Friburge

Friburge is a small hamlet in Champagny-en-Vanoise in the French Alps.

The nearest towns are Champagny, Brides-les-Bains, and Moûtiers. Friburge is historically significant as the possible birthplace of Pope Innocent V, and for the fact that it is commonly confused with the town of Freiburg. The heavy stone-built dwellings, bafflingly described by Pevsner as Tyrolean vernacular, are situated under a large bluff. The school was demolished by an avalanche in the 1950s, and the ruins can still be found at the rear of the village. For many years the only permanent inhabitants were two brothers named Gaston and Robert. More recently, an artisan has taken up permanent residence, and many of the houses have been refurbished as second residences for French, Scottish,English, Danish, and New Zealanders who seem primarily interested in DIY and alpinism. In the winter, the road becomes impassable, and is groomed for cross country skiing.

External links

* [http://www.scholares.net/index.php?Gazetteer-Friburge Gazetteer Entry]