Salanfe
Origin of the name Salanfe
Known since 1324 for its pastures, the place bears a name that remains unexplained. The teacher Émile Javelle called the plateau a « beau désert ».[3]
Founding of Salanfe
Salanfe was first of all a large alpine pasture on a plateau at the foot of the Dents du Midi. It belonged to four bourgeoisies, Vérossaz, Massongex, Saint-Maurice and Evionnaz, and its use, like that of Suzanfe, led to centuries-old conflicts with Salvan. Once it had obtained jurisdiction, the municipality of Evionnaz sold the water rights of the Salanfe and the right to build a dam on the plateau. The sale caused a fierce controversy, taken as far as the Council of States, because the dam deprived the Pissevache waterfall of much of its water. The developers agreed to leave a reasonable flow there. Land and buildings were expropriated to flood the plateau.[1][2][3]
History of Salanfe
1324. The pastures of Salanfe are known from this date. Disputes follow over whether they belong to Salvan or to Saint-Maurice.[3]
1898. The first Dents-du-Midi hotel opens to welcome tourists drawn by the pasture's reputation.[2]
1913. On 20 September, during a literary week, Louis Debarge proposes a national park stretching from the Vallon de Van to Salanfe, modelled on the one in the Grisons.[2]
1919. Evionnaz obtains jurisdiction over the Salanfe plateau (as early as 1870 according to another source).[1][2]
1945. Studies for the dam begin.[3]
1947. Salanfe SA is founded, with a capital of 18 million shared between EnergieOuest Suisse (EOS) and Lonza.[2]
1952. On 1 January the first turbine is commissioned. The concession runs for 80 years from that date.[2]
1953. Six years of works end in January.[3]
1991-1994. Sealing works create a 600 m long grout curtain.[3]
Historic sites in Salanfe
Salanfe lake and dam. Gravity dam 52 m high, at 1'925 m altitude, holding up to 40 million m³ of water over 185 ha. Water from the Saufla reaches it through a 4.17 km tunnel. A penstock links the dam to the Miéville power plant, 1'472 m lower.[3][2][5]
Remains in Salanfe
Former gold and arsenic mines. Galleries of a former gold and arsenic mine, south of the Lac de Salanfe.[4][5][3]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Evionnaz » (Bernard Monnet, version du 17.11.2004)
- Auberge de Salanfe, « A brief history »
- Alpiq, brochure d'excursions « Salanfe » autour de la force hydraulique
- « Distribution and behavior of arsenic in soils and waters in the vicinity of the former gold-arsenic mine of Salanfe, Western Switzerland », 2007, notice ETH Research Collection
- geo.admin.ch, recherche de lieux (Salanfe)
Other villages near Salanfe
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