Passy is a commune of Haute-Savoie with an area of 80.03 km² and 11,319 inhabitants called the Passerands and Passerandes. Situated in the mountains, this village is part of the canton of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains and its peak reaches 2,880 metres. Its surface area of 8,003 hectares makes it the largest commune in the department.
[The commune of Passy is divided into several hamlets:
- Le Plateau d’Assy
- Chedde
- Marlioz
- Les Plagnes
- The Abbey
The town of Passy is twinned with the German town of Pfullingen.
History and Heritage
The first settlements began with the Celts: the Ceutrons and the Allobroges, who were subdued by the Romans by imposing their respective territories. A Roman milestone is still visible at the Forclaz pass. The Roman occupation allowed for the development of vine cultivation due to the good sunshine. This agricultural economy lasted until the end of the 19th century. The creation of the electro-metallurgical factory in Chedde was a turning point; it was the beginning of the industrial era and the arrival of workers in the commune.
On the Assy plateau, sanatoriums were built to take advantage of the local microclimate. Today, the plateau has more than 2,000 beds spread over 20 health establishments. It also has more than a thousand employees.
The church of Notre-Dame-de-Toute-Grâce, built in 1950, is the symbol of the renewal of sacred art in the 20th century. The decoration was entrusted to great contemporary artists: Rouault, Bonnard, Lurçat, Matisse, Braque, Léger, Chagall.
The tourist sites of Passy
There are three major tourist sites: the Plaine-Joux ski resort, which is well suited to families, the Passy lake leisure centre and the Jardin de Cimes. For thrill-seekers, you should try the Himalayan footbridge at Nant Bordon and the beautiful via ferrata at Curallaz. The Jardin des Cimes is an opportunity to discover the flora of the Alps during an unforgettable walk.
At the Lac de Passy, you can have a picnic or swim in the beautiful creeks. And nearby there are many tourist activities: mini-golf, accrobranche, orienteering course, volleyball court, fitness trail, inflatable games for children, horse riding centre, pedal boats and electric boats and aquapark.
Passy’s tourist attractions also include the Platé desert, which is made up of lapiaz, typically characteristic of a karstic relief.
The Passy nature reserve above the Arve valley is magnificent. It is an opportunity to discover the fauna: ibex, eagle, marmot and chamois. The site is open all year round, except during the snowy season. There are also some beautiful mountain lakes, such as those at Anterne and Pormenaz.
The Jardin des Cimes is an invitation to a walk around nature, mountains and vegetable gardens in front of Mont Blanc. The two-hectare park can be visited in an hour. Activities on the art of gardening are also offered. The shop and the restaurant “Café du Jardin” allow you to take a short break. Open from May to September. Address: 447, route du Dr Davy, 74190 Passy.
Top rated hotels
There is no shortage of tourist accommodation, particularly flats, in Passy. They can be found on the hillside or in the valley, a twenty-minute drive from the Plaine-Joux ski slopes.
Depending on your budget, we have selected two establishments in Passy that offer excellent value for money and have very good customer reviews:
Hotel Le Tourisme
In the pretty Alpine town of Passy, this traditional establishment offers well-equipped rooms with private bathroom and bath. You can visit the nature reserve and have a picnic in front of the lake while enjoying the magnificent view of the surrounding mountains.
Rates start at € 65 per night.
Mont Blanc Views Apartments
This flat in Passy features a large terrace and a jacuzzi. It is ideally placed to discover the natural areas of the plateau. It offers a warm welcome and plenty of advice from the hosts on how to make your holiday a success.
From 140 € per night.
What to do in Passy in case of rain?
The resort offers many activities if the weather is not good:
- The municipal boulodrome with 8 indoor and 8 outdoor games for playing boule lyonnaise. Address: 844 avenue de l’Aérodrome, Marlioz, 74190 Passy.
- The cinema “La Caméra” which shows films every Monday for 5 €. Address: Rue de l’Église, 74190 Passy.
- The “Espace forme du Palais ” is the largest sports hall in the Alps with 1,200 m². Address : 247, route du Palais de sports 74120 Megève.
