Chambéry is a town in the Savoyard Alps and a good base for hiking in the mountains. In its center, a lot of nice buildings have been preserved from the times when it was the capital of the Duchy of Savoy.
The city was founded by the Romans and during the Middle Ages it became an important trading center on the roads leading from Lyon to Turin and from Geneva to Grenoble. In the thirteenth century, they were purchased by Tomasz of Savoy, and soon after Duke Amadeus V moved the capital of his principality here. This initiated the rapid development of the city, which lasted until the mid-16th century.
In the center of Chambéry, a small but very picturesque Old Town has been preserved. Its heart is the Castle of the Dukes of Savoy, and the most famous building and symbol of the city, the Elephants Fountain. Most restaurants and cafes are located in the area of Saint-Leger Square, where you can see tenement houses and city palaces from different eras.
The attractions of Chambéra are also the local museums, especially the Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Natural History. Verney Park and Halles Chambéry market halls, where you can buy traditional cheeses, cold cuts, bread, fruit and vegetables, are very popular with locals and tourists.
