Monday (May 5) for more than 3,200 seats on city councils Discover how Paris 2024 became the most media-covered Olympic Games in history See how the Olympic Games’ communications team supported by Wiztrust’s tailored PR platform overcame complex challenges-from synchronizing teams and managing thousands of journalists to ensuring top-level security Learn how innovative digital tools and expert support enabled Paris 2024 to achieve record-breaking visibility and flawless brand protection Download the full Paris 2024 Success Case now and get inspired by the strategies behind this record-breaking achievement For further information and other cases please visit Wiztrust.com protect your company and its directors from disinformation and adopt the “trust mark” of the market leaders plan campaigns targeting your audiences through all channels (e-mail social media) and organise your activities and events improve results by exploiting your data's true depth Discover the best way to manage your PR & Marketing efficiently: Wiztrust is THE integrated communication platform for corporate professionals Prioritise your activities thanks to a clearer view on your assets Manage your communication thanks to a collaborative platform for you and your team Certify your corporate communication thanks to our blockchain-backed technology Save your team and yourself some precious time Learn more about Wiztrust in our case study Morzine is part of the larger Portes du Soleil ski area Morzine and its neighbouring villages benefit from having free regular local shuttle buses and a little tourist train that serves the centre and stops at the major ski lifts Morzine has a network of 10 free village shuttles that connect the different areas in town Generally during winter the buses run every 30 minutes starting from 08:30 There's also a bus linking Morzine centre with the Prodains Express cable car that goes up to Avoriaz and a 'Petit Train' service from the Pléney to the Super Morzine lift Les Gets has its own free shuttle service around the village Les Gets also has a door-to-door night shuttle service operating from 19:30 to 23:30 every night during the winter (from the third week of December to the second week of April) but reservations are required in advance between 18:30 and 22:30 The Balad'Aulps buses run along the Aulps valley NB: These timetables may vary throughout the year and during holidays, contact the transport companies in advance to avoid disappointment there is a direct bus service from Geneva bus station to Morzine on a Saturday  On other days of the week it takes around one hour from Geneva train station to the closest main town Thonon-les-Bains (line 271) and then a further hour or so from Thonon to Morzine by bus (Y91) For more information on the best transport options from the airport see our getting here guide NB: These timetables may vary throughout the year and during holidays contact the transport companies in advance to avoid disappointment Les Gets and Avoriaz are connected to the nearest train stations thanks to a couple of bus services that run throughout the year SeeMorzine.com is a SeeTheWorld destination Be vigilant ! Increase in attempts to impersonate Eiffage and its subsidiaries (use of fake email addresses, fraudulent websites, etc.). More details here. Inventing the future with a human perspective means continuing to grow while staying true to who we are Maintain our balance between construction and concessions businesses  Eiffage puts at your disposal tools to facilitate your exchanges with the group Find here all the news Eiffage Group and stay connected on our application and networks The French Ministry for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion announced today that the Eiffage-led consortium with APRR had been selected to enter exclusive negotiations on the motorway between Machilly and Thonon-les-Bains located in the Haute-Savoie department build and operate approximately 16 km of 2 times 2 lanes motorway linking Machilly and Thonon-les-Bains (A412) together with the development of public transport services is part of the plan to open up the Chablais region It will serve and open up the area south of Thonon-les-Bains starting from the Annemasse‑Geneva conurbation and the A40 motorway improving links between the region’s major attractions by making journey times shorter and more predictable This 55-year concession will not receive any subsidies from French government or the Haute‑Savoie department the winning bid from the prospective concession operator includes a pricing policy designed to encourage local travellers to use the new motorway Eiffage is determined to create resilient and sustainable infrastructure that will create value for Chablais and its inhabitants and will draw on its expertise in responsible regional development going beyond regulatory requirements to ensure the environmentally sound implementation of this ambitious project This approach will promote and support agricultural production in the Chablais area as part of a conscious policy of biodiversity protection and the restoration of ecosystem services The infrastructure is designed to anticipate and address new climate constraints incorporating innovative low-carbon construction methods from the design phase onward It is also supporting the development of complementary alternative modes of transport with the creation of a cycle route running the whole length of the motorway and the installation of carpool parking areas equipped with electric vehicle charging points Operation of the motorway will benefit from the Group’s experience and strong local roots in Haute‑Savoie where it already operates the AREA and ADELAC concessions read the press release Colossal Garel’s sculptures portray creatures threatened by overhunting displaying them on the wall or atop metal rods like trophies He works with the wood’s natural grain allowing the whorls and knots to emphasize musculature Part of a commissioned series for a public installation in Thonon-les-Bains Garel explores the theme of mountain animals drawing attention to the needless impulse to hunt for sport bronze casts of the pieces shown currently at Galerie LJ will be installed in a large wall fountain Dans la Forêt Lontaine continues through November 23 in Paris. Find more of Garel’s work on Instagram Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now Join more than 200,000 subscribers and get the best of art and visual culture from Colossal Copyright © 2025 Colossal. See our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy including Lake Annecy (Credit: Getty Images)Italy's northern lakes like Como Garda and Maggiore may shine on social media equally picturesque but with an understated elegance offer a refreshing – and less crowded – alternative When my sister suggested Lake Como for a 40th birthday trip together the photos on social media of shimmering waters glamorous villas and lakeside espressos are seductive