Aix-les-Bains (; ; ; 'Aix-the-Baths'), known locally simply as Aix, is a commune in the southeastern French department of Savoie.

Situated on the shore of the largest natural lake of glacial origin in France, the Lac du Bourget, this resort is a major spa town; it has the largest freshwater marina in France. It is the second largest city in the Savoie department in terms of population, with a population of 32,406 as of 2023. It is part of the Chambéry functional urban area. It is also an industrial city, with a few large companies such as General Electric, the headquarters of the Léon Grosse companies, ABB Cellier, Aixam, as well as a high-quality leather goods factory.

In addition to thermal baths and tourism, Aix-les-Bains is known for its national Musilac festival. It has four flowers and two golden flowers at the Concours des villes et villages fleuris, as well as the City of Art and History label.

Geography

Location

thumb|right|Aix-les-Bains in the background of the [[Dent du Chat, on the shore of the Lac du Bourget]]

Aix-les-Bains is located in the southeast of France, east of Lyon. The town is located in a corridor between the mountain of Mont Revard, the first natural rampart of the Massif des Bauges to the east and the Lac du Bourget, the largest natural lake of France to the west. Thus, the city extends mostly on a north–south axis. Its extension is such that its agglomeration merges gradually with that of Chambéry. The area of the commune is , which is large for the department. The town is traditionally divided into two, the lower town that occupies the banks of the lake to the west and the upper town, where the town centre is located, overlooking the Lac du Bourget. The town was first built on the heights in order to avoid the many floods of the lake until it was regulated by the dam of the Compagnie Nationale du Rhône (CNR) between the Rhône and the natural spillway of lake, the Canal de Savières. The average altitude of the city is about while the lower part of it is only around , at the level of the lake.

thumb|right|Aix-les-Bains on the eastern shore of the [[Lac du Bourget, to the right of the picture]]

of the Lac du Bourget watershed is occupied by the spa town of Aix, which borders on the shore. The lake is primarily fed to the south by the waters of the Leysse, and to the east, by those of the and the , both from the Aix territory. Native fish can be admired in the aquarium of Aix. The shore, which is occupied by Aix and Tresserve, is highly urbanized and developed along the northeastern part with the road and the railway track. Many restaurants and nightclubs are located there (mostly on the southeastern side). A nautical complex was built on its shore, this includes a swimming pool and a beach which has an Art Deco-style main entrance dating from 1936. After which is a vast esplanade, allowing walkers to stroll and special events to settle temporarily on this site. It offers a panoramic view of the lake and the Dent du Chat, where birds such as mute swans, mallards, grey herons, black-headed gulls and common moorhens can be found.

The esplanade is bounded to the north and to the south by the Grand port and the Petit port respectively, thus constituting the Aix port which is the largest fresh water port in the country with 1,500 mooring rings, having privileged places for boating on the lake, with boats having a summer or annual allocation. The festival of yachting takes place each year. This event has old boats coming from all horizons, a professional market, demonstrations and shows.

The slopes above the lake that culminate in the Tour de l'Angle Est, which overlooks the town and lake at a height of . The western shore of the lake is narrower as the mountains along its edge are closer to the lakeshore, although lower than those on the eastern side. The lake drains out of its northern end into the River Rhône about to the north.

Neighbouring communes

The municipality of Aix-les-Bains is bordered by nine communes. To the north, the municipality adjoins the territory of Brison-Saint-Innocent. To the northeast, Aix is bordered by the commune of Grésy-sur-Aix. Then, to the east, in the continuity of the Aix heights, the commune of Pugny-Chatenod is followed by the commune of Mouxy towards the southeast. Further to the southeast, Aix shares the boundaries of its territory with the neighbouring commune of Drumettaz-Clarafond. It follows south to the communes of Viviers-du-Lac and Tresserve. Finally, in the west, there are two communes bordering Aix, across the lake. These are Bourdeau, La Chapelle-du-Mont-du-Chat. One of the specific limits of the municipal territory of the commune of Aix-les-Bains, on its western side, is the existence of the boundary imposed by the Lac du Bourget. This limit of the territory is shared with five other municipalities, these being Bourdeau, Brison-Saint-Innocent, La Chapelle-du-Mont-du-Chat, Tresserve and Viviers-du-Lac.

Climate

Aix-les-Bains, like Chambéry, has an oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb), with strong continental influences due to its position: far inland and near several mountain ranges, like the Jura mountains, Bauges and Bornes Massif.

