The most beautiful villages in France, in the Savoie Mont Blanc area

One is perched at 1,800 metres high in the Haute Maurienne Vanoise. Another is found on the banks of the French side of Lake Geneva. Bonneval-sur-Arc and Yvoire, both charming and exceptional villages, have been officially designated as two Most Beautiful Villages of France. They are part of the must-see sites to visit in the Savoie and Haute-Savoie area.

Bonneval-sur-Arc

Authentic Bonneval-sur-Arc sits at 1,800 metres in altitude on the Route des Grandes Alpes, not far from the legendary Col de l’Iseran, which links the Maurienne and Tarentaise Valleys.

Stone homes, flagstone roofs, and flowered balconies accent the natural, colourful scenery where verdant pastures sit below bright white glaciers. In the summer, trails provide trekking excursions in Vanoise Park. In the winter, ski resorts offer approximately 30 kilometres of pistes.

Don’t miss: the typical hamlet of Ecot and the local blue cheese from Bonneval.

Découvrir Bonneval-sur-Arc

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Yvoire

The nickname for this medieval village is ‘The Pearl of the Lake’.

Visit the impregnable fortress built by Amadeus V, Count of Savoy, and explore the castle, gates, ramparts, and cobblestone alleys on foot.

The castle’s old vegetable patch includes the remarkable Garden of the Five Senses. This green labyrinth inspired by the Middle Ages contains more than 1,000 varieties of aromatic, medicinal, and edible plants with sometimes surprising textures and odours. Cruises to admire the village from the lake leave from the dock.

Don’t miss: the sunset on Lake Geneva and the fish delicacies in this long-established fishing village.

Découvrir Yvoire

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