but the volume of these images also belies an unfortunate reality: Italy's northern lakes are inundated with tourists where could we go in Europe to experience the same charm minus the cafe queues and lakefront crowds But what brings this region even closer to my sister's Italian lake fantasy is that Annecy isn't the only body of water around the Alps have birthed four sparkling lakes – Leman Aiguebelette – each with enchanting towns and trails dotting the perimeter I knew I was on to something but would need to speak to locals to know for sure "I love swimming in these lakes. I think swimming in that mountain water is absolutely spectacular," said Richard Hoskisson on the phone, sending me into a reverie of floating under a bright summer sun, deeply inhaling that clean mountain air. Hoskisson is a travel expert living in the south of France who frequently visits his sister on Lake Leman Annecy's neighbour to the north (known to the Swiss as Lake Geneva) "The water is just this blue that I haven't seen in Como or Garda It's just wonderful to swim in." Speaking to Hoskisson and others convinced me to expand our trip beyond Annecy to include Leman and Bourget The easiest point of entry to the region is Switzerland's Geneva International Airport and crossing the checkpoints at the border is fuss-free "When you are crossing the borders between Switzerland and France there are [usually] no checks," Hoskisson explained "You basically just drive along the road and all of a sudden you're in another country." which opened in 1902 as a spa and now serves as an exhibition and cultural centre with a major historical archive Michelin-starred restaurant housed in a charming 17th Century mill amid pine-forested peaks chef Frédéric Molina and his wife Irene Gordejuela serve up some seriously authentic regional flavours derived from a deep commitment to hyper-local sourcing – think pasta with fresh goat cheese fish sourced straight from Leman and a wild strawberry dessert longing look over Leman as my sister and I mapped our route ahead a lookalike of Wes Anderson's Grand Budapest Hotel "We call this region 'the Riviera of the Alps' because the definition of a riviera is a mountain that falls into water as is the case on the Italian Riviera," said Lorène Belotti • A French culinary icon's guide to Paris' restaurants • A new chance to hike Europe's ancient salt route • California's spectacular alternative to Yosemite Belotti recommends something called "packrafting" to explore Bourget "It's an inflatable kayak that fits into a backpack so you can mix hiking on the wild coast of the lake and kayaking on the water after enjoying a picnic in a cove… a dream!" These lakes share similarities with Lake Como or Lake Maggiore but [they have] a more sporty and active dimension – Carole Cailloux"What I love the most (about this region) is you can be as active as you want," added Mohd even paragliding – or simply relax and stroll the small towns." It's a sentiment also shared by Cailloux "These lakes share similarities with Lake Como or Lake Maggiore but [they have] a more sporty and active dimension," she said it's this combination of natural beauty and opportunities for adventure that makes Cailloux fall in love with the region every day Perhaps it's their proximity to the major fashion metropolis of Milan but there is something inherently showy about the Italian lakes as if they were destined for the Instagram spotlight Annecy and Bourget through the eyes of locals conveyed the same understated elegance that the French are so famous for They're the lower-maintenance complement to Italy's flashy opulence my sister and I are packing our bags for eastern France where else in this world have we overlooked in favour of the overly documented destinations in our feeds If you liked this story, sign up for The Essential List newsletter – a handpicked selection of features For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. 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The Paralympic Torch has arrived in France, ahead of the start of the Paris 2024 Paralympics. One day after the lighting ceremony in Stoke Mandeville the torch made its way through the Channel Tunnel getting the ball rolling on a new fortnight of celebration across France The Paralympic Torch set out from the English port town of Folkestone and dipped into the Channel Tunnel escorted by a guard of honour featuring 24 British torchbearers Hélène Raynsford and Gregor Ewan, who had lit the flame in Stoke Mandeville the day before, passed the torch to the captain of this team relay, Andrew Small, a Tokyo 2020 Paralympic champion Joining him on this undersea leg were the Para judoka Ian Rose and the Para canoeist Ian Marsden a bronze medallist in wheelchair fencing at Athens 2004 extracted the torch from its bespoke Louis Vuitton case for a torch kiss representing the ties of friendship that bind the two countries the torch hugged the Mediterranean coast in Antibes Juan-les-Pins as well as Place de la Comédie in Montpellier and the pilgrimage town of Lourdes the torches energised Place Napoléon in La-Roche-sur-Yon the harbour of Lorient in Morbihan and the shores of Saint-Malo in Ille-et-Vilaine The town of Thonon-les-Bains sits beside Lake Geneva It finds itself situated in the Haute-Savoie department of the Rhône-Alpes region in eastern France Once upon a time it was the historical capital of Chablais It is a part of the world which is built on water and rock Driving along the relatively sleepy Avenue du General de Gaulle the Stade Joseph-Moynat announces itself by surprise A towering floodlight pylon appears almost from nowhere set back from the road by around 20 yards or so It sits behind a set of double gates which could easily pass for the entrance to a builders’ yard or a transport depot A signpost for the stadium is partially covered by the sprawling arms of an overhanging tree The Stade Joseph-Moynat is a multi-sport municipal stadium who compete in the top division of the French Domestic American Football league The Joseph-Moynat was also the birthplace of Evian Thonon Gaillard FC Evian was arguably a football club of convenience It was also a football club which rapidly ascended to the promised land of Ligue 1 A 2003 merger between two long-running rivals Promotion from the regionalised fourth divisions of the French football pyramid came swiftly the new venture had suffered a serious setback with relegation befalling the club with one eye on the larger stadium on offer in Thonon Football Croix-de-Savoie 74 absorbed another local rival initially going by the name of Olympique Croix-de-Savoie 74 left the town of Gaillard behind for its new home in Thonon; the Stade Joseph-Moynat The 2007/08 season brought immediate success albeit within the more unusual four points for a win two for a draw and one for a loss environment Olympique Croix-de-Savoie 74 swept to promotion back to the Championnat National An affluent part