Thonon les bains

The upper town is where most of the shops are to be found. From here there is a superb view of Lake Geneva, especially from the panoramic viewpoint. The "drop" down from the town centre to the lake and the old quarter of Rives is made via steep narrow paths or on the funicular train. Terraces shaded by plane trees, a long promenade along the shore.

In some areas of the port, there are still remains of the piles on which the homes of Thonon's lakeside resort were built. Prehistory has not left much behind but the lake was already there and for many years to come Thonon's past will remain closely linked with the that of Lake Geneva. Visit of the Ecomuseum of fishing and the lake Visit of the professional fishing village

This XVth Century castle was the residence of Amédée VIII, first Duke of Savoy and pope by the name of Felix V. François de Sales, made Ripaille the home of the Chartreux monks as early as 1623. Sold as a national asset during the Revolution, in 1892 the castle was fully restored by the Engel-Gros, a family of spinning mill owners from Alsace. Today the domain is owned by the Necker family and the Ripaille Foundation. Visit of The Arboretum.

Thonon mineral water, from the Versoie spring, is refreshing (it has a temperature of 13°c at its source), non-sparkling, clear and has a pleasant taste. On 22nd June 1864, the government declared the Versoie spring to be in the public interest and authorised its exploitation. This lead to the first spa centre being set up between 1886 and 1888. Two years later, Thonon took on the name of Thonon-les-Bains and became one of the most fashionable spa resorts of the Belle Epoque.

• The Chablais Museum

Located in the Château de Sonnaz, the Museum of Art and Popular Traditions is a small regional museum whose important reserves enable it to vary its presentations and to show a different aspect of the Chablais each year.

• La Tour des Langues (Tongue Tower)

It towers over the fishing port and gets its name from the tax that butchers came to pay here to the lords: for each slaughtered animal, one tongue.

• The frieze at the Castle of Bellegarde

Enter the courtyard to the courthouse via one of the former gates to Thonon, to the left of the town hall. This is where the Château de Bellegarde is. The courtroom is located in a half-timbered gallery decorated in high relief with saucy pictures by an unknown artist.

A day dedicated to sport activities : Rowing , Canoeing-kayak, Windsurfing , Underwater diving, Sailing

Lakefront houses and traditional housing - Whether you take the Bouvelard de la Corniche, the Quai de Ripaille, the Avenue de Corzent or even the Avenue de Genève, take a close look at the impressive houses along these main roads. The funicular railway - The journey is a short one but this unusual means of transport is well worth discovering.