Communication and transport

thumb|right|The southern route into the [[Gare d'Aix-les-Bains-Le Revard]]

Aix-Les-Bains is located on the major transport axis between Chambéry and Annecy. The northern branch of the A41 motorway passes to the east of the town, allowing direct access to Annecy and then later, by the continuity of the A40, into the city of Geneva. Two junctions (13 and 14) serve the commune, one to the south, the other to the north. On the secondary network, the road crosses Aix and joins Viviers-du-Lac and Chambéry to the south. To the west, the D1201 road heads towards the south-west and the Lac du Bourget towards the commune of Le Bourget-du-Lac and, through the centre, the D991 road.

Aix-les-Bains is also accessible by train. It was one of the earliest European municipalities to host a rail network in its territory when it was administered by the Dukes of Savoie. Today, the city is connected to Chambéry and Annecy and Culoz. The Turin–Lyon high-speed railway will, in the coming years, bring together the cities of Paris, Lyon, Turin and Milan. Aix-les-Bains station has been a multimodal transport hub since 2007. Located to the west of the town centre on Boulevard de President Wilson, Aix-les-Bains-Le Revard railway station is served by the TGV, which puts the town within three hours of Paris. Aix is situated north of Chambéry, by rail.

Chambéry-Savoie Airport, formerly Aix-les-Bains/Chambéry, is located at the south of the town of Aix-les-Bains, in the commune of Voglans, a few metres from the south shore of the Lac du Bourget. It serves many countries including the UK (Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh), Denmark (Copenhagen, Billund), Sweden (Gothenburg) and, internally, Paris Orly from 2013. There are many winter flights due to the proximity of the winter sports resorts. Three low-cost carrier airlines offer regular flights. In 2002, the airport recorded a record attendance with 3,600 aircraft movements year-round, dealing with more than 10,000 passengers per weekend, mainly in winter.

thumb|left|One of the streets in the town centre

In the town centre, the car is the most common mode of transport in Aix-les-Bains, despite the efforts made by the Association Roue Libre for the development of urban cycling. Traffic at peak hours is particularly difficult, especially in the summer with the influx of tourists. The portion of the D1201 road along the lake, in the direction of Chambéry, is particularly sensitive to this increase in road traffic. The same problem happens with the Rue de Genève, the Boulevard President Wilson and the Rue de Chambéry. To the north, it is similarly so on the way out of the town in the direction of Albens and Annecy on the Boulevard Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny. However, traffic has tended to improve with urban development promoting the emergence of roundabouts at the expense of the traffic light, allowing a better flow of traffic. In addition, in the town centre, two car parks can accommodate vehicles, although the number of parking spaces remains low in the town centre for shopping.

For travellers preferring public transport, two main bus routes and sixteen additional routes serve the metropolitan area. Two routes are also available to access the side of Mont Revard and the Chapel of the Mont du Chat. Ondea (trade name of the network operated by the company Keolis) was tasked by the to manage transit services. It employs 55 people. During the summer, the town is served for short trips by a small train travelling on the roads. It runs between the esplanade of the lake, the beach and town centre.

Urbanism

Urban morphology

thumb|left|A view of Aix-les-Bains in the direction of the lake

The life of Aix-les-Bains is located largely on its heights where its downtown, the economic heart, and its thermal baths (the National Baths of Chevalley and the Baths of Marlioz) are located. Indeed, the history of the town has made it a spa town. Aix was organized around this activity, which was initiated by the Romans. The lower part of the town, located on the shores of the lake, was abandoned because of the risk of flooding. The land was cultivated and there were fish farms. The economic activity is mainly on the upper part, and the urban morphology has adapted. It had to take into account living space for services (racecourse, casino, thermal baths, deluxe hotels, station, hospital and golf, for instance) and the surrounding geography.

Aix-les-Bains includes grand boulevards which are the Robert Barrier Boulevard, Boulevard Lepic, Russia Boulevard/President Wilson Boulevard, the Boulevard of Dr. Jean Charcot/Boulevard Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt Boulevard. These boulevards are wide and open unlike the streets of downtown, which are narrower, and the other axes, which can be more constrained because of the proximity of the Massif des Bauges and its winding climbs, meeting the more anarchic requirements of the moment without taking the urban fabric into overall account. The town includes various neighborhoods such as Chantemerle, Boncelin, around the railway station, the Sierroz, la liberté, the lakeside, Marlioz, Lepic, Franklin Roosevelt and many others.

