Cycling trip: Montée des Glières

Built out of ashlar stone, the building was finished in 1853 and is an important example of this period which can also be seen in other neighbouring town halls.One of engineer Imperatori's masterpieces, the building's neo-classical facade is patterned with four pilasters, the two central ones topped by a triangular pediment pierced by an oculus (currently the clock), all of it crowned by a pinnacle. Three doors with ashlar stone frames open into the hall, whilst the window of the formal reception room on the first floor is adorned with a cast iron balcon. Alternating stone and coloured render provide character to the facade. The entrance hall is home to three historic pieces: • The original bas-relief original (replaced by a copy) which decorated the pedestal of the Charles-Félix column (see “column” for details) • A drill which served to tunnel under the Mont Cenis for the railway, invented by Germain Sommeiller, an engineer from the Haute-Savoie (born in Saint Jeoire). • A stone that came from the Bastille when it was demolished. The patriot Palloy, entrepreneur-architect in charge of the prison’s demolition, gave it to the district of Cluses on the 1st January 1793. A plan of the fortress is framed and displayed above the stone. On the left of the town hall's rear door, you will notice a stained-glass window depicting the coat of arms of both Bonneville and Staufen, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the French-German twinning which dates back to 1963.

Come and see the grimacing masks and smiling angels on the baroque facade of the Maison des Têtes.The baroque-style Maison des Têtes was built in 1731 by a stone-mason/sculptor called Mr Chauplannaz. It was built to replace a building that dated from 1573, as the old lintel, serving as a doorstep, proves. This date is the oldest inscription in Bonneville. The facade was decorated by an emigrant from Bavaria, with the window surrounds featuring four comical masks (the grimacing grumbler, the forlorn one with a long nose, the angry face and the man with a lion's muzzle). The grimacing masks are in stark contrast to the attractive creatures on the second floor. Set in a black baroque-style frame, with elegant curves, are four young women, with carefully groomed hair, made-up faces and generous cleavages.

The bridge dates back to the town's origins, built from 1225 onwards. It was first built of wood, with supports on the islets of the river Arve to link the two banks.In 1661, the Regent Marie-Jeanne-Baptiste de Savoie-Nemours commissioned the building of a five-arch stone bridge. Between 1863 and 1866, it was replaced by the current bridge which was created by engineers, Deglin and Vivenot. It was named "Pont de l'Europe" to mark the visit to Bonneville of Valérie Giscard d’Estaing in 1989, during the European election campaign. Downstream, it is replicated by a second bridge, built in 2010, with irregular guy wires, the elegant silhouette of which has already become a feature of Bonneville's architectural heritage.

The column is one of the most popular monuments in Bonneville, an iconic structure in this capital of the Faucigny. The only monument of its type in the Savoie, it was built in 1826 to honour Charles-Félix, king of the States of Savoy.This construction followed his visit to Bonneville in 1824 and the grant he agreed for the containment of the river Arve. The column features a pedestal decorated with a bas-relief representing a chained Arve, with a Doric-style limestone column (19 m high) topped with a marble statue of the king, almost 3 m high, made by the Cacciatori brothers. Both artists were working on the restoration of the Abbaye de Hautecombe at the time. The bas-relief is a copy that was created in Savoie blue marble in 2012 by Béatrice Sassone Bouvet. It represents the embodiment of the river Arve, represented as a nymph clothed in classic-style robes, half lying in the reeds and held chained by her ankles and both arms. In the background, the mountain decor gives space for Charles-Félix's monogram at the centre of a wreath of oak and laurel leaves.

This site is a haven of peace with nature that is still pristine. What a surprise for the visitor who, having climbed the limestone escarpments, discovers this plateau, where grassy valleys alternate with rocky crests and conifer forests.At the heart of the Haute-Savoie region, this superb valley is made of limestone rock. It is situated in the Bornes Massif, between the mountains of Auges (1,800 m) and Frêtes, 29 km and 15 km away from La Roche-sur-Foron and Thorens-Glières respectively, and located in the communes of Petit-Bornand-les-Glières and Thorens-Glières. The pass is situated at an altitude of 1,440 m, the Plateau des Glières offers a number of activities. In fact, it is the key meeting place for passionate Nordic skiers in winter, and hikers in summer. In winter, snowshoeing is common, and a toboggan slope is set up each year children. Caving activity is also popular, with some fifteen cavities of over 150 metres deep identified on Les Frêtes. The deepest cavity of which we are currently aware on the Plateau des Glières is the Tanne à Paccot, also known as the "hole of the A2". Its estimated depth is around 400 metres. History lovers will be able to devote themselves to guided tours to discover - or supplement their knowledge of - the events that took place on the plateau during the Second World War that made it a centre of resistance. There is also a discovery trail, to learn while enjoying nature.