Fietsroute: Col de Solaison

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.

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.

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.

The current church was rebuilt between 1837 and 1887, on the base of an older church. Its most distinctive feature is the fact that its chancel faces west and not east, as is usual.Members of the local congregation wanted to organise themselves into a fully religious community, with their own sanctuary for celebrating mass... a long process which led to the building of this church.

This sunny alpine pastureland, which hangs over the village of Brison stretches between the Pointe d'Andey and the Leschaux rocks. Above Brison, the Plateau de Solaison has alpine pastureland in summer and ski trails in the winter, in a protected natural setting.Already in the 19th century, tourists frequented the Solaison site. Every weekend, many of them still come from the valley below to gain a bit of altitude and enjoy the fresh air... There are about 50 alpine chalets dotted around, most of them residential and proof of na alpine grazing tradition. The chalets were once directly linked to Brison's farming life and alpine farmers. There are several information panels describing the flora, geology and pastureland that covers the plateau. The Plateau de Solaison is situated at an altitude of 1500 m, with wide untouched spaces amidst an unspoiled natural environment. Both in winter and summer, Solaison offers a wide range of activities. In the winter, there is cross-country skiing, ski touring, snow-shoeing and sledging. In the summer, hiking, mountain biking, climbing on the adventure trail, paragliding. Enough to satisfy everyone! Solaison also boasts amazing fauna and flora, the colours and smells of which will scent your country walks. From the plateau, you can climb up to the Pointe d'Andey from where you get a magnificent panoramic view over the valley.