of France, the Rhône-Alpes had long been a barren land when it came to top-level professional football. A part of the country which has always been geared up for winter sports, football had – much like in the French Basque region – passed it by somewhat Read  |  The French Basque Country: a rugby heartland with world-class footballers A season of consolidation followed their 2008 promotion with an admirable fifth-place finish before another even more seismic alteration to the club took place In the summer of 2009 the owners of the Evian water empire With not inconsiderable financial backing a new dawn arrived along with another change of name to reflect their new association Evian Thonon Gaillard FC (ETG) came into being The 2009-10 campaign saw ETG crowned as champions of the Championnat National three-down system ETG finished a massive 22 points ahead of fourth place Promotion to Ligue 2 was won with multiple games to spare and the title was clinched ahead of the legendary Stade de Reims With the Stade Joseph-Moynat deemed unsuitable for the upper professional leagues yet another move of ground had to take place The new destination ETG were to head for was wide open to debate and conjecture Hostility and rancour would also be stirred by the club’s requirements for yet another new home With no suitable stadium in either Evian or Thonon Trotignon’s favoured ‘elsewhere’ was over the Swiss border in Geneva With Geneva just 22 miles from Thonon – despite being in an entirely different country – it is the closest and most accessible big city however the concept of moving a second-tier French club into a major city in Switzerland brought an avalanche of problems with it the fallen megalith of domestic Swiss football The 17 times champions had themselves befallen bankruptcy in 2005 and been forced to regroup in the third level of their domestic league pyramid Servette were still in a state of precarious recovery While they had won promotion back to the second tier and were steadily building a side that could challenge for a return to the top flight there were also concerning signs that financially the club was once again in peril An upwardly mobile French football club with the backing of Danone was the last thing Servette needed to be sharing a home with Read  |  The last of the ultras: Paris Saint-Germain and the repression of football fans in France Should ETG have arrived in Geneva and should they have achieved their goal of Ligue 1 football thus bringing the likes of Paris Saint-Germain Marseille and Monaco to the city for high-profile French league fixtures then Servette FC would have been quite entitled to have feared the worst over their future The French Football Federation duly approved the move ETG petitioned the Geneva State Council without much in the way of resistance and even the owners of the Stade de Geneve elected to refute Servette’s suggestions that sharing the stadium would bring issues such as pitch damage and fixture clashes The city of Geneva seemed to be willing to welcome ETG with open arms UEFA remained as the final – and rather large – hurdle for ETG to clear UEFA’s 17-strong executive committee deliberated and subsequently denied ETG in their quest to relocate to Geneva The club instead moved to the Parc des Sports in Annecy – another multi-sport stadium even further away than Geneva situated over 50 miles away from Evian by road If ETG’s problems in finding a suitable home had reached the ridiculous then their on-pitch efforts had achieved the sublime the Honorary President of the club since 2009 as with success came the fight for control The civil war behind the scenes took a further two years to play out During that time ETG continued to draw attention to their on-pitch achievements A ninth-place finish in their debut Ligue 1 campaign in 2011/12 inclusive of finishing one position higher than Marseille was followed in 2012/13 by a run in the Coupe de France which took the club all the way to the final itself before succumbing to a last-minute winner in 3-2 defeat Evian’s story was remarkable: just four years beyond promotion from the amateur fourth divisions to a near miss in the final of the Coupe de France with top-flight football being obtained within half that time ETG had travelled literally and figuratively via Thonon Annecy and a flirtation with Geneva to national prominence and global notoriety ETG seemed to be blessed with a blank canvas and a clear horizon Order  |  France That blank canvas might still have been transformed into something longer lasting Before 2013 had drawn to a close Trotignon had stepped down as chairman and Riboud’s efforts to gain greater control of the club had been met with a door being slammed in his face With Esfandiar Bhaktiar and Tumbach Richard having ownership of 52 percent of the club making them the combined majority shareholders Riboud was blocked in his attempts to gain a greater foothold in his attempts to conquer ETG he was willing to fund ETG further than the estimated €30 million a year Danone were rumoured to be bankrolling them either felt that they were protecting the club from big business influence or holding out for a bigger pay-day in an era of billionaire buy-outs of French football clubs In the wake of Trotignon’s departure as chairman Riboud and Danone withdrew from ETG in 2014 while the commitment to the youth programme remained in place to an agreement of 2017 Within a year ETG slipped to relegation from Ligue 1 as 2014/15 saw them return to Ligue 2 after a four-season stay in the top division The wheels then systematically fell off and a second successive relegation was suffered in May this year ETG’s descent was as swift and dramatic as its rise Administrative penalties saw a further relegation back the amateur ranks of the regionalised fourth divisions All of this just 12 months after kicking their last top-flight ball in anger Rumours of Danone and Riboud returning as a saviour of the club amounted to nothing and a statement of a lack of intent soon followed Despite being given a two-month probation period with which to save itself ETG announced that its senior side would not be competing in the 2016/17 season From Ligue 1 to oblivion in one calamitous year ETG continue to live on in the form of their youth side and an affiliated women’s team The best case scenario is a reformation of one of the previous incarnations of the side the thinning remnants of the club appear to be on borrowed time A daggers-drawn effect between warring factors over the control of ETG brought about its eventual downfall but they had scaled some unimaginable heights by reaching Ligue 1 and a Coupe de France final A barren land in footballing terms was brought to life for a short period of time and they almost took themselves over the border and into Switzerland yet they never played in the town with star-billing within its name Something that appeared in the corner of your eye but then vanished a soon as