Discover the village
A village resort
Praz sur Arly is an ideal destination for a variety of pleasures and landscapes.
In summer, there's plenty to do (hiking, mountain biking, leisure activities....).
In winter, the family resort puts on its festive white attire with a wide range of activities, starting with skiing and other board sports at the gates of the Espace Diamant. This ski area links 6 resorts and offers 192 km of pistes!
Praz-sur-Arly has become famous for its Montgolfiades hot-air balloon flights. It is a major base for mountain aerostation. Flying over Mont Blanc is an exceptional privilege.
In the evening, you can also take advantage of the many bars and restaurants.
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The history of Praz sur Arly
On this February morning in 1375, nothing seems to disturb the calm that reigns around the farms of La Thona. The farmers of La Thona (now La Tonnaz) were the first inhabitants of Praz sur Arly. Logically, they built their farms on the sunniest slope, the adret. The houses are still few in number, but the deforested area bears witness to their desire to expand. The cleared land lies dormant under the snow, ready for cultivation when spring returns.
Life goes on slowly in this hamlet dependent on Megève. As the years go by, men move on and other farms are built. Réon (Rayon at the time) was the second hamlet to be built in what is now Praz sur Arly. This was followed by Pratz, where the village center now stands.
The 17th century saw the construction of chapels (Tonnaz in 1600 and Pratz in 1643) and then a church, founded in 1696. This was the church of Sainte Marie-Madeleine, linked to the parish of Megève.
Thus, Pratz continued to expand, ideally situated on a busy route to Italy.
In 1779, a school was founded by five private individuals from Megève. That same year, a census gave a fairly accurate idea of the number of inhabitants. An official document lists the number of gabellans (salt tax payers) in Praz. There were 51 in La Thonnaz, 28 in Réon and 29 in Pratz de Megève; hardly more than a hundred souls who made their living from farming and breeding, especially foals.
On June 14, 1860, the Pralins became definitively French, but remained Megevans. They had been demanding independence since 1834. Megève was naturally opposed. There were many disagreements, particularly over the division of the boundaries between Pratz and Megève.
In 1869, Pratz finally obtained its independence, following a route unfavorable to Megève. An imperial decree favored by political differences between the imperial administration and Megève...
The separation became effective in 1870. Le Pratz de Megève had 570 inhabitants, Megève 1860 and Demi-Quartier 422.
In 1907, at the request of the Municipal Council, and following a government decision, Pratz de Megève became Praz sur Arly; a decision which definitively cut off Praz from Megève, although the village had always been called "Pratz de Megève".
