ViaRhôna by bike - Stage 01 - St-Gingolph > Thonon

The Musée des Traditions et des Barques du Léman is located at the heart of the historic Saint-Gingolph village. It displays objects and documents concerning the barques from Lake Ge-neva and also reveals the village life and activities in the era when barques existed

The Dranse Delta nature reserve is one of the last natural areas on the shores of lake Geneva ans is home to many animals and plant species.Located between Thonon and Publier, the natural reserve of the Dranse Delta is one of the last natural areas on the shores of Lake Geneva where many animal and plant species live. This area is classified as a SPA (Special Protection Area) for its ecological and environmental values. The Asters association (conservatory of natural spaces of Haute Savoie) manages this natural reserve by ensuring its control, its surveillance and its valorization in the eyes of the population. Itinerary: at the end of the avenue de Saint-Disdille, take the road on your right. A landscaped parking area welcomes you a little further and a natural path leads you to the nature reserve. You enter a more forested area: below, it is an alluvial forest composed mainly of poplars and willows. It is the kingdom of the small passerines: titmice, chicken, warblers... Continue to the mouth of the Dranse and the edges of the lake. At random encounters, one can observe herons, goosander, common sandpiper, small gravelots... On the small beach behind the wetland, on the left, a tree is gnawed by the beaver, a nocturnal animal that frequents the site. The heavily dug paths are the remains of the arms of the Dranse river that used to flow here. Go back to the parking lot by the path... To discover alone all year long, or (better!), accompanied by a naturalist guide, in summer season (information at the Tourist Office of Thonon).

Historic, cultural and winemaking centre in Haute-Savoie, the Castle de Ripaille is also one of the biggest and most remarkable natural sites on the banks of Lake Geneva.By its grandeur, its charm, its memories, Ripaille is one of the most beautiful domains on the shores of Lake Geneva. In the Middle Ages, a semi-religious retreat of the first Duke of Savoy, Amédée VIII, in the 17th and 18th centuries, a Carthusian monastery, protected from the "century" by the high wall that still surrounds it today, in 1900 the property of a great industrialist and aesthete, Ripaille has always been a place where residents and visitors come to "recharge their batteries". The visit of the site of Ripaille plunges the visitor in the time of the counts of Savoy in the XIIIth century and evokes the reign of the first Duke of Savoy, the great Amédée VIII and the history of the Carthusian monks, owners of the domain from the XVIIth century until the French Revolution. This fresco ends with the fabulous architectural adventure of the 1900 Restoration when the dream of a great Alsatian industrialist made Ripaille a total work of art! Since this year, the dining room of the Engel-Gros family and the kitchen of the castle are refurnished and put back in function, come and discover this unique reconstitution of the daily life in the Belle Epoque! Beyond history, visiting Ripaille means discovering a preserved nature, an exceptional land and magnificent gardens between Dent d'Oche and Lake Geneva. Come for a visit, a professional or cultural event, a private party or to taste the Ripaille AOC wine produced on site. The Castle is the seat of a Foundation, created in 1976, which works for the conversation, the valorization and the animation of this monument. The preservation of the environment is at the center of its concerns. * The visit of Ripaille is for young and old, with: - The Amédée room dedicated to the presentation of medieval Savoyard civilization through the presentation of stained glass windows, numismatics, and original manuscripts. - The reconstitution of the old kitchen of the Château de Ripaille and the dining room of the Belle Epoque: kitchen utensils, original objects, tableware, come and discover the modernity of Ripaille with the automatic windows or the dumbwaiter linking the first floor to the second floor. - The film "Ripaille through time" in a specially dedicated projection room recounting the history of the Château de Ripaille. - The free visit of the castle: the castle can be visited freely from April to October and during school vacations, from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 6 pm (closing at 5 pm on Saturdays), with the help of a paper documentation and audio guides in French, English and German. - A special tour for children: spend a convivial moment with your family and follow Aymonet Corviaux, carpenter, architect and builder of Ripaille in 1434, through the maze of the castle. This tour will take you from the large terrace with a panoramic view of the lake, to the old cellars and medieval moats. - The "Workshops in a mess. Wednesdays at Ripaille": creative and educational workshops offered every Wednesday, according to the opening calendar of the Castle. - A temporary exhibition renewed every year. Guided tours provided by professional guides. Services include both the visit and the tasting or the visit, tasting and meal. Many formulas are possible. The Fondation Ripaille will study all requests by email visite@ripaille.fr or by phone 04 50 26 64 44.