- Around the lakes
Geneva, the largest of the four lakes
AN INLAND SEA
The lake goes by different names: Léman, Lake Léman and Lake Geneva.
On the Swiss side, it stretches as far as the cantons of Geneva, Vaud, and Valais, while over the border in France, its sunlit shores run along the northern part of Haute-Savoie
Did you know? Lake Geneva is the largest lake in western Europe.
BEACHES AND WATER SPORTS
Awarded French Water Resort 4*status, Thonon-les-Bains offers a whole host of water sports including sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, kayaking, rowing and diving.
For those looking for a Mediterranean feel, the natural, fine, sandy beach at Excenevex transports bathers to southern climes.
Taking a lake cruise is also very pleasurable, and passengers can choose from a belle epoque paddlewheel steamboat to more unusual means of transport like the solar-powered shuttle or the ‘La Savoie’ sailboat. The ports of Thonon-les-Bains, Evian-les-Bains and other lakeside villages have many spots reserved for visiting pleasure-boaters.
Nautical activities
FROM NATURE TO CULTURE
Visitors to château de Ripaille, on the hills behind Thonon-les-Bains, can learn about the history of the first Duke of Savoy. The ecomuseum in the port of Rives displays different local fishing techniques.
Walkers stopping off in Evian can explore the Villa Lumière and Cachat spring. Further east, the medieval village of Yvoire, awarded ‘Plus Beaux Villages de France’ status (given to France’s most picturesque, authentic villages) is home to a plant maze known as ‘le Jardin des Cinq Sens’.
Each of the lakeside villages are charming in their own way: Chens-sur-Léman’s château, Nernier’s literary and artistic heritage, Amphion les Bains’ historical link to Anna de Noailles and Meillerie’s fishing tradition.
The Pré Curieux gardens in Evian are devoted to water conservation, with an interesting collection of water lilies and aquatic plants. Near Publier, the Dranse Delta Nature reserve offers safe haven to a variety of species such as tits, herons and beavers.
The Ripaille estate’s botanical gardens in Thonon-les-Bains showcase an array of tropical flora. For those looking to stretch their legs, the Bois de Ville forest reaches back from Thonon towards the Hermones mountains. Not far away in Sciez, the Eagles of Geneva animal park hosts various shows including falconry displays, medieval fairs and traditional storytelling. Further west, the Châtaignière and Rovorée estates offer visitors a peaceful moment of quiet contemplation.
HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE
Lake Geneva is well known for its spa towns. These include Evian-les-Bains and Thonon-les-Bains, which were sought-after international destinations among high society during the belle époque. So why not take advantage of the setting to enjoy a relaxing stay at one of the local health resorts? Both towns have given their name to the natural mineral water they produce.
You can also dine al fresco at one of the many lakeside restaurants, and try Lake Geneva’s emblematic perch. There are two Michelin-starred restaurants: Ô Flaveurs 1* in Douvaine and Les Fresques 1* in Evian. Local cuisine is rooted in Chablais, where many traditional recipes draw on the local Abondance cheese. Many famous wines also come from the Chasselas vines grown on the south side of the lake, such as Ripaille, Crépy, Marignan and Marin.
