Discover these 5 inspiring sites in Haute-Savoie

La Haute-Savoie is full of inspiring sites. This choice is therefore very subjective and does not exclude any other option. It meets certain criteria based on the landscape, the silence and the immensity of the places and the ease of access. So, certainly, for a very touristy department like the Haute-Savoie, one would be tempted to criticize the article for saying that during high season these places are frequented, because they are well-known, and therefore far from silent. This is true, but even during high season, at sunrise, sunset or in gloomy weather these places remain magical and inspiring. Although surrounded by crowds, you just need to empty your mind and let your inspiration flow to fully enjoy them.

The five chosen sites showcase the landscapes of the Mont Blanc massif and the lakes:

Trelechamp
Ormaret
Montriond lake
Saint Paul in Chablais
The Col de la Forclaz

The most beautiful landscapes of the Alps — Autumn in Trélechamp

Trélechamp, the inspiration of the high mountains

You have to happen to arrive one bright autumn day at Trelechamp to fall in love with it. Télechamp is located near the Col des Montets, between Argentière and Vallorcine where the road leaves the sumptuous Chamonix valley. On a small flat area, at an altitude of 1400 meters, a few beautiful wooden chalets, including an inn, occupy the space between a stream that runs down the mountain, the slopes covered with larches and the edge of a ridge overlooking the valley of the nascent Arve. Of course, in autumn the larches are on fire and on their own, they offer a magical spectacle. But it is by turning the gaze towards the Mont Blanc massif, after reaching the small ridge overlooking the hamlet, the magic happens. Opposite, the Aiguille Verte at 4122 meters above sea level seems to hold, at its summit, an immense mass of ice and snow against all laws of physics. To the left, the Col de Balme, gateway to Switzerland (with its stone markers with two flags) soothes the eyes with its gentle profile before they rise sharply towards the sharp peaks surrounding the Tour glacier and the Argentière glacier. Further down the valley, we can see all these villages and hamlets of the upper valley of Chamonix : Argentière and its beautiful church, Montroc, Le Tour, the latter long known as one of the villages receiving the most snow in winter (climate statistics recorded more than twelve meters of cumulative snow per winter in the 80s!).

The view then follows the Aiguilles de Chamonix to the right of the Drus, until discovering the summit cap of Mont Blanc upstream of the long glacial flows that seem to descend to the mists hovering above the town of Chamonix. One can only remain silent before this string of peaks over some twenty kilometers. Silence reigns, opposite, in the high mountains. More than 3000 meters of vertical drop and thousands of details to observe are offered to the spectator equipped with binoculars. Inspiring, isn't it?

Ormaret, a very inspiring postcard landscape

It is a whole other spectacle that captures the mind of the observer in Ormaret. This hamlet is located on the heights of Combloux, halfway between the village and the beautiful baroque church and Megève, the charming and luxurious resort in Haute-Savoie. The surroundings are dotted with enormous chalets, more or less modernized but with refined finishes. Here and there, a few old farms stand amidst meadows occupied by a few herds of cows. The vegetation mixes deciduous trees with a few conifers, but the whole thing is more reminiscent of a valley floor than an Alpine valley at over 1000 meters above sea level. A peaceful and bucolic landscape. But you only have to look up to see the giant. Mont Blanc massif dominates the entire landscape. The perspective, which one does not have from its feet, in Chamonix, gives this part of the massif a feeling of gigantism. An enormous mound of rock and ice, whose summit seems almost rounded as it stretches so far above the rocky bar of the Aiguille du Goûter. The peaks that one admires are those that dominate the Val Montjoie: Goûter, Bionnassay, Miage, Tré-la-Tête… So many peaks that surmount glacial flows. A tongue of ice on each of the slopes. A parade of glaciers.

On the left of the massif, the view extends as far as the Aiguille Verte. Then, continuing to the left (north, purists would say) we come across the slender peaks of the Brevent and Buet before seeing the silhouette of the Aiguilles de Warens which recalls that of the most beautiful peaks of the Dolomites. Towards the south, therefore to the right of Mont Blanc, the view loses itself on the wooded massifs and the grassy peaks of the heights of Megève and the Haut Val d'ArlySitting on a bench, in the shade of a birch tree or under the bright winter sun, one cannot help but be inspired by these places where the size of the mountains makes us truly tiny.

Lake Montriond, inspiration between lake and forest

Montriond is located in the heart of the Chablais, in the Dranse Valley, just outside Morzine. It was a small village less well known than its larger neighbor, but which has made up for lost time in recent years. Without being too rejoicing, we can see from the number of new buildings that have sprung up along the road leading to Thonon that tourism has taken root here as well. But it is not the village that interests us in this article. By taking the road that goes up in summer towards Les Lindarets and Avoriaz Passing through the Col de la Joux Verte, you arrive, just after leaving the village of Montriond, at the lake of the same name. From a valley almost entirely covered with chalets, you find yourself in a timeless space. By the way, it is better to avoid coming on a weekend at noon or in the middle of August at picnic time, but, once again, even in high season, at dawn, this place retains its appeal.