you saw it By Steven Scragg @Scraggy_74 Mention Savoy, and the first thing to spring to mind, unless it’s a smart hotel in London, is likely to be the Alps – Mont Blanc in particular. Where there are mountains If you run a fingertip from top right to bottom left on a map the four main lakes are Geneva (or Léman) it would soon arrive in the city of Grenoble Mathieu Richer MamousseTogether, the lakes make an excellent set of coordinates for the would-be explorer, especially in spring and summer – not least because they direct the gaze not so much up and down as outwards and across: a landscape axis rather than portrait Lake BourgetMathieu Richer MamousseSavoy has an uncommonly complicated history: coveted and contested haggled over and passed around; first a county eventually a kingdom and nowadays a mere region Following its annexation by France in 1860 or administrative districts: Savoie and Haute-Savoie Referring to them both at once as Savoy is a slight simplification Mathieu Richer MamousseGardens at Château BrachetMathieu Richer MamousseI started my journey around the four lakes in Evian-les-Bains on the southern shore of Lake Geneva a Savoyarde with the face of a silent-movie star and the volubility of Eddie Murphy What struck me about Evian was the extent to which the place lives up to its own billing – as a prosperous spa town of the belle époque that subsequently became an even more prosperous spa town The old town around the cathedral remains dense and atmospheric arcades and townhouses divided by canals and the River Thiou An impression of cleanliness, order and rude good health prevailed. The grassy squares were as beautifully mown, the hedges as beautifully clipped and the flowerbeds as beautifully tended as their equivalents in any of the towns on the opposite – that is to say, the Swiss – side of the lake I stood in the shade of a pair of weeping sequoias and gazed into water so still and clear I couldn’t tell if there was anything there at all If I had encountered such curiosities anywhere else I might have wondered whether the water had been spiked It takes on a different character depending on the point of view flourished in the late 16th century as a centre of the Catholic Counter-Reformation It gained further eminence when Bishop – ultimately Saint – Francis de Sales Le Jardin des Cinq Sens in YvoireMathieu Richer MamousseThe hotel’s terraceMathieu Richer MamousseLake Annecy has many moods It takes on a different character depending on the point of view – and for me there is none better than that from the village of Talloires who spent several weeks in Talloires in 1896 paid it a backhanded – and by his standards generous – compliment when he griped that it was all a bit too lovely for his taste Yet he captured its loveliness to perfection in his ravishing It shows the view from the bay of Talloires across the lake towards the Château de Ruphy on the far shore What I admire about the painting is the way it registers not only the physical beauty of the place but also its faintly unsettling quality – a consequence the contours of the waterline and the resulting combination of dazzling light and deep shadows Sunset on Lake Annecy in TalloiresMathieu Richer MamousseOnwards, on the same southwesterly trajectory from Annecy, to Aix-les-Bains on Lake Bourget. Aix is Evian on its uppers – Evian minus the Evian, as it were. Shabbily genteel, it has fallen drastically since its heyday, when Queen Victoria, Empress Sisi and Dom Pedro II of Brazil mingled with the high rollers The once-famous hotels have been converted into apartment buildings; the casino its acres of stained glass and mosaics out- shone by row upon row of gaudily flashing one-armed bandits Its proximity to Italy might account for its easygoing the cool kids with ironic beards and tight leather trousers sipping interesting drinks beneath fine Italianate arches so my expectations had naturally been raised sky-high in the days before we arrived the town is convenient to both Bourget and Aiguebelette I was embarrassed to admit that I’d never been there before and couldn’t really explain why not since it’s so close to other places in the Alps I’ve visited many times Chambéry was one of the great crossroads of Western Europe unavoidable if you wished to travel any distance in this part of the continent – a fact we’re apt to forget in an age when enormous mountains pose no obstacle to free movement or are indeed the very points to which we wish to move freely Lake swimming at YvoireMathieu Richer MamousseIn the end, it was love at first sight. Chambéry had about it a youthful energy and buzz that I didn’t find elsewhere. Its proximity to Italy might account for its easygoing Residential building in the former Hôtel Splendide, Aix-les-BainsMathieu Richer MamousseDecorative ceiling at the Casino Grand Cercle Aix-les-BainsMathieu Richer MamousseAlthough superseded as the Savoyard capital by Turin in 1562 Chambéry remained for centuries a crucial strategic the historical heart of the city was so dreadfully run-down that there was serious talk of razing it and starting again Wandering those enchanted and now beautifully preserved streets I found it difficult to imagine such desperation Mathieu Richer MamousseIn a wooded valley on the edge of Chambéry is Les Charmettes the house where the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau lived with his mentor and lover It’s an unpretentious two­storey stone building dignified by a pagoda­like roof and tendrils of winter jasmine that curl luxuriantly around the window shutters The grounds include a compact but idyllic formal garden with marvellous views of the Alps – no wonder they adored it Rousseau never lost sight of Madame de Warens’ importance to him He wrote of the years they spent at Les Charmettes as the happiest of his life Céline and I were the only visitors in the house but we were accompanied by a guide who managed to sum up the messy combination of sex religion and only partially compatible personalities that defined the Rousseau­Warens relationship with sympathy and tact when she observed: “He was a terrible drama queen – but had a tragic childhood Lake Annecy in Talloires at dawnMathieu Richer MamousseThe house’s sparsely furnished rooms echo the passions of its former inhabitants Knowing a little about the couple no doubt helps but I couldn’t help thinking that even those who’d never heard of Rousseau or Madame de Warens might nevertheless become aware of and moved by those currents of deep feeling silent majesty it was as representative of the splendour of the region as Mont Blanc itself is the smallest of the four Savoyard lakes fringed with reeds and practically walled in along its eastern shore by a sheer ridge Aiguebelette has none of the scale and opulence of Lake Geneva the raffish glamour of Bourget or the castle­adjacent grandeur of Annecy its shores dotted with weather­worn boathouse the image that lingers most vividly in my