Lake Geneva: Discover the secrets of the French shore

Lake Geneva is the largest of the French lakes but it is not entirely in France. Its southern shore is largely French at the foot of the Alpes and its northern shore is on the other hand in Switzerland. So, to the question of whether Lake Geneva is in France or Switzerland, we would answer: "both!" It is also sometimes called Lake Geneva, outside France, in relation to the city of Geneva which is located at one end of the lake.

It's a lake that truly resembles a sea. When you're on the French shore and admire the Swiss hillsides opposite, the expanse of water is immense. It's crisscrossed by all sorts of boats, including those of the Compagnie Générale de Navigation sur le lac Leman (CGNL). Sometimes they look like they've stepped out of an old film from the early 20th century, and this slightly old-fashioned style gives them a proud appearance on the blue waters of the lake.

The French shore is wedged between the foothills of the Chablais which fall almost right on the Lake Geneva and the sometimes stormy waters when the Joran blows, this violent wind which falls on the lake from the Jura. The mountains behind Evian are known as the Alps of Lake Geneva.

Finally, an anecdote. Two expressions in the French language have their roots here. "Il n'y a pas feu au lac", which means that it is not yet time to leave and leave everything, comes from the glowing sunset over Lake Geneva. The flamboyant color reminiscent of fire signaled the end of the working day. And "faire ripaille", which means to feast, comes from certain famous feasts held at the Château de Ripaille by Amédée VIII, Duke of Savoy!

Discovering the secrets of Evian.

AlpAddict in Evian-les-Bains — Evian-les Bains – Photo: ©MaruokaJoe – stock.adobe.com

Evian-les-Bains, a city known worldwide for its bottled water brand, whose logo recalls the Alps of Lake Geneva, is above all a spa town. Among the towns around Lake Geneva, on the French side, it is therefore the most famous city.

We will therefore go in search of the sources, in the city itself. Cachat refreshment bar, you will be able to see the water flowing from a fountain after crossing the mountains… At the same time, you will discover the old town with its spa town facades: in the style of the palaces of the Belle Epoque or villas that certainly have a thousand stories to tell. Palais Lumière, Villa Lumière, casino, theater, parks and gardens and finally, the port… Everything is done to stroll through the city which in the summer offers its best assets. For the more romantic, we can recommend a visit in autumn or winter, when the cold mists cover the lake and give the city, which has become silent again, a mysterious air.

A few kilometers to the East, just on the border with the Switzerland, we will be able to discover a strange village. Saint Gingolph. Half in Switzerland, and the other half in France. Only one church and one cemetery to share, but a real border post between the two parts of the village.

The hinterland ofEvian-les-Bains, offers very authentic mountain landscapes. The Val d'Abondance, up to Châtel, offers access to the Portes du Soleil ski area, and is dotted with very typical villages and hamlets with wooden chalets and pretty churches, all in a setting of pastures where the Abondance cows graze silently and lazily, whose milk is used to make the famous cheese.

But there is also the Pays Gavot, less well-known but just as beautiful, whose capital Bernex is dominated by the slender silhouette of the Dent d'Oche.

Finally, what feeling would you have to hurtle down ski slopes while admiring the blue of the Lake Geneva ? It is possible in a few minutes from Evian, at the station very close to Thollon les Mémises.

A crossing to Montreux or Lausanne could be a good opportunity to discover the Alps behind the city ofEvian. As you step back, the mountains gain height and the city seems very small under the Alpine immensity. You can also take a boat to get to the next stop: Thonon.

The ancient town of Thonon-les-Bains

AlpAddict in Thonon — The port of Thonon-les-Bains – Photo ©mimpki – stock.adobe.com

Thonon-les-Bains is the economic center of this region. Former capital of Chablais, it is in its museum that you can visit the history of this region.

The city centre and the river banks in the immediate vicinity just outside the city offer lovely walks and interesting historical visits, including the famous Ripaille castle, mentioned above.

The hinterland of Thonon-les-Bains offers access to the Dranse Valley, where you can discover the Devil's Bridge, the ruined abbey of Saint Jean d'Aulps and the village of Morzine and the resort of Avoriaz.

You can also stroll through the more “pre-Alpine” landscapes of the Green Valley which also house ski resorts including that of Habères.

Lake and mountain are intrinsically connected in this region, and you can very quickly go from a landscape of sunny walks by the lake, to snow-capped mountains where spring has not yet arrived...

In Yvoire, the castle on Lake Geneva on the French side.

AlpAddict in Yvoire — Yvoire on the shores of Lake Geneva – ©stephane – stock.adobe.com

Yvoire, one of the most beautiful villages in France, has not usurped its name. A small medieval gem, a small port, a medieval walled garden, all in an architectural unity that earns it millions of photos every year! We will never tire of the silhouette of the castle on the shores of Lake Geneva. On the French side, it is the counterpart of Chillon Castle, on the Swiss side.

Not far from there, you can relax on the most beautiful sandy beach in Lake Geneva, that ofExcevenex. On this site, very sunny and a little further from the mountains, you would almost think you were at the sea.

We know that a lake is even more beautiful when you can admire it from above.

If the Thollon les Mémises plateau offers a view of the Grand Bassin, you can admire the Petit Bassin (the narrower part of the lake just in front Geneva) from the summit of Mont Salève. From up there, the view sweeps over a good part of the mountains of Haute-Savoie and the Jura, including the Mont Blanc of course. Below, the lake, and at its more western end, the town of Geneva.

Coming down from Mont Salève, we will go for a walk in this town located in Switzerland, the discovery of which will be described in another article.