Le Sappey (now Le-Sappey-en-Chartreuse) is a commune whose history provides an insight into the historical development of rural areas, particularly on the outskirts of medium-sized towns.
Traditional activities show a dynamic, almost self-sufficient area: agriculture (cereal crops (wheat, oats, rye, barley), potatoes, fodder beet, hemp, walnut), livestock (beef, cows, poultry, rabbit), forestry (logs, charcoal). At the beginning of the twentieth century, the village’s businesses were equally diverse: food and beverages, woodworking, leatherworking, construction, glovemaking, sled and ski manufacturing, etc. The commune also boasted sawmills and sawmills. The commune also boasted sawmills, flour mills and a mine.

A profound transformation of the area and its activities began shortly after the Second World War. The rescencemment, which shows a stable population (between 300-400 inhabitants) from 1793 (first census), changes drastically from the 60s, when a decrease, then a renewal of the population is noted. Today, farming activities are limited, as are shops and crafts.