With urban expansion and population growth Aix-les-Bains constantly extends, similarly to the neighbouring communes. Little by little, one speaks beyond a city of Aix-les-Bains as such, but the Aix area encompassing an urban plan, with the nearby communes such as Tresserve, Grésy-sur-Aix, Mouxy, Méry, Drumettaz-Clarafond, Sonnaz, as well as other communes. This phenomenon also applies to Chambéry, which is located south of Aix-les-Bains and is considered as the Chambéry area. The urban morphology of these two local watersheds tends to draw them inexorably closer together. In order to reconcile the urban development of the Aix and Chambéry areas, the joint association of the has been implemented. The mission is to follow the pattern of territorial coherence (SCOT) of the Combe de Savoie, Chambéry and the Lac du Bourget.

Housing

thumb|right|A view of the town at the foot of the [[Bauges]]

Aix-les-Bains had 20,317 homes in 2017, of which 15,491 (76.2%) were main residences. 18% of the main residences were built before 1945, and 30% were built after 1990. Homes with four rooms account for 46% of the overall housing stock, with three-roomed homes at 27.4%, and two rooms at 17.5%. Small housing accounts for about one-tenth of Aix housing (studios: 9.1%). These accommodations are well staffed and equipped, particularly because of the geographic location at the heart of the Alps, since 93.9% have central heating and 58.5% have a garage or a parking space.

With the fact that the town is urbanized almost in its entirety, it becomes increasingly more difficult to build larger houses to accommodate families who don't live in the city. The edge of the lake and the hills are beginning to be saturated where there is a sprawl from the surrounding communities. It is worth noting the presence of much accommodation within former large luxury hotels, ruins from the Belle Époque, now gone.

Planning projects

Several projects of the municipality are underway in the downtown area, on the western shore of the lake as well as mainly to the south. This is to establish new areas of commercial activity to attract new business to the Aix economic area. The establishment of new residential areas is also scheduled. In collaboration with the municipalities of Méry and Drumettaz-Clarafond, through concerted urban development, the town of Aix-les-Bains contributes to the emergence of an activity called the Savoie Hexapôle area and also enables the development of a commercial area serving all of the southern sector of the Aix area.

The ZAC des Bords du Lac, under construction, will extend over about at the location of, among others, the former municipal campground of . This very controversial project is yet to be launched by the Deputy Mayor Dominique Dord's municipal team. This new district, developed by the Society for the Development of the Savoy was named Aix–du Lac.

A -wide promenade was built, between Barrier and Garibaldi Boulevards, named Allée promenade des bords de lac. By rearranging the small harbor, the city wants to take advantage of the situation by decontaminating the River Tillet, which is heavily polluted with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Barrier Boulevard, previously connected to the Petit Port Avenue, will no longer be so in the future, as the municipality decided to postpone the flow of traffic on the Garibaldi Boulevard, The name Aquae is found in the deed of the gift of the royal land of Aix (de Acquis or "acquired") by King Rudolph III of Burgundy to his wife Ermengarde, in 1011. Some texts from the Middle Ages mention of Aquae grationapolis. This suffix simply stating that Aix was part of the diocese of Grenoble.

The first known mention of Aix-les-Bains appears in the archives from September 1792, in a letter from a French soldier recuperating at Aix waters. It is this name which then appears in all official documents, including the deliberations of the municipal council. In the early 19th century, some literary texts made use of the appellation: Aix en Savoie. However, this name has never been used in administrative documents. Since 1954, the railway station of Aix-les-Bains, at the request of the council, has been called Aix-les-Bains-le Revard.

History

The history of Aix-les-Bains is directly related to the Lac du Bourget and especially to its hot springs which made it a spa among the most renowned in the world. The historical analysis of the town must be closer to the history of the Savoy, if we are to better understand its evolution and its cultural influences. Below are periods and historical highlights of the commune of Aix-les-Bains.

Aquae: Roman Aix

thumb|right|L'[[Arch of Campanus, designed by Borgonio in 1674]]

Historians agree that Aix was born from its sources of water to Ancient Rome, on the remains of a Celtic habitat. The first occupation of the site has been dated by Alain Canal to the first century BCE, however there is nothing to suggest these remains were a fixed habitat. We are left with the remains in public institutions and it would be difficult to draw a sketch of ancient Aquae. The administrative situation of the place is known by epigraphy, which teaches us that Aix was, in the 1st century AD, a vicus, with a board of decemlecti (a council of ten members), and was administratively part of Vienne. Some citizens lived there with, apparently, quite important resources to offer to the gods, a sacred wood, a vine or to build a funeral arch for the case of the Campanii family.

