Aix les Bains is a French commune located in the Savoie department on the Annecy-Chambéry axis.
France's third-largest spa town, with 30,000 people taking the waters every year, Aix les Bains is nonetheless attractive for its industrial base (many large companies are based here) and for its privileged setting between the mountains and Lac du Bourget, France's largest natural lake.
The municipality ofAix les Bains can be divided into two parts: a lower part bordering Lac du Bourget and an upper part located at the foot of Mont Revard. The latter part, which forms the town centre overlooking Lac du Bourget, was used to prevent flooding before the lake was regulated.
Alongside the five main boulevards (Boulevard des Côtes, Boulevard de Russie, Boulevard Lepic, Boulevard du Docteur Jean Charcot and Boulevard Robert Barrier), Aix les Bains has a large number of streets that are often narrow and winding, mainly due to its topography.
Demographic expansion has boosted Aix les Bains' urban development. The banks of Lac du Bourget and the heights of the town now leave virtually no room for new construction. This has led to urban development in neighbouring towns such as Mouxy, Drumettaz Clarafond, Tresserve, Gresy sur Aix and Méry. We're talking about the Aix area here.
Aix les Bains is unique in that it has a large number of homes in former palaces built during the Belle Epoque (1896 - 1914).
However, Aix-les-Bains is not lacking in major urban development projects:
- Grand lac project: initiated by the General Council and due to run until 2015, the grand lac project aims to enhance the value of Lac du Bourget, in particular by developing its banks in order to preserve the ecosystem and facilitate public access for leisure activities.
- Grand parc urbain des bords du lac: creation of a new district of Aix les Bains known as "Aix le lac" on a 17-hectare site, opening up the town to the Lac du Bourget.
- Urban renewal project for the Sierroz Franklin district of Aix.