ABOVE: Lakeside lovely
Lakeside lovely
Lac Léman sits between the Jura and the Alps and is the largest freshwater lake in western Europe, a mirrored silvery expanse of water covering over 528km². Switzerland claims 60 per cent of the lake while the remaining 40 per cent is French. To the Swiss and the rest of us, it is more commonly known as Lake Geneva.
On a map, the lake appears crescentshaped and at its southern shore, narrows considerably. It is at this point, on the tip of the Léman peninsula, between what the locals call the grand lac to the west and the petit lac to the east, you will discover the medieval village of Yvoire.
Standing by the water’s edge, this fortified collection of tall stone houses has a tiny fishing port on one side and a marina on the other. Rising above the ancient rooflines is the spire of the church of Saint Pancras, a splendid onion dome covered in stainless steel and gold leaf that glints and shines in the sunlight. Just across from the port stands the old castle surrounded by a small forest of leafy chestnut trees, most of them hundreds of years old. Once an important military gateway between France and Italy, the village is today one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Haute-Savoie.
Read the full article on pages 62-67 of this month's issue.
Click here to buy the latest issue of France Magazine online