During their excavations, archaeologists have discovered a large thermal complex, in close proximity to its sources. On a lower terrace, to the west, was the Arch of Campanus, probably built in the 1st century, and more downstream, a second terrace carried the temple said to be dedicated to Diana, which had replaced a more ancient circular edifice by the 2nd century, which was probably contemporary with the Arch of Campanus. Remains of a necropolis have been cleared north of the temple. The Parc des Thermes, and various other locations scattered in the town, contain numerous and very varied remains, such as remains of the necropolis and pottery, etc. However, there is no centrepiece which would have led to extensive archaeological excavations. Otherwise, we know nothing of the Gallo-Romans of the Aquae vicus, in scope or in the provision of the habitat. Where did the "Romans" live? Where were their farms, the villages of their staff; What were the activities of the vicus? The mystery is still present. The only clues come from the archaeological map of the remains by archaeological services of the DRAC, and for archaeologist Alain Canal to conclude, "Paradoxically, if Aix has delivered many documents illustrating the age of the site and the quality of the monumental town planning from the beginning of the Roman Empire, we have no precise knowledge about the order of this town."

As a synthesis, the history of the period can be reduced to the occupation of the town centre site from the 1st century BCE, followed by a gradual development of the area between the 1st and 2nd centuries. Occupation seems to be made from the progressive construction of the thermal complex, around which radiated monumental buildings presented on a system of terraces, which had evolved several times during the Roman period. If hot springs were originally the reason for choosing the location, other factors, such as the quality of the site, may have been decisive.

From the Middle Ages to the Renaissance

thumb|right|Aix in 1674, from the

The already poor knowledge of Aix history from Roman times is further obscured due to the lack of sources regarding the end of the Roman Empire and the early Middle Ages. We are left to conjecture by studying the destruction from the barbarian invasions that have left traces of fires on Gallo-Roman villas of the area, such as at Arbin. The fact remains that the Roman Baths of Aix fell to ruins from the fifth century and traces of urban development are lost.

Aix-les-Bains is again mentioned in sources from the 9th century, in 867, and in 1011 through charters. In the latter, King Rudolph III of Burgundy donated the villa of Aix, called a royal seat, with its settlers and its slaves to his wife Ermengarde who, in turn, pass them to the bishopric of Grenoble. This Charter tells us that Aix is a small town with a church and agricultural areas. Bishop Hugues of Grenoble then donated it to the monastery of Saint-Martin de Miserere, at the beginning of the 12th century. The church erected a new priory under the name of Sainte Marie.

At the end of the 12th century, the cartulary of Saint Hugues reveals the existence of two other parishes, Saint-Simond with its church and that of Saint-Hippolyte (in the current area of Mouxy) also with a small priory. Urban geography begins to clarify: One can imagine the small town, contained in its walls, which nobody knew when was built. The central point of the town is the priory, near the ancient Roman temple. This centre could also have been the administrative centre since at least the 13th century. Aix was a seigneurie subservient to the de Seyssel family, who had a château which, even if we do not place with certainty, was probably the location of the actual château. Two hamlets are attested, Saint-Hippolyte, in the immediate vicinity of the town but outside the ramparts, with a small priory at the centre and at its side, now under the Villa Chevalley, a strong House, the maison forte de Saint-Pol [strong House of Saint-Pol], dependent upon the de Savoie family At that time, there were about 1095 inhabitants of Aix, 46% living in the village; Saint Simond had 125 inhabitants, Puer had 91 people, Choudy had 87 people and Lafin had 86 people, with the rest of the hamlets, about a dozen, sharing the rest. (Marlioz having escaped from the sources). This geography of the habitat seems frozen until the end of the 19th century. In Aix, the nearby Abbey of Hautecombe owned a large area at the heights of Saint Simond.

At the beginning of the 16th century, the ancient church suffered a devastating fire. The Aix people requested the help of Claude de Seyssel in order to rebuild. He was a seigneurial family member of the town, and was raised to the episcopal dignity. He was the Bishop of Albi, and an especially special advisor to the King of France Louis XII. He is also the author of a number of treaties. With support from De Seyssel the people were able to build a collegiate church, with a chapter of twelve canons, commissioned by a dean, whose appointment was returned to the count. A church was built on the nearby square of the cemetery, which included a choir of flamboyant Gothic style. If the choir belonged to the collegiate church, the nave belonged to the parishioners and presented a more plain appearance. Besides, the poorly constructed roof collapsed in 1644. Among the side chapels, one was reserved for the De Seyssels of Aix, in which is buried their dead. The collegiate church, fully a parish church after the Revolution, was demolished in 1909, after the construction of the new church. This church was known to house a relic of the true cross, which had been worshipped from a distance. It is also at the end of the Middle Ages that the stately Château of Aix was rebuilt. The ceiling of the Great Hall of the ground floor is dated to 1400. The magnificent staircase of honour was built around 1590.

