Thonon-les-Bains is a town located on the shores of the southern bank of Lake Geneva in the northern Chablais region of France, and it is the sub-prefecture of the Haute-Savoie department.
Geographical situation
The town has more than 35,000 inhabitants known as Thononais and Thononaises and covers more than 1600 hectares at an altitude ranging from 370 to 570 meters. Thonon-les-Bains is bordered by the municipalities of: Anthy sur Léman, Allinges, Armoy, Champanges, Féternes, and Publier. It is located 9 km from Évian, 31 km from Annemasse, and 74 km from Annecy.
In the municipality of Thonon, there is the river La Dranse which flows down from the high Chablais, as well as a pond “L’étang de la dame”. You can stroll along its port, by the Lake Geneva, which provides lake connections with Lausanne in Switzerland.
History and heritage
The Château de Ripaille
This magnificent historical monument was built in the 14th century. It is a major wine and cultural site in Haute-Savoie. It was the retreat of the first Duke of Savoy, Amédée VIII.
Lake Geneva
The largest freshwater lake in France has 53 km of shores in the Chablais municipalities. The circumference of the lake is 180 km. On the Swiss shores, you can find the cities of Geneva, Lausanne, and Montreux. On the French shores, you can visit Évian-les-Bains and Yvoire.
The cultural center of La Visitation
This former 17th-century building has been transformed into a contemporary art space, music school, and media library. You can appreciate the impressive glass roof in its entrance.
The basilica of Saint François de Sales
This remarkable religious building completed in the 20th century, the vaults and stained glass windows truly deserve a visit. Its architectural style is neoclassical. The church is dedicated to Saint François de Sales.
Cultural and sports facilities
Cultural events
Many shows are held in Thonon throughout the year:
- The Festival of Little Smarties in October: theater, dance, songs, book fair, and cinema are on the program.
- The Chablais Night Markets: every Friday evening, the terraces come alive and musicians meet the public. It is also an opportunity to discover local produce and specialties and to meet the associative world.
- Argentinian tango classes at the cultural center of La Visitation.
- Concert at the port of Rives: on the port terraces in August.
- Fiesta of the Little Wolves: every Wednesday evening in summer at the port of Rives: humor and acrobatics for children.
- The fireworks on July 14th in Thonon and August 15th in Évian.
The Montjoux Festival
This pop rock and French song festival was created in 1997. It has been growing in popularity with more than 14,000 spectators attending each year during the first week of July for 3 nights of concerts in the beautiful setting of the Domaine de Montjoux. Each year, 12 concerts are offered to the public. The following artists have already performed: Mika, M, Tryo, Renaud, Yannick Noah, Garou, ShakaPonk, Soprano, Selah Sue, Bernard Lavilliers, BB Brunes, and Bénabar. The shows are held on two stages. An off part of the festival is dedicated to emerging new talents.
Due to the health crisis related to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 and 2021 editions were canceled. To cope with the growing success of this festival and to accommodate a larger audience, the organizers plan to move it to the neighboring municipality of Publier. The large Miroir square is expected to be the chosen site with a capacity increased to 10,000 spectators per evening.
The Christmas market
This flagship event of the end-of-year festivities is the largest on the French shores of Lake Geneva. 51 wooden chalets set up on the Belvédère offer festive products that make great gift ideas. In addition to the chalets, the Thonon-les-Bains Christmas market hosts Santa Claus’s house, an ice rink, eight high tables, bars, and a large arch. In the city center, activities are organized in the large squares: carousels, ice sculptures, and face painting. A mapping is projected onto the Town Hall facade. A Christmas train travels through the city.
The Rock’n Poche Festival
Every year since 1992, the small municipality of Habère-Poche, located 30 minutes from the town of Thonon-les-Bains, hosts a festival of alternative rock and song on the last weekend of July. The musical event takes place at the foot of the ski lift and a campsite allows festival-goers to settle in the alpine pastures. Over two days, many bands perform in front of more than 10,000 spectators. The programming aims to be national but also regional and local to facilitate the emergence of new talents.
Due to the health crisis, as in 2020, the 2021 edition of the Rock’n Poche Festival is canceled. It is replaced by “The Guinguette des Alpages” which offers four concerts over two days at the end of July.
The municipal sports school
This innovative program allows children from CE1 to CM2 to practice 4 disciplines for a year in addition to cross-country skiing. Thus, every 7 weeks or so, the children start a new discipline. The structure offers the opportunity to discover a total of nine sports disciplines with sports professionals: rugby, swimming, athletics, judo, handball, American football, fencing, basketball, and cross-country skiing.