mind’s eye glimpsed from the car park of a modest hotel where Céline and I had lunch on my last afternoon in Savoy forested hillside were mirrored in the emerald-bright surface of the water: one unimprovably beautiful image of nature superimposed upon another View of Lake Annecy from Abbaye de Talloires hotelMathieu Richer MamousseThe best hotels in SavoyHôtel RoyalFew grand hotels lord it over a town quite like the Hôtel Royal located on 47 wooded acres directly above Evian-les-Bains You can imagine it sliding down the hillside into Lake Geneva with a great whoosh and splash – cue wild cheers and the popping of champagne corks – before steaming off into the sunset A more modest alternative is Villa Cécile in the nearby village of Yvoire a place of exceptional quaintness with one of the loveliest gardens not only in Savoy but in all of France: Le Jardin des Cinq Sens Lake Annecy seen from Auberge du Père BiseMathieu Richer MamousseAbbaye de Talloires and Auberge du Père BiseTiny Talloires has not one but two world-famous hotels: former monastery Abbaye de Talloires and beloved of Brigitte Bardot and Jean-Paul Sartre (presumably not simultaneously) Abbaye de Talloires: doubles from about £125 Auberge du Père Bise: doubles from about £250 was the home of one of Aix’s most influential belle époque figures It’s been impeccably converted into a small hotel of immense charm with what must be the best croquet lawn in the region Contemporary minimalist boutique chic has arrived in the old town of Chambéry in the moody monochromatic form of Petit Hôtel Confidentiel candyfloss at Lake AnnecyMathieu Richer MamousseWhere to eat in SavoyLa VerniazOn a warm afternoon in Evian-les-Bains there is no more agreeable setting for lunch than the leafy courtyard of La Verniaz Address: 1404 Avenue du Léman – Neuvecelle 74500 Evian-les-BainsWebsite: verniaz.com Bedroom at Château BrachetMathieu Richer MamousseAbbaye / AubergeAbbaye de Talloires and Auberge du Père Bise are not only brilliant places to stay in Talloires but also have brilliant restaurants not so much for its two Michelin stars as for its unbuttoned elegance its position on the water and the lightness of touch coming from proprietors Jean and Magali Sulpice who previously ran the game-changing Restaurant Jean Sulpice at 7,545 feet in Val Thorens Mathieu Richer MamousseFolieThe most impressively experimental cooking I encountered on my trip was at Folie in Chambéry Chef Shasitharan Manogeran applies his Malaysian sensibility – along with a great deal of papaya ginger and lemongrass – to Savoyard classics Address: Restaurant Folie, 23 rue Bonivard, 73000 Chambéry, SavoieWebsite: restaurant-folie.com La Villa Ginette became an instant favourite thanks to the knockout view from its car park Address: HR64+2Q, 73610 Aiguebelette-le-LacWebsite: villa-ginette.fr You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed interiors designed meticulously by artist and owner marc dentand seamlessly blend with the scheme by architects michael widrig and daniel kaufma. the home steps out of many artistic boxes combining the best of two creative professions to create a project that is both functional as architecture just like a painting by picasso or van gogh, this sophisticated contemporary masterpiece is being auctioned off you’ll have a chance to contend to be its owner it has been valued at 5.5 million euro — for the price you get a home an artistic creation and a lifestyle. bidders have the opportunity to become part of the rich history of thonon-les-bains louis lumiére made one of the first moving pictures and various castles are spread across the region the house possesses a charm derived from nature that is further embellished by the vision of marc dentand as a beautiful landscape is rendered by the stroke of a paintbrush, dentand weaves in artistic touches — from sculpture to photography — curating an experience of luxury.  offering breathtaking views of the silver and blue water from a massive living room window. this space has high ceilings clad with wood and adopts some design features from a boathouse the 9 meter ceilings have a similarity to a cathedral sliding glass doors let pools of natural light into this just three materials where used in the design of the home: larch thus creating a consistency and a sort of architectural and artistic theme this restriction of only three elements also offered architects michael widrig and daniel kaufman a challenge — one that the team readily accepted they responded with a unique and fascinating plan that inspires subtlety with the chance discovery of beauty around every corner each aspect of the home’s construction and design has the intention and poetry of art the home frames both its own beautiful details next to vistas of nature but at others — like summer — the orange patina of the metal seems exuberant AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style Some are necessary and we can’t switch them off Others help us to provide you with the best possible service We use cookies to personalise content and ads to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic We also share anonymous information about your use of our site with our social media By accepting cookies you will be helping us to continue to provide you with the best possible service in collaboration with concessions specialist APRR has been selected for exclusive negotiations by the French government on the development of the motorway in the Haute-Savoie region The proposed project – being developed under the auspices of France’s Ministry for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion – calls for the design construction and operation of approximately 16km of two-lane motorway (A412) between Machilly and Thonon-les-Bains The development also includes plans for improved public transport services aiming to serve the southern region of Thonon-les-Bains extending from the Annemasse-Geneva conurbation and the A40 motorway The consortium’s winning bid secures a 55-year concession without financial assistance from the French government or the Haute-Savoie department Eiffage said the infrastructure will be designed to anticipate and address new climate constraints incorporating innovative low-carbon construction methods from the project’s inception To encourage alternative modes of transport the development plan includes a cycle route running the entire length of the motorway and the installation of carpool parking areas equipped with electric vehicle charging points Off Highway Research - Market research Unique marketing services that create demand for your products locally Marketing Services Download Media Kits A brutal mountain stage at the 1955 Tour is where a young Charly Gaul announces his arrival to the world Stage 8 will take the race over the Aravis before a long descent via the Lauteret into Briançon All eyes are on the strong France team, in particular Louison Bobet as the 108 riders remaining in the