The Legend of the Cat’s Tooth

This striking bronze sculpture of a large cat, unveiled in 2020, is the work of artist Michel Bassompierre. Its name, “La Dent du Chat,” might seem puzzling if you’re not familiar with the area, but it simply references the famous mountain overlooking Lake Bourget, whose jagged profile resembles a tooth.

To truly understand this curious comparison, you need to hear the legend of the Cat’s Tooth. Make yourself comfortable as we share this tale. Long ago, a poor fisherman lived at the foot of the mountain by the lake. Every day, he cast his line to feed his family, but today was different, he caught nothing, alone on the clear waters. Desperate, he prayed to the gods for help, promising to release the first fish he caught back into the water as proof of his sincerity.

It seems the gods answered, for he soon felt a tug and pulled out a beautiful silver fish. But what to do? He couldn’t possibly let go of such a valuable catch. He convinced himself the gods meant to help him and vowed to release the next fish instead. Yet, the next catch was a golden fish, shining and precious! Troubled but grateful, he renewed his promise and returned to fishing. Minutes later, the line pulled again, and to his shock, it wasn’t a fish at all, but a little struggling cat on his hook.

Confused, the fisherman didn’t want to throw this poor creature back. So he rowed to shore and placed the cat at the mountain’s base. Suddenly, the cat began to grow, swelling in size until, in the blink of an eye, it transformed into a fearsome beast that devoured the very man who had tested its honesty. The creature fled into the mountain, terrorizing the region and devouring men, women, and children alike.

Fear gripped the valley, and its people fled. But one day, two brave knights, Mélianus and Bérius, decided to help the Savoyards and set out to hunt the monster that had haunted their mountain for so long. After a fierce battle, they finally killed the beast. To commemorate the victory, they planted its tooth as a trophy, which over time gave the mountain its shape and name.

In gratitude, the locals gifted Mélianus a mount, Mont Melianus, which became Montmélian, and Bérius a field, which became Chambéry. So now you know the real story behind these neighboring towns’ names, and why Aix-les-Bains chose a cat as its new mascot!