During the 18th century

On 9 April 1739, a huge fire broke out in the town centre and destroyed 80 homes, nearly half of the town. Reconstruction was made with appeal for subsidies from the king, who imposed an alignment plan whose implementation was entrusted to the engineer Garella. This plan went further than a simple plan of reconstruction since it provided a true alignment of streets, and imposed some rules of urbanism as, for example, the construction of houses of two floors and a ground floor; it also prohibited thatched roofs. However, it was very limited in its scope since it concerned only the burned area or the main street (Rue Albert I), the central square (Place Carnot) and Rue des Bains.

At the beginning of the 17th century, the Aix people and the medical world had begun to become aware of the value of the hot springs of Aix, through the writings of the dauphinois physician Jean Baptiste Cabias, who was followed in this area by other renowned doctors. Indeed, since ancient times the exploitation of sources of hot water had never been completely forgotten. Bathing took place in Aix in the Middle Ages and until the end of the 18th century, in the only existing Roman pool, outdoors, or at home where the spa water was brought by hand. The King of France Henry IV highly appreciated his Aix bath, according to Jean Baptiste Cabias. In 1737, to protect the hot springwater seepage from the stream running through the city, a major project was scheduled by the General Commissariat. This changed the urban distribution of the town centre, since it was necessary to dig a new bed for the Moulins stream, outside the walls. They also had to rebuild the four mills of the Marquis of Aix, until then in the town centre, along the new channel (currently Montée des moulins, Hill of Mills).

It is the Duke of Chablais, son of King Victor Amadeus III, to whom Aix owes its renaissance because it was he who, after having tasted the benefit of sources and found it to be poorly housed, suggested the construction of a thermal establishment to the king. By royal appointment on 11 June 1776, King Victor Amadeus III commissioned Robiland to draw up plans for a bathing establishment. It was built from 1779 to 1783, under the direction of the engineer, Capellini. This date also marks the beginning of the demolition of the old town centre, as a result of this imposing construction, people began to clear the surrounding houses to create the place. This first thermal establishment became an important factor of development.

thumb|right|The town was endowed, from 1896 to 1908, with the . Pictured here the heart of the network, at the junction of the streets of Geneva and Casino

[[File:LL 39 - AIX-LES-BAINS - La Gare du Revard.jpg|thumb|right|The gare du Revard [Revard railway station] in Aix was the origin of the , which connected the city to Mont Revard from 1882 to 1937, eventually replaced by an aerial tramway]]

Throughout this period and until the Revolution, the town hosted a roughly stable number of approximately 600 patients each year, the majority of them French. Consecutively, the population increased, reaching 1700 inhabitants in 1793. In 1783, to enhance the lives of the patients, the council of the municipality built a landscaped public promenade: le Gigot currently known as Square Alfred Boucher. It was then lined with chestnut trees and was drawn by architect Louis Lampro. Aside from private gardens, this is the first act of urban green space, which gave a boost to the development of the town at this side of the walls, along the road to Geneva.

In 1792 the French revolutionary troops, under the command of Montesquiou, were in Savoy. The civilian use of the spa then stalled. The baths were requisitioned by the armies of the Republic, which sent the wounded soldiers for convalescence. However, it was also an opportunity to publicise Aix to the greatest number. Aix became Aix-les-Bains. With the Revolution accomplished, the privileges of the local nobility were abolished, and this especially helped the town from paying the Lord Marquess of Aix the large sum of money which it owed him for the redemption of seigneurial rights (the town had no charter of franchise). Furthermore, freedom of established trade gave new impetus to the creation of an economy based on the exploitation of the springs as soon as peace was regained. Then we see the development of boarding houses, hotels, cabarets and restaurants. On the other hand, the Revolution left its marks on church property, such as the abandonment of the collegiate church, destruction of the bell tower and the church furniture.

It was at the lakeside where one could find new development. The small Puer harbour breakwater, built under the Ancien Régime in 1720 became a real port. First frequented by boats refuelling the troops of the army of the Alps, equipped with a military store, it is gradually built for export goods and, in particular, from the trinkets of workshops installed at the edge of the lake. It became known as the Port of Puer. The development of this neighbourhood involved improvement of the avenue du lac [avenue of the lake] and all this activity attracted the first buildings along this busy avenue, outside of the centre and of the existing villages.

