entire region, which remained under the religious authority of the Bishop of Turin. It was then that a woman named Saint Thecla brought back from Alexandria (Egypt) the relics of Saint John the Baptist, three fingers from the hand that baptized Christ. The relics made the town the capital of the valley. The town's name, Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, and its coat-of-arms, a blessing hand, were derived from these relics.