- Piscine de Marlioz: this indoor swimming pool has a 25-metre pool. In summer, the pool opens onto a shady park. Address: 489 avenue de Saint-Martin, 74190 Passy.
- Notre-Dame-de-Toute-Grâce church : a guided tour for juniors to understand the contribution of contemporary art in the construction of religious buildings. Address: place de l’église, 74190 Passy.
Cultural and sports facilities
Sports
Passy has a synthetic football pitch, tennis courts, a swimming pool, paintball, hiking trails, a via ferrata and an accrobranches (tree climbing). The commune offers the possibility of practising water sports on the Arve river with rafting. An auditorium, the Parvis des Fiz, awaits you for your events.
The ski resort of Passy Plaine-Joux
The resort of Plaine-Joux is ideal for families. You can learn to ski on simple slopes, facing the Mont Blanc massif. The more experienced skiers can also enjoy themselves and ski at the top of the domain. The resort of Passy Plaine-Joux has 2 km of cross-country ski trails. And for those who prefer snowshoeing, you can go around Les Ayères via Lac Vert.
Cultural events
The town of Passy offers a wide range of cultural and festive events throughout the year:
The Festival des Hauts Plateaux
Every year in August, it offers an open-air theatre show in the middle of nature. During the day, many cultural events are proposed: artistic walks, musical readings.
The Musicales of Assy
This cultural event offers a programme of high quality classical music on two sites: The Notre-Dame-de-Toute-Grâce church and the Jardin des Cimes.
The event takes place during the first week of August.
The Nature Autrement Adventure Film Festival
Every year, at the end of May, adventure film enthusiasts gather to discover new productions. The festival is organised by the association Les Yeux Ouverts.
Address: rue de l’Église, 74190 Passy.
Péplum Odyssée et Cie
This event offers the chance to experience the shooting of a grand spectacle film in the style of a peplum. This original event brings together a hundred or so children and amateurs. The public participates in the filming as extras. Address: route des lacs, 74190 Passy. Opening from June 5th, every Saturday at 7 pm. Price: 13 € for adults and 9 € for children under 9 years old.
Education
There are several schools in the commune:
- The Abbey primary school: 62 rue du Lycée,
- The Chedde-Faubourg nursery school,
- Marlioz primary school, 61 avenue des Grandes Platières,
- Chedde-centre primary schools, 226 Grande rue Salvadore-Allende,
- Chedde-le-Haut primary school, 59 rue Pierre Bosson,
- Passy-chef-lieu primary schools, 65 avenue Henry Ducoudray,
- Plateau d’Assy primary schools, 108 rue des Clairs,
- The Varens secondary school, 361 avenue Paul Eluard,
- René Dayve Mont Blanc High School, 71 rue du Lycée.
Market in Passy
The market is held every Tuesday from 8am to 1pm in Chedde. You can buy many local specialities, cured meats, fruit and vegetables and a wide range of Alpine cheeses.
Public transport
The commune of Passy is served by the Montenbus service , a transport on demand service which allows you to travel to the following communes: Combloux, Cordon, Demi-Quartier, Domancy, les Contamines-Montjoie, Megève, Passy, Praz-sur-Arly, Saint-Gervais and Sallanches.
It is necessary to register online, to go to the town hall or the tourist office to register and pay a weekly subscription of 15 € or 40 € for the year. Journeys can be booked by calling 0 800 20 13 74. Montenbus collects people with reduced mobility from their homes. This public transport service runs every day except Sundays and public holidays from 8.30am to 12.15pm and from 1.45pm to 6.30pm.
Town Hall
Passy Town Hall
It is located at 1, place de la Mairie 74190 Passy. The town hall is open: Monday to Thursday from 9 am to 12 pm and from 1.30 pm to 5 pm (closed at 4 pm on Fridays). Website of the Passy town hall
The Tourist Office
It is located in the reception hall of the Mountain Store, avenue Léman Mont Blanc. Website of the Passy Tourist Office
To ski in the area
- Sixt-Fer-Ã -Cheval ski resort
- Flaine ski resort
- Combloux ski resort
- Saint Gervais Mont Blanc ski resort