Negotiations for the independence of Morocco

The negotiations for the independence of Morocco were held in Aix-les-Bains. At the conference of September 1955, the President of the French Council, in the person of Edgar Faure, publicly summed up the compromise proposed in Morocco, in the expression "Independence within interdependence". Until then, Moroccan territory was legally a French protectorate and Sultan Mohammed V was in forced exile. The negotiations were held in the presence of numerous personalities and French and Moroccan organizations. At the talks, Moroccan side tabled the Democratic Independence Party (PDI) as well as the Istiqlal Party, represented by Mehdi Ben Barka, Omar Benabdeljalil, Abdelhadi Boutaleb, Abderrahim Bouabid and also M'hamed Boucetta. On the French side, the delegation consisted of Edgar Faure, , Robert Schuman and other members of the government. In addition to these were invited guests, from all walks, capable of giving advice on the status of Morocco and independence. Faithful allies of the protectorate and the Moroccan traditional chiefs were also invited. Thus, they could also negotiate in the presence of the parties concerned. They were given precedence, if possible, to the disappointment of the Istiqlal Party.

Although these negotiations held in Aix-les-Bains played an important role in the march towards the independence of Morocco, the fact remains that France had previously taken care to largely prepare for this transition. Indeed, the French State was convinced of the need to allow independence to this North African territory. However, with many economic interests at stake and many business relationships, notably the pashas and qaids, pushed France to take care not to rush this transition and initiate this change, smoothly. The destiny of the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Morocco was drawn during this conference at Aix-les-Bains. Officially, negotiations made it possible to reach an agreement to give birth to an independent state. Morocco was finally proclaimed independent during the declaration of La Celle-Saint-Cloud on 6 November 1955. In 2005, there was the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the negotiation of the agreements of the independence of Morocco. For this occasion, a fountain with a pool was made in Moroccan zellige. came specially from their spiritual home to complete this work in the parc de verdure of Aix-les-Bains. The project was supported by the regional council of tourism of the city of Fez (Fez-CRT) and the tourist office.

Politics and administration

thumb|right|The [[Hôtel de Ville, Aix-les-Bains|Hôtel de Ville]]

Since the departmental elections in 2015, Aix-les-Bains is divided into two cantons, both involving other communes. These are the Canton of Aix-les-Bains-1 and the Canton of Aix-les-Bains-2.

The legislative constituency on which the Aix people depend is the First constituency of the Savoy. It is bounded by the redistricting law No. 86-1197 of 24 November 1986, and includes the following administrative divisions: The cantons of Aix-les-Bains-1, Aix-les-Bains-2, La Motte-Servolex and part of Le Pont-de-Beauvoisin.

Aix-les-Bains hosts several administrations and public services on its territory, such as a post office, a police headquarters, municipal police, national police, a gendarmerie, a national employment agency (renamed Pôle Emploi), a tax office, municipal kennel, homeowner associations, a , a centre of social security, and a railway station. The is also based in Aix-les-Bains.

The mayor of Aix-les-Bains has implemented three secondary offices for the town. There is the office, the Marlioz office and finally the la Liberté office. These are a relay for the main services of the town. One can perform many administrative procedures but also requests for support and information. These offices are competent at giving, among other things, guidance for employment matters, an accompaniment to inhabitants' projects (mainly from the fabric), health, law, housing, culture, education and recreation. These decentralized local structures allow the dissemination of information on municipal projects as well as the future projects where the inhabitants can, if necessary, have the opportunity to be able to express their opinion.

: See also

Politically, Aix-les-Bains is a town of the right, the electors have voted mostly right for municipal elections since 1979. The former mayor of the municipality from 1985 to 2001, , although having been elected with centrist policies succeeded the outgoing mayor with whom he was one of the majority on the same municipal council. Similarly, Robert Barrier was a man of the centre-right. However, in the years 1920–1930, the city was the stronghold of the left in Savoy, carried by the workers in the Aix area.

In the Referendum on the Constitutional Treaty for Europe on 29 May 2005, Aix-les-Bains mostly voted in favour of the European Constitution Treaty, with 53.55% in favour, 46.45% against and a 34.97% abstention rate (entire France: No at 54.67%, with Yes at 45.33%). These figures were not consistent with the national trend, it being in opposition. This vote demonstrated the privileged nature of the inhabitants of the town compared to rural departments with significant pools of workers. The electorate had chosen the positive vote being due to having, according to political analysts, a more privileged population economically and a higher educational level.

