Les Coteaux des Girondales - A Viticultural History in Villaz

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The Origins of Villaz

Center of operations for a 100-hectare agricultural estate

VILLAZ, originally VILLE or VILLA, has had its current spelling only since the 18th century, shaped by the creative whims of clerks and notaries who embellished its script over time.

To trace the origins of this name, we go back to the Latin word VILLA, which means "Country House." Indeed, after their conquest of Allobrogia in 121 BCE, the Romans were captivated by the Annecy basin region, particularly the most favorable areas such as the lake, Annecy-le-Vieux, Pringy, and Villaz.

Highly enterprising, the Roman settlers established "Villae," of which there are said to have been over a thousand in Savoy.

The "Roman villa of Villaz" served as the center of operations for a 100-hectare agricultural estate, featuring buildings like stables, granaries, barns, sheds, and wooden huts for agricultural workers.

The inhabitants of Villaz at the time primarily lived off agriculture, livestock farming, and hunting.

The Roman Road

To connect the "villae" to one another, the Romans developed or built roads, some of which are still visible today.

Thus, the "villa" of Villaz is served by a road running from Faverges to Thorens, authenticated on the current stretch of road linking Nâves to Dingy Saint Clair by a Latin inscription carved into the rock.

The Vineyards of Villaz

The Sardinian Cadastre

The first objective record of the Villaz vineyard, the Sardinian Cadastre of 1732, lists 10 hectares of vineyards spread across the Villaz territory (9ha85a), divided into 86 plots, including 23 plots in Donnet (now Onnex) and 59 plots in Les Girondalles (now Les Vignes).

Villaz thus boasts the largest vineyard area in the Filière region!

A Vineyard in Transition: From Abundance to Rarity

Tabelle Community of Villaz 1754

(1 sommée of wine = 120 liters)
Wine production: 40 sommées or 4,800 liters
Community needs: 25 sommées or 3,000 liters
Surplus: 15 sommées or 1,800 liters

A Few Rules of Three...

Villaz 1754 = 391 inhabitants, meaning an average consumption of nearly... 8 liters per year per person.
Villaz 1754 = approximately 10 hectares of vineyards, with an estimated yield of... 4.8 hl/ha compared to the current average French yield of... 58 hl/ha!

Decennial Agricultural Statistics Villaz – 1892

Vineyard area = 1 hectare
Planting density = 20,000 vines (Today in Savoy: between 6,000 and 8,000 vines/ha!)
Spacing between vines = 50 cm

Written Testimony 1756

"In the said parish, there are indeed some vineyards, but with very low yields, very difficult cultivation, and the grapes rarely ripen fully; at least individuals who have them find their properties better for it."

Written Testimony 1888

Monograph of Abbé Morand

"The lower part of the parish also contains several vineyards, which in good years are fairly productive, though they cannot be considered first-class vintages. In the past, these vineyards covered a much larger area."

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Revival of the Vineyards

The "original" idea to replant vineyards in the area known as "Les Vignes" was born in 2010, with implementation beginning in 2016 after a few years of preparation.

Coteaux des Girondales

Since the concept of "cru" (where the vine grows) is essential in viticulture, it was only natural for the estate's name to reference local toponymy, in this case, the name of the stream adjacent to the vineyards.

Pruning Systems: Gobelet, Cordon de Royat, or Double Guyot, depending on the grape variety.

Plantations

After loosening the soil in late 2016, 14 kilometers of jute and hemp fabric mulches were laid down before planting the 18,000 vines planned for the 3 hectares.

The purpose of this mulching was to promote a successful establishment of young vines, avoid the use of chemical herbicides, and immediately begin the organic farming approach.

Thank you, Jean Pellarin

Acknowledgements to Jean Pellarin for his research work on the history of Villaz, from which the information in this section has been gathered.

(Reference work: "If Villaz Were Told to Me", published by the Villaz Town Hall - 2015)

History of the Vineyards in Villaz