Le Montriond lake is surrounded by thick forests and peaks. The color green, in all its shades, dominates the place. The green of the firs and spruces, the green of the larches that dot the forest with golden spots, in autumn, the green of the lake's banks, the green of the peaks covered with meadows and finally the green of the lake's surface that reflects its environment. You have to come to Lake Montriond at different times of the day to admire how the colors of the sky are reflected on its surface. It sparkles at sunset and sparkles at sunrise while the slopes that remain in shadow form a dark setting. Sit at the other end of the lake. Watch the silhouette of the Roc d'Enfer in the gap in the valley and observe the clouds reflected on the surface of the lake: a moment of letting go. An inspiring moment.

View of Lake Geneva — Saint Paul in Chablais in winter

Saint Paul en Chablais, a very inspiring terrace on Lake Geneva

The blue immensity of the Lake Geneva is offered to you from the terraces of the gardens of the town of Saint Paul en Chablais. Opposite, the Swiss shore, the Jura, Lausanne. Just below, Evian-les-BainsSaint Paul en Chablais seems suspended between lake and sky. A very inspiring balcony.

Saint Paul en Chablais is reached by a few hairpin bends from Evian-les-Bains. Perched at an altitude of 800 meters on a natural balcony, the village is the gateway to the Gavot Country, the hinterland of Evian, and also the gateway to the Lake Geneva Alps. The Chablais mountains are not far away, with the emblematic Dent d'Oche overlooking the pretty Bernex valley a few kilometers away. The Pic des Mémises, which overlooks the small resort of Thollon-les-Mémises, another natural balcony overlooking the lake, is not far either. And yet, Saint Paul en Chablais is a village resolutely turned towards the lake. In any case, the benches in the green spaces of the village center are. And for good reason: the panorama is splendid. Whatever the season! In spring and summer, Lake Geneva is cut out from its shores by its intense blue color. In winter, it is mysterious and black while its banks are covered in snow, when it does not disappear completely under a layer of mist. In autumn, the red trees that border it create flamboyant reflections on its surface. But it's at sunset that it becomes magical: while the landscape melts into bluish colors, the lake comes to life like a flame in a fireplace. Don't they say, around here, that at the end of the day, there's "fire at the lake"?

There you are, sitting on a bench, in full flight above the Lake Geneva, the traveler cannot help but be inspired by this grandiose landscape.

Panorama of Lake Annecy from the Col de la Forclaz

The Col de la Forclaz, an inspiring viewpoint overlooking the most spectacular of Alpine lakes

There are no benches here at Col de la Forclaz. Only chairs on a café terrace, or the grassy slopes around the lake. At sunset, you have to come early. You won't be alone. Locals know this well: there is nothing more romantic than a sunset at the Col de la Forclaz. Lake Annecy, below, shines brightly as the slopes of the mountains surrounding it retreat into shadow. The ridges of the Bauges massif stand out against the pink western sky. A moment of inspiration and love.

The Col de la Forclaz is located to the south of Lake Annecy, on the heights (1150 meters) of the eastern shore of the lake, below the Spin, its most famous peak. Like the Tournette, the Col de la Forclaz is a starting point for paragliders. They circle with their colorful sails above the lake. This Lake Annecy has a very particular shape, seen from here. It looks like a large elongated "S". A lake in the shape of a large river that winds through the mountain. This is what gives it its lively and inspiring appearance. In the center of the lake, we can see the Duingt peninsula with its romantic castle. Further north, the town of Annecy stretches along its almost flat shores.

But here, at the Col de la Forclaz, we're in the heart of the mountains. In winter, we admire the landscape in the snow. In summer, we often put on a light sweater or sweatshirt to wait for the night to finally win its battle against the reflections of the lake. But the most authentic moment is early morning. The lake is then a deep blue and stands out against the banks illuminated by the rising sun. A must-see! We'll never tire of this light as it gradually descends along the slopes until it gives the lake its characteristic blue hue.

So here are five exceptional places in Haute-Savoie. Five places where you'll want to sit and be inspired by the passing of time, the rush of the clouds, and the changing light. Five places that remind us how small we are in the face of the immensity of Nature. Five inspiring places.

All are easily accessible by car, bike, foot, or bus (perhaps the Col de la Forclaz is more complicated to reach without a car) from the neighboring villages. But these are not the only sites to be as beautiful and inspiring. Each has its own. Everyone finds a emotion there. This list is only a suggestion. To follow, or not...

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