At the 2007 French presidential election, the first round of voting saw Nicolas Sarkozy arrive in the lead with 37.8% or 5,904 votes, followed by François Bayrou with 20.64% or 3,286 votes, then Ségolène Royal with 20.24% or 3,223 votes, and finally Jean-Marie Le Pen with 10.92% or 1,739 votes, no other candidates exceeded the threshold of 5%. In the second round, that was, in the second round, 53.06% for Nicolas Sarkozy and 46.94% for Ségolène Royal. For this presidential election, the turnout rate was very high. There were 19,774 registered voters on electoral lists in Aix, 81.18% or 16,053 voters participated in the rounds, and the abstention rate was 18.82% or 3,721 votes, with 4.54% or 729 votes having a spoilt or unmarked ballot, and finally 95,46% or 15,324 votes were cast.

The regional elections in 2010 resulted in a gathering of the left and environmentalists in the lead (43.3%) before the UMP (40.5%) and the FN (16.2%), with a high abstention (54.2%).

Municipal administration

The Aix-les-Bains municipal council, as well as the municipal team, is composed of a mayor, ten deputy mayors, seven adviser delegates and seven other charges from missions to the deputy mayors. Six communal council seats are filled by elected representatives from the Aix de tout cœur [Wholehearted Aix] (SE) list, and those of the Aix avenir [Aix future] (KVD) list. To a greater extent, one can also count a random number of delegates of the municipal council from government agencies. The current mayor is also the Député for the first district of Savoy and a community advisor to the [Community of the agglomeration of Lake Bourget].

Here is the share of the seats on the municipal council of Aix-les-Bains:

{|class="toccolours" align="center"

! !! width=15px| !! width=250px | Party !! width=150px |Leader !! width=200px |Seats !! width=150px | Status

|----- ALIGN="center"

| || bgcolor=#3C77BF| || UMP || Dominique Dord ||29 || Majority

|----- ALIGN="center"

| || bgcolor=#D0433F| || DVG || Fabrice Maucci ||5 || Opposition

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| || bgcolor=#3CBFE2| || Independent || Thibaut Guigue ||1 || Opposition

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In the communal elections of March 2008, the participation rate for the first and only round of voting was low, with only 58.75% of voters. Of the 20,247 registered on electoral lists, 11,895 people voted and 11,453 voters spoke. The outgoing mayor Dominique Dord, topped the list Une ville d'avance [A town in advance], was re-elected with an absolute majority of 62.27%, or 7,132 votes. He was followed by the Various Left candidate Fabrice Maucci, head of the Aix avenir:durable, solidaire, exemplaire [Aix future: sustainable, solidarity, exemplary] list, who collected 28.12% of the vote, or 3,221 votes. Finally, in third position, the former UDF Mayor of Aix , head of the Aix de tout cœur [Wholehearted Aix] list, who was presented without a label, and won 9.6%, or 1,100 votes.

In the municipal elections of March 2014, Dominique Dord (UMP) was re-elected in the first round with 59.71% of the vote. He was opposed by three other candidates: Véronique Drapeau (FN) (15.33%), André Giménez (KVD) (12.98%) and Fabrice Maucci (FG) (11.96%).

In October 2018, Dominique Dord resigned from his position of mayor and Renaud Beretti, his deputy, replaced him.

List of mayors

Here is the list of mayors of Aix-les-Bains:

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width: 100%" border="1"

|+ List of mayors from 1956

! Start

! End

! Name

! Party

! Other details

|-

|October 2018

|In progress

|Renaud Beretti

|LR

|

|-

|March 2001

|October 2018

|Dominique Dord

|UMP

|Deputy of the first district of Savoy

|-

|March 1995

|March 2001

|

|RPR

|Retired, General Counsel

|-

|March 1985

|March 1995

|

|UDF-AD

|College Principal, Deputy of the first district of Savoy

|-

|1983

|1985

|André Grosjean

|RPR

|Retired, General Counsel

|-

|1977

|1983

|André Grosjean

|RPR

|Industrial, General Counsel

|-

|1971

|1977

|André Grosjean

|

|Industrial, General Counsel

|-

|1969

|1971

|André Grosjean

|

|Industrial, General Counsel

|-

|January 1956

|1963

|Lucien Spycher

|

|

|}

{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible collapsed" style="width: 100%" border="1"