race roll out of town for the 253km stage Bobet is the two-time defending champion and has won in Briançon for the past two years Today the Tour veteran is currently lying ninth nearly 14 minutes behind race leader Wim Van Est but he has become synonymous with the Alpine town and while today’s route won’t take him over his beloved Col d’Izoard this should be the day he seizes the initiative Also rolling out from Thonon-les-Bains is Luxembourg’s Charly Gaul The 23-year-old is riding just his third Tour having turned professional in 1953 He abandoned on Stage 6 in his debut year and didn’t make it past the opening day in 1954 Gaul has long been talked up in his home country as a possible future Tour contender and has already claimed podium places at the Worlds and at the Dauphiné despite his relative youth he doesn’t have the might of a strong team behind him and has yet to trouble the top 10 of a Tour stage finish or create anything memorable on cycling’s grandest stage Gaul is at the head of the race as the riders approach the first categorised climb of the day and on the slopes of the Aravis only the Netherlands’ Jan Nolten can stay with the pace being dished out by the Luxembourger and by the time they reach the Télégraphe the Dutchman can resist no more the scene set for him to announce himself once and for all as a true Tour contender By the time he crosses the summit of the Télégraphe and starts the short descent to Valloire his lead is over five minutes Gaul’s every pedal stroke is now being followed by journalists and photographers perched on motorbikes They can sense that another of the Tour’s grand displays is unfolding before their eyes scaling the Galibier with his eyes locked forward As he passes through the tunnel at the top of the climb his lead is nearly 16 minutes His one-time companion Nolten is further back Gaul descends swiftly and stops the clock in Briançon at 7h 42min 55sec His winning margin is nearly 14 minutes over Ferdi Kübler and he now lies third overall daring shot in the Alps,’ L’Équipe will report the following day when describing Gaul’s ‘astounding exploit’ Gaul will go on to pick up a second stage win later in the race then working with Bobet on the run-in to Saint-Gaudens before riding away to victory when the Frenchman suffers a flat tyre He finishes the Tour crowned as the best climber and in third place overall ‘There have been many Kings of the Mountain in the Tour and now there is an Angel,’ writes British reporter Jock Wadley ‘A journalist will often toss out a high-sounding cliché with his tongue in his cheek but the Frenchman who wrote that “Gaul soared heavenwards like an angel” probably did so in all seriousness.’ Gaul’s performance launched him onto cycling’s main stage. For the 1956 season he moved to the Faema team and by early summer had recorded his first major win, claiming three stages, the climbers’ prize and the pink jersey at the Giro d’Italia seizing the race after a famous win on a freezing and snow-swept Monte Bondone Gaul finished that day dead-eyed and on the verge of hypothermia but also at the top of the overall classification He was pictured being carried from his bike by two policemen surrounded by concerned team officials with flasks of hot drinks at the ready After his Giro win he went on to win the Tour in 1958 turning a 16-minute deficit with only four stages to go into a three-minute advantage in Paris thanks to a storming ride through the Chartreuse and a time-trial win. A second Giro win came the following year From that day in 1955 on the Galibier it was clear Gaul would go down as one of the finest climbers in the sport’s history the man who had been in yellow the day of Gaul’s Chartreuse escapade in 1958 described the Luxembourger as ‘a murderous climber… turning his legs at a speed that would break your heart ‘Gaul’s easy action makes you think he is not really trying,’ the reporter Rene De Latour once wrote ‘When eventually you go by him in the car he will give you a playful wink And sometimes race followers have been startled to hear him whistling a tune.’ living as a hermit in a forest until he emerged some 20 years later barely recognisable as the one-time Angel of the Mountains He died three years later of a pulmonary embolism Giles Belbin is the author of Tour de France Champions: an A to Z (thehistorypress.co.uk) You must be logged in to post a comment To manage an existing Cyclist magazine subscription, please visit Manage your account or visit our subscription FAQ page. To subscribe, or for other enquiries, please contact us Sign up to the Cyclist newsletter to receive curated emails direct to your inbox Sign up to our newsletter Log in to access Cyclist Rides using your email pertaining to your subscription Don't forget a subscription to Cyclist includes: Log in to post comments and use Ask Cyclist our AI platform that answers your questions based on our articles Register to comment on our latest articles Occasional emails from selected third-party sponsors and advertisers Please enter your username or email address to reset your password Home for Morpho Snowshoes is Thonon-Les-Bains in France on the shores of Lake Geneva and at the foot of the Chablais massif of the European Alps It’s an idyllic place to be for lovers of the outdoors offering sailing Morpho was founded in December 1996 as a collaboration between Jean Marie Mechelany and Daniel Beranger had broken a couple of ribs snowshoeing and was driven to help develop more secure products for snowshoers By March the next year they were ready with prototypes and took them to the prestigious trade show SIG at Grenoble The products attracted a lot of interest and in the winter of ’97/’98 were available in French stores just one year after the idea had been born The next stop was Munich for the global trade fair Switzerland and Finland were signed up bringing Morpho snowshoes to a new group of snowshoers Since 2000 Morpho have been working to produce snowshoes for the 80 percent of snowshoers weighing between 60-96kgs as a supplier to the armed forces of Poland and Norway Morpho have developed models for soldiers weighing up to 150kg using copolymer composite plastics to keep prices lower than traditional aluminum frames Morpho has grown into a global supplier of snowshoes but the finished product still comes from Thonon by the shore of Lake Geneva Morpho are pretty close neighbours of mine just over the border so we’ll have a chance to take a closer look at their current products like this rather smart looking “SuperTrimalp Carbone” (below) You can whet your appetite for Morpho on their website http://www.morpho.tm.fr/ Ian is a UK Mountain Leader and an International Mountain Leader (IML). He runs SwissMountainLeader and in winter he's a snowshoe guide in the Swiss Alps and runs trips from Chalet L'Epicea his own B&B in Leysin Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. I can’t seem to find useful information anywhere … I