Haute-Savoie's past and some historical facts... After prehistory, Haute-Savoie was marked by the Roman conquest and then Christianity and feudalism. From 1416, its history merges with that of the Duchy of Savoy and, from the XVIIIth century, with that of the Kingdom of Sardinia. An initial incorporation into France between 1792 and 1815 preceded that of 1860. 600 BC The Celtic tribe of the Allobroges occupied the region bounded by the Rhône and Isère rivers, driving the original Ligurian population back into the high valleys. 218 BC The Allobroges, after first opposing the passing through of Hannibal, took part in his march on Rome. Crossing the Alps through the Little St Bernard Pass cost the Carthaginian General half his army and his elephants. 121 BC The Romans conquered the Allobroges and incorporated them into their Narbonne province. 100 BC Under the reign of Augustus, the pacification of the alpine regions was achieved. Six centuries of Roman domination (IInd century BC - Vth century AD) noticeably transformed the region. From IInd to the Vth century AD Slow diffusion of Christianity. Organisation of the first dioceses. 443 The Burgundians, a tribe originally from the Rhine, settled in Allobrogie with the Romans' permission. This region was also known as Sabaudia or land of the fir trees which gave the name of Savoie. The continuity of Roman traditions, the penetration of Christianity, the succession of dominations and the arrival of feudalism marked the start of the Middle Ages. 534 Haute-Savoie, like the rest of the Burgundian Kingdom, fell under Frankish rule. IXth century The Haute-Savoie region suffered the consequences of the dismemberment of the Carolingian Empire: first integrated into Lotharingia, it was then incorporated into a kingdom of Burgundy by Rudolphines of Bavarian origin. Until the XIVth century, Haute-Savoie was divided up into multiple ecclesiastical and civil seigniories. With effect from 1401, it fell under the rule of the Dukedom of Savoy. 1419 The union of Savoy and Piedmont. The county of Geneva and Faucigny, integrated into the Duchy of Savoy, were subjected to the same vicissitudes as the latter but, until the mid-XVIIth century, retained a particular administration. From 1713, the Duke of Savoy having received the Sardinian crown, they formed part of the Sardinian Kingdom. 1526 After years of fighting, the Duke lost Geneva. The latter, won over by Calvin, joined the Swiss Confederation and the bishop of Geneva was forced to take refuge in Annecy. 1536 Francis I, allied with the Swiss cantons, invaded Savoy. The Bernese laid waste to Chablais. Savoy would remain under French rule for 23 years. Early XVIIth century Success of the missions of Saint Francis de Sales in Chablais, which returned to the Catholic faith. 1606 Foundation of the Florimontane Academy in Annecy. 1786 First ascent of Mont Blanc by Balmat and Paccard. 1792 Revolutionary forces occupied Savoy, which became the "Mont Blanc department". From 1792 to 1814, Haute-Savoie was French and its structures were greatly modified. First incorporated into the Mont Blanc department, it was then divided between the latter and the department of Lake Geneva, created in 1798. Membership of the new regime of the foreland and the low valleys contrasted with the reserve and even hostility of the mountain. 1809 Marie Paradis, a server in an inn, was the first woman to climb Mont Blanc. 1815 The Treaty of Paris gave King Victor Emmanuel I his Sardinian territory back. 1821 Foundation of the Guide Company of Chamonix. 1860 Victor-Emmanuel II finally gave Savoy to France as a gift of thanks for its help against the Austrians. A people's referendum confirmed this incorporation. The province was split into two departments: Savoy and Haute-Savoie. 1898 Appearance of the French term "varapper" (to go rock-climbing), from the name of the Varappe, one of the gorges of Mont Salève. Haute-Savoie did not escape the two world wars unscathed. The period between the two world wars saw the end of the particularities and a marked development, both political and economic. 1921 Creation of the first winter sports resort in Megève. 1924 Chamonix hosts the first Winter Olympics. 1939 Despite the Winter Olympics and a certain development of skiing in Megève, Morzine, La Clusaz and Les Gets, the tourism continued to be mainly in the summertime and provided 10% of the departmental revenue. 1944 The Savoy Resistance adds the battles of the Glières plateau to its feats of arms. Bruised by the events of 1940 to 1945, the Haute-Savoie region then managed to reconcile the contemporary and the traditional. 1955 The Aiguille du Midi cable-car made the high mountain accessible to the general public. 1962 Signature of the Evian Accords which provided for the acknowledgement of Algerian independence. 1965 Inauguration of the Mont Blanc highway tunnel. 1973 Creation of the Franco-Geneva Regional Committee : birth of the cross-border co-operation with Geneva. 1987 Setting up of the Lake Geneva Council.   Sources Guide vert Michelin - Les Alpes du Nord La Haute-savoie, passé et présent of Blanche Fargeon and Serge Cattet