Most Beautiful Villages in France: what to do in Yvoire, the "Pearl of Lake Geneva"?

Located on the French side of Lake Geneva, between Geneva and Evian, Yvoire is a medieval town dating from the beginning of the 14th century. Its strategic position, between the "small lake" and the "large lake", encouraged Amédée V le Grand, Count of Savoy, to undertake fortification work as early as 1306, in the middle of the Delphinian-Savoyard conflict. The castle, ramparts, gates, ditches and medieval houses have been particularly well preserved from this period.

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If stone is king in Yvoire, classified as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France, the flowering of the village brings a palette of colours that varies according to the seasons.

Must-sees in Yvoire, one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France

• The Garden of the Five Senses, a remarkable garden in Yvoire

Located on a plot of land that was once the vegetable garden of the Château d'Yvoire, this garden, which has been awarded the "jardin remarquable" label, offers a highly enjoyable sensory walk. The first part of the garden includes several green spaces - an alpine meadow, echoing the surrounding Alps, an undergrowth decorated with shade plants, a Renaissance-inspired weaving and a cloister made of hornbeam, conducive to meditation.

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The lower part of the garden is actually a labyrinth of four gardens separated from each other by hedges of bower and apple trees. The special feature of these gardens is that each is dedicated to a sense, in this case sight, touch, taste and smell - hearing is represented by the murmur of water and birdsong. In total, 1,500 varieties of plants make up this garden inspired by medieval gardens.

• The castle of Yvoire

A true sentinel on Lake Geneva, the Château d'Yvoire is undoubtedly the most photographed building in Yvoire, due to its majestic silhouette. However, it is not possible to visit this castle, built from 1306 onwards and then renovated in the 20th century after a fire that ravaged it in 1591.

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• The Domaine de Rovorée-La Châtaignière

This 24-hectare natural area is one of the few public spaces accessible on the shores of Lake Geneva in France: everyone can discover an ancient forest with centuries-old chestnut trees, lakeshores with tufa caves and, above all, a splendid panorama of the lake.

Between April and October, free nature discovery activities are offered by the Department of Haute-Savoie and its partners, to discover the 350 species of flora, 87 species of birds, 29 species of butterflies and 13 species of bats that inhabit the area.

• La Grange à la Marie

Painter, illustrator, illuminator, sculptor or photographer: to discover the works of local and regional artists, head for this cultural space set up in a former 19th century agricultural unit. It is here that every summer (from the beginning of June to the end of September), local artistic personalities come to exhibit their work.

To discover in the vicinity of Yvoire

Very close to Yvoire, the village of Nernier (two kilometres away) is worth a visit! From the entrance of the village to the port and the castle, a romantic path pays tribute to the major romantic authors of the 19th century with frescoes and poems engraved in the stone. It is worth noting that some pages of the famous novel Frankenstein were written by the lake during a stay by Mary Shelley.

Go a little further and find, fifteen kilometres from Yvoire, the Allinges castles, a must-see site in the UNESCO Chablais World Geopark. Another nearby castle to see? The Château de Ripaille, an ancient manor house from the late 13th or early 14th century located in Thonon-les-Bains.

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Another escape option? Twenty minutes by boat is the charming town of Nyon, Switzerland, in the heart of the La Côte vineyards. From there, take a day or two to Geneva for breathtaking views of Mont Blanc and beyond.

The Most Beautiful Villages of France are also to be discovered in the GEO special edition currently on newsstands.

Find out more about Yvoire in the official guide Les Plus Beaux Villages de France!

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