think it would be a good idea to contact the people at Morpho for specific questions on their snowshoes: http://www.morpho.tm.fr/en/ Copyright © 2025. Powered by WordPress A piece of the French prison's actual moat wall On July 14, 1789, the French Revolution began with the storming of the Bastille prison. The Bastille has become such an important historical symbol that visitors to Paris seeking to get a look inside the fortress are often surprised to discover that it's no longer there — it was demolished soon after its fall But there are still a few places where you can see a piece of the original MODEL CARVED FROM ORIGINAL STONE AT THE MUSÉE CARNAVALET otherwise known as the first capitalist entrepreneur of the French Revolution secured the contract to oversee the dismantling of the Bastille and immediately began collecting objects and materials from the structure to sell as souvenirs He also presented objects as gifts to various organizations and dignitaries Many have disappeared or are still in private hands but the Musée Carnavalet in Paris has some of these objects including this model of the Bastille carved from a Bastille stone From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox MEDALS AND OTHER OBJECTS AT THE MUSÉE CARNAVALET The Musée Carnavalet has various other small objects Palloy fashioned from Bastille materials among them medals said to be cast from the chains that once held prisoners there A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com Palloy sent inscribed stones to all the districts of the new French republic Many of them were lost over the tumultuous next decades This stone in the town of Thonon-les-Bains on Lake Geneva was hidden away during the Restoration in 1815 in a garden before being installed in a wall of the old castle of Thonon Wikimedia Commons in which is set a copy of the Declaration of the Rights of Man can be seen at the Hotel de Ville in this suburb of Paris CLOCK AT THE MUSÉE D'ART CAMPANAIRE Wikimedia Commons The Musée d'Art Campanaire (a museum of clockworks and carillons) in L'Isle-Jordain ended up with the clock bells and pulley system from the Bastille Much of the masonry rubble not made into souvenirs went into the construction of this sturdy bridge over the Seine Wikimedia Commons During excavations for construction of the Paris Metro in 1899 stones from one of the Bastille's eight towers were discovered and later moved to a park for display Wikimedia Commons If you go to the place where the Bastille once stood you won't see any of the original structure The perimeter of the fortress is outlined in paving stones in the street marthajans The outline of the original moat walls are also traced underground Wikimedia Commons You can also see a piece of the actual moat wall found during construction of the metro station Mount Vernon The Marquis de Lafayette was a French nobleman who fought by the side of George Washington in the American Revolutionary War and later became a leader in the French Revolution He obtained one of the main prison keys to the Bastille shortly after it fell and Washington had it installed in a place of honor at Mount Vernon when he retired not completely — forgot those images when he saw Paris for the first time “They’re some of the nicest people I’ve ever met,” said Wells Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices It is offering the AlpinExpress Pass to those that take a train which offers a series of discounts on lift, passes, ski hire & lessons + much else besides. “We understand that train travel may not always be the most affordable or fastest option so Morzine-based Montagne Verte collaborated with local partners to provide a wide range of discounts for your stay,” said Sara Burdon from the Morzine tourist office “Our goal is to incentivise visitors to choose train travel and contribute to preserving the alpine environment.” See here for the full list of service providers offering discounts The journey from London St-Pancras to Cluses or Thonon-les-Bains (with one change from Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare du Lyon) takes less than nine hours and as much luggage as they can carry as there are no baggage restrictions Morzine is a 40-minute drive from Cluses and Thonon-les-Bains (the closest stations) Private transfers from these stations can also be booked with local transfer companies who are AlpinExpress partners PlanetSKI has been taking the train to the Alps and the Pyrenees for many years There is a new direct ski train to the French Alps this season but it only runs until the first week of February It is also a shorter train than the previous ski trains and requires a 1-hour stop in Lille with a change of platform how do you get the AlpinExpress Pass for Morzine-Avoiriaz Morzine is one of the resorts in the Alps at the forefront of genuine environmental initiatives and we have reported in the past on its actions The average temperature in the Alps has risen by more than twice the global average The majority of emissions from a ski holiday are from flying “Until electric short haul flights go mainstream the best way to enjoy a low carbon ski holiday is to make your way to the Alps by train,” added Sara Burden Travelling by train from the UK or Paris to the Alps can reduce the ecological footprint of a journey by over 80% The AlpinExpress provides discounts for those who have travelled by train It does not entitle you to a discount on your train ticket The closest train station to Morzine – Avoriaz – Les Gets is Cluses From there you can get picked up by one of our participating transfer company partners and with your pass you will receive a discount DOES IT COUNT IF TAKE THE TRAIN TO THE AIRPORT If you take a train to an airport and fly to Geneva (or any other alpine airport) you do not qualify for an AlpinExpress Pass This initiative is to promote rail travel as an alternative The pass is valid for those travelling from outside of 100km of Morzine See here for further details on the AlpinExpress Pass There is no reliable data on the number of people that reach Morzine by train but in general only 2% of British skiers and snowboarders reach their ski resort by train Morzine hopes to change that and is already lobbying for better train routes to Lille-Cluses It is looking at up to 10 years in the future as this the time-scale for ordering and putting into place new trains and lines Morzine has France’s Flocon Vert award (see link above) which verifies its environmental achievements Austria awards the EcoLabel and KLAR (Tirol’s Seefeld resort is Austria’s first EcoLabel resort) and in Switzerland look out for the Swisstainable mark For the Spirit of the Mountains – PlanetSKI: Number One for ski news Content copyright © 2025, PlanetSKI Ltd. | Privacy policy | Terms & Conditions There is no train station in Morzine but this doesn't mean that you can't come here by train More than ever encouraged as the sustainable and eco-friendly travel option getting to Morzine by train is still worth the effort with short transfer times from its closest major transport hub You'll get more leg room and it's a great way to enjoy the passing scenery Cluses (29km) and Thonon-les-Bains (32km) are the nearest train stations to Morzine High-speed TGV trains from Paris stop here it then takes around 40 minutes by car and 45-55 minutes by bus to reach Morzine Some airport transfers may be able to pick you up in Cluses as it's on the route from Geneva airport - contact them directly There's no direct link between London and Morzine by train.  