The best-rated hotels
Depending on your budget, we have selected five hotels in Thonon-les-Bains that offer excellent value for money and receive very good customer reviews:
The Originals City, Hôtel L’Arc-En-Ciel
A practical establishment located 5 minutes from the city center and featuring an outdoor pool. The hotel restaurant “Les Maronniers” serves inventive cuisine inspired by traditional Haute-Savoie dishes. Also available: a foosball table, a ping-pong table, and a billiards table.
From €76 per night.
Hôtel Les Marronniers
This beautiful hotel establishment is located just 1.1 km from the city’s thermal baths. It offers family rooms. A buffet breakfast is served in the dining room. It has two parking lots. In summer, you can enjoy the garden and the outdoor pool.
From €69 per night.
Hotel À la tasse à moustache
Rémi and Mathieu, the owners, welcome their guests like friends in the oldest hotel in the city. The dishes served are tasty and well-cooked, and the breakfast is exceptional with good fresh products. A very nice address.
Ibis Thonon Centre
In the city center, this establishment offers the comfort of Ibis Hotels with air-conditioned rooms, a buffet breakfast served in the dining room with madeleines and pastries baked on-site. The Château de Ripaille is only 3 km away for a visit.
From €66 per night.
Le Comte Rouge
A beautiful hotel located near the shores of Lake Geneva and a 5-minute walk from the thermal baths. The funicular of Thonon-les-Bains and a cinema are just a few steps away. The rooms are spacious with a carefully designed contemporary decor. The dining room is equipped with a fireplace.
From €54 per night.
Activity ideas for visiting Thonon-les-Bains
This spa town offers many outing ideas:
Thonon-les-Bains Thermal Center
The virtues of Thonon water have been known since Roman times. Nowadays, spa-goers from all over the world come to enjoy the diuretic, rheumatological, and dietary effects of the Valvital thermal establishment. The city’s fountains allow you to collect Thonon mineral water during your visit. The center offers 600 m² of relaxation space, a thermal pool heated to 32°C, as well as a hammam, musical cave, sauna, ice fountain, and cold water well.
The Chablais Museum
Located in the Château de Sonnaz, it hosts permanent and temporary exhibitions to understand the memory of the region. This historic residence offers a magnificent panorama of Lake Geneva.
Address: 2 rue Michaud, 74200 Thonon-les-Bains.
The fishing and lake eco-museum
This museum is located in three traditional guardhouses. It preserves the memory of professional fishermen. You can discover the unique atmosphere of a fishing village.
Address: 2 quai de Rives, 74200 Thonon-les-Bains.
The Dranse Delta Nature Reserve
This natural site is located between Thonon-les-Bains and Publier. This green oasis is home to one of the last natural areas on the shores of Lake Geneva. To reach this delta, you need to go to the end of Avenue de Saint-Disdille, take the road on the right, and park in the parking area. You then follow a natural path through a forested area populated by small passerines like tits and warblers.
Continuing to the mouth of the Dranse, the walker may encounter herons and common pochards. Some trees are gnawed by beavers. You then need to retrace your steps to return to the parking lot. During the summer, a naturalist guide can accompany you (information at the Thonon-les-Bains tourist office).
Address: Avenue de Saint-Disdille, Delta de la Dranse, 74200 Thonon-les-Bains.
Education
The capital of Chablais has many educational institutions:
- Sixteen nursery and primary schools,
- Seven middle schools,
- Six high schools, including three vocational and two private.
The markets of Thonon-les-Bains
The capital of Chablais offers two weekly markets of good quality with fresh and local products.
- The large Thursday market which takes place in the renovation district every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. On August 15th and the Thursday of Ascension, the market is maintained. The food section offers local food products. You will also find clothing, local crafts, and decorations.
- The small Monday market takes place in the Place du Marché and Avenue François de Salle, it is dedicated solely to local farmers and producers. Open every Monday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. except on Pentecost Monday.
Public transport
To discover the city and its surroundings, the Thonon-les-Bains agglomeration has a wide range of public transport:
- The STAR’T network (Thonon Agglomeration Service – Transport Network) includes urban and interurban lines of the agglomeration as well as the Thonon-les-Bains funicular. All practical information is available on the star-t.fr website: network maps, route calculations, line schedules… It is also possible to purchase your transport tickets online.
- The Léman Express is a rail service that connects the urban areas of the city with the entire territory of Geneva. By using the Léman Pass, you can discover Geneva with a cross-border trip on a single ticket. This intermodal offer allows you to combine all public transport: train, coach, bus, and funicular.
A car-sharing station “Cityz” is available on Rue Jean Blanchard near the SNCF train station with two vehicles available for free use.
Town Hall
The Town Hall of Thonon-les-Bains: located at the Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, is open from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Official website of the Town Hall of Thonon-les-Bains
The tourist office of Thonon-les-Bains
