Discovery tour: Le Plateau des Glières

Château de l'Echelle is a monument that has lived many lives.Built at the very beginning of the 13th century, it fulfilled its military role throughout the Middle Ages, before being modified in the 16th and 17th centuries for a long, more mundane and pleasant life, until 1973. After a brief stint as a scrap metal dealer, it has been owned by the town of La Roche-sur-Foron since 1982, and is a much-appreciated cultural center. As well as being regularly open for art exhibitions and cultural events, it is home to a learned society and its university library. The 4-hectare park, with its incredible views over the Arve Valley, is a popular public promenade for locals and visitors alike.

Do you fancy a short, easy walk in the snow, in your boots or with snow-shoes? We suggest the Boucle des Frêts! On the Plateau des Glières.Set off from the "Centre Nordique" in the direction of "Chez Merlin" and then follow the direction of Chez Régina", the itinerary should go on your right. Some meters after the restaurant Chez Merlin, you must take a return itinerary in direction of the Chalet Sonnerat ( the old infirmary) and then you will go to the monument and you must stop to the historic information office. Flat itinerary with a change in altitude of 200 m uphill - 1 1/2 hrs.

National Monument to the Resistance. At the end of the 1960s, as plans for the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Maquis des Glières were being put forward, the idea developed amongst the survivors that it was becoming important"to do something appropriate to mark the event". Selected following a national competition judged by a jury made up of 5 survivors from Glières and 4 personalities chosen because of their knowledge of the art world (such as the chief conservator of Paris' Modern Art Musuem, Bernard Dorival, and the painter Hans Hartung), the National Monument to the Resistance was inaugurated on 2nd September 1973 by André Malraux. The dimensions of the monument are impressive,measuring 15.20 meters high, 4 meters wide and 21 meters long and weighing 65 tonnes. It is not a monument to the dead, but rather a symbol of hope. Its creator, Emile Gilioli (1911-1977), wanted to create a architectural sculpture that expresses the commitment of Glières' fighters and remains in harmony with the surrounding mountains which lengthen it further by their ridge lines. The monument soars like a V of the victory. One of the two arrows shoots up towards the sky as a sign of hope. From the monument comes a solar disc symbolising rebirth and liberty. Its surprising balance reminds us that liberty, always under threat, constantly needs to be secured. The other arrow looks as if it has been snapped off, representing the fact that all victories bring struggles, suffering and death. The monument was conceived as a whole, with the mast and the Pleureuses (mourners) marking the entrance to this site. The interior of the monument was planned as a sacred space; it displays various works that invite viewers to contemplate and reflect. Here you will find the Bataillon's slogan together with a text engraved in the concrete, recalling the fighting at Glières and a drawing showing a tracery of lines representing war. In the back there is a shining statue in the shape of a flame; it also points an arm towards the sky, whilst the other, like the statue, is truncated. The head of the statue is marked by the cross of Christ. It represents Joan of Arc and was offered by Gilioli who had originally made it for the city of Florence. It was the sculptor's aim to bring the concepts of Joan of Arc and the fighters of Glières together to evoke the idea of a resilient France.

A bridge dating from 1839, representing the industrial engineering know-how of the period. The bridge has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1966. It is also one of the 25 emblematic tourist sites in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.The idea of building a suspension bridge was approved in 1834 by King Charles-Albert, Duke of Savoy, who gave his name to the structure. 180m long and 147m high, the bridge is now entirely pedestrianized. Historically, crossing the gorges of the river Usses was difficult and dangerus. From the 18th century, the introdution of a new era of the appeasement of a dispute between the Calvinist Republic of Geneva and the Catholic Duchy of Savoy revitalised the Annecy - Geneva route, requiring a definite need for a suspention bridge. Savoy was under the authority of the House of Savoy, but it was engineers from the French Ponts et Chaussée establishment of engeneering that were retained, M. Belin and M. Lehaitre. Work began on March 10, 1838 and would last 16 months.

Sur votre route entre Annecy et Genève venez faire une pause gourmande sur le site des Ponts de la Caille est profiter le l'aire de pique-nique avec ses installations : tables et bancs, bains de soleils, sentier de promenades...Pendant les travaux sur le site des Ponts de la Caille, l'accès à l'aire de pique-nique n'est plus autorisés.

France's 8th largest theme park, the Grand Parc d'Andilly welcomes you with its four universes that punctuate the year.Discover the different worlds of the Grand Parc d'Andilly, designed and run by the Petit Pays association. - Les Grandes Médiévales d'Andilly, a 5-day festival in the heart of the Middle Ages in spring. - The Grand Parc d'Andilly in summer - Le Hameau du Père Noël open from spring to early winter. -Le Grand Parc in winter

All year round, discover the home of Santa Claus and his elves, Mother Christmas and the Attic with its sandman. A marvellous world offering a variety of activities depending on the season, but always at the heart of the magic of Christmas.It's in the Savoy region of France that Santa Claus has made his home, and opens the doors of his dwelling to you. You'll plunge into his daily life as you visit his workshop, his kitchen, his bedroom... all places that have been kept secret until now, and which will be revealed before your very eyes... A little further on, push open the door of the Maison des Mères Noël to discover their very feminine world. They'll then invite you to come and listen to one of their wonderful stories by the fire in the storytelling house in the garden. Finally, the Marchand de Sable, guardian of the splendid attic, will encourage children who are old enough to give up their pacifier forever by placing it on the giant luminous Christmas tree. To prolong the magic a little longer, the crêperie and souvenir store await you. Open at different times of the year, don't hesitate to check the opening times and seasonal activities. Santa Claus, Mothers Claus and the Sandman will be there every time you visit, to meet you and tell you their many anecdotes.