These are rough journey times for the nearest destination How much it costs depends a lot on when you travel February half-term and Easter are obviously more expensive Our top tip is to try to book as early as possible Eurostar ski train tickets usually go out for sale in mid-July and that's when they're at their cheapest TGV train tickets from Paris to other French cities are normally available to buy 120 to 90 days before your travel time There are a few different options when trying to make your way from Cluses or Thonon-les-Bains train stations to resort Find the current bus timetables on our bus services page For more information on journey times or to book tickets online You can also book through the Trainline you'll probably be carrying additional luggage like ski boots Train lines tend to have more generous allowances than airlines If you can make travelling by train work for you you'll be helping to reduce your impact of your trip on the environment Read more about skiing and the environment Last Updated on 26th June 2024 by Sophie Nadeau Lausanne is a traditional Swiss city on the edge of the glittering Lake Geneva (known as Lac Léman in French) on the opposite side of the water’s edge is a French resort town whose natural spring water has long been bottled up and sold as the popular natural mineral water you’ve likely purchased in plenty of supermarkets then it’s easy to take a day trip to Lausanne There are no car ferries between Lausanne and Evian-Les-Bains pedestrian boats cross the lake multiple times a day between Lausanne of Switzerland and the French settlements of Evian and Thonon then the drive from Evian to Lausanne takes roughly an hour if you want to avoid the stress of parking the car and driving on the other side of the road (if you’re like me and from the UK!) then the ferry is your easiest option You can purchase tickets for the boat from the booth office located right by where the passenger ferry docks Return tickets are around forty euro (or forty Swiss Francs) and the journey takes about thirty minutes. Trips across the water take place every hour and a half during daylight hours, and throughout the year. If you are planning to visit Lausanne from further afield, then it also makes for a great day trip from Geneva Word of warning: when you venture out for the day from either Lausanne make sure to check the time of the last ferry (and perhaps set a reminder on your phone) you wouldn’t want to get so busy exploring that you get stuck in Switzerland overnight (or France if you’re making the trip from Lausanne to Évian-Les-Bains) you’ll soon discover that there are plenty of things to do and even more to see The walk from the ferry up into the centre of the city is a fairly long one and walking the distance will take around thirty minutes the metro closest to the ferry costs under 4 Swiss Franc per trip and will take you to the heart of Lausanne within five to ten minutes Filled with fairytale architecture and plenty of picturesque views onto the glittering Lake Geneva you certainly won’t regret taking a Swiss day trip to Lausanne then Lausanne is also the perfect introduction to a Swiss Adventure with cities like Geneva and Bern just a short train ride away One of the best photography museums to be found anywhere in Europe is in Lausanne Set against the backdrop of a beautiful 18th-century mansion the museum was founded in 1985 and the entire place is dedicated solely to photographs Situated in the very heart of Lausanne’s old town (every European city seems to have a picturesque old town!) Lausanne Cathedral is said to be one of the most beautiful examples of Gothic architecture in all of Switzerland it’s ancient and vast interior is well worth a wander around From the moment you step off the Lake Geneva ferry you’ll be greeted by signs of the Olympics One of the first things you’ll see when stepping foot in Switzerland is actually a countdown for how long’s left until the next Games there’s a museum dedicated to all things winter and summer sports related the Palais de Rumine is set in a stunning building constructed in the Florentine Renaissance style some of the best museums contained within the former palace are the Museum of Zoology, Museum of Money One of the best things to do in Lausanne is simply to stroll around the city and allow the city to reveal itself to you Head to the panoramic viewpoint next to the cathedral at sunset for breathtaking views of the Alps or head to Place du Palud for when the hour strikes (during any time of the day) to see the intricate mechanical figures on the clock of the city hall Switching between the countries of France and Switzerland mean that you’ll end up switching between the Euro and the Swiss Franc (though I’ve heard you can pay for the ferry in either currency). Lausanne is easily one of the most beautiful places in Switzerland and so the inconvenience of converting currencies is definitely made up for by the town’s beauty If you’re looking to save a little money then bring a picnic purchased in France along with you (just as we did) The main museums of the city are free to visit and the winter market around Christmas time serves reasonably priced beverages Several churches and historic façades throughout both cities can also be admired for free The official language of both Évian and Lausanne is French. You can’t go wrong by purchasing a French phrase book, or at the very least learning some simple French phrases (hello/ please/ thank you) you’ll find that many people speak English especially so at tourist attractions or in bars Sophie Nadeau is a full time travel writer and photographer focused on cultural experiences in Europe and beyond When she's not chasing after the sunset (or cute dogs she sees on her travels) she can be found reading and website in this browser for the next time I comment I started this site back in 2015 with one mission in mind: I wanted to create useful travel guides with a historical and cultural focus Today it has blossomed into my full time job and together with a small team of writers (including my husband and sister) we craft articles to help you travel better throughout Europe © 2015- 2025 Sophie Nadeau. Nadeau Pasquier LTD. All Rights Reserved. solosophie participates in various affiliate marketing programs. solosophie is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Privacy Policy