|+ List of mayors from 1860 to 1955

! Start

! End

! Name

! Party

! Other details

|-

|1953

|December 1955

|Robert Barrier

|UDSR

|General Council Chair and Member

|-

|1947

|1953

|Paul Dussuel

|

|Industrial pharmacist

|-

|1944

|1947

|Calixte Salvador

|Radical Socialist

|Former resistance

|-

|1937

|1944

|Paul Dussuel

|

|Industrial pharmacist

|-

|1932

|1937 (resigned)

|

|Radical socialist

|Engineer of Public Works, Senator of Savoy

|-

|1927

|1932

|

|Radical socialist

|Journalist, writer

|-

|1919

|1927

|Philippe Navarro

|SFIO

|Public servant

|-

|1913

|1919

|Albert Marty

|Radical

|Medical doctor

|-

|1912

|1913 (resigned)

|Léon Blanc

|Republican

|Medical doctor

|-

|1900

|1912

|Joseph Mottet

|Radical moderate

|Entrepreneur<br />Proprietor of the Villa de Fleurs, Domaine de Marlioz

|-

|1892

|1900

|François Gimet

|Radical left and radical socialist

|

|-

|1886

|1892

|Paul Bonna

|

|Masonry Contractor

|-

|1884

|1886

|Joseph Petit

|Radical

|Medical doctor

|-

|1875

|1884

|Alphonse Mottet

|Republican moderate

|Public works contractor

|-

|1863

|1875

|Gaspard Davat

|Centre-right

|Medical doctor

|-

|1861 (by Imperial decree)

|1863

|Jacques-Prosper Degallion

|

|

|-

|1860

|1861

|Pierre-François Brachet

|

|Merchant, Manager of Grand Port

|}

The town of Aix-les-Bains has several judicial courts: which will be soon merged with that of Chambéry following the reform of the judicial map initiated on 27 June 2007, an industrial tribunal and a House of Justice and the Law Council. With regard to other judicial proceedings, the Aix area depends on the city of Chambéry. Following judicial cutting, Aix-les-Bains is dependent of the Court of Appeal of Chambéry, the of Chambéry, of the juvenile court, the Commercial Court of Chambéry, the Social Security Affairs Tribunal of the Savoy and the Chamber of Attorneys the Court of Appeal of Chambéry.

Environmental policy

thumb|right|Traditional house opposite [[Mont Revard]]

On the Lac du Bourget, with several thousand people in addition to tens of thousands of tourists, the water quality had gradually deteriorated from the 1950s to 1970 in a major phenomenon of eutrophication, since the lake at the time was the natural outlet of all sewer pipes, with in particular, Chambéry and Aix-les-Bains. Many motor vehicles of the time were also highly polluting, spitting their fumes which partially dissolved in the waters and spilt oil which was also found in the lake. They made a lot of noise and noise generated was damaging to birds and small mammals. A remediation action has been engaged since the mid-1970s, in order to reduce the eutrophication of the lake, the aim being to arrive at the same results as for Lake Annecy.

Services of water treatment stations have been established in Savoy and in particular to Aix-les-Bains. Rivers such as the and the have thus been remediated, improving upon the quality of the waters of the lake and the regeneration of aquatic species. Aix-les-Bains has a public aquarium for the conservation of local species such as trout, Arctic char and carp. This establishment mainly specialises in freshwater fish. The allows not only to help the local wildlife conservation but also for prevention work and educational visits.

thumb|left|The Lac du Bourget Aquarium in Aix-les-Bains, an [[Art Deco-style building]]

The city also offers trails marked and arranged allowing hikers to travel in the direction of Mont Revard. These courses are used by athletes, walkers and cyclists. These paths are regularly maintained, eliminating the spread of detritus in green spaces. The municipality also has a municipal park, the . Here there are also many trails. The desire was to create a forest here without pomp, where nature evolves freely.

Many events are held at Aix-les-Bains. The convention centre, the or even the Victoria Cinema contribute to the special conferences, such as for broadcasts of documentaries, films and ecology. Between 27 and 29 September 2005 the first national water meeting was organized. The municipality wanted to, through organised days, increase the exchange of information and experiences for greater synergy in the field of preservation and protection of water. It also created and published the Charter of Environmental Quality and Accessibility at construction sites. This charter aims to reduce and limit pollution caused by urban sites such as noise pollution, waste products and water and soil pollution.

Twin towns – sister cities

Aix-les-Bains is twinned with:

  • Milena, Italy
  • Moulay Yacoub, Morocco
  • Zhangjiajie, China

Population and society

As of 2020, 33.7% of the population of Aix-les-Bains is over sixty, which is significantly higher than the national average (26.4%).

Age structure of the city of Aix-les-Bains in 2020: