Paid
Regional Art and Folklore Museum
Fessy
Regional art and folklore museum at Fessy: 20,000 rural objects by Bernard Lacroix, in an 18th-c. farm. Summer Thursday guided tours, €5.
Free · Open access
Château de la Rochette
A 13th-century hill fort belonging to the lords of Cervens in Lully, with a cylindrical keep and round corner towers, listed as a Historic Monument in 1932, private property with exterior views only.
TarichaRivularis · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
Type
13th-century hill fort, ruins on private property
Access
Free exterior access · Interior not open to visitors
Price
Free year-round (exterior)
Duration
10 min to 20 min (exterior)
Best season
Year-round
Parking
Impasse du Château (limited capacity)
Animals
Allowed on a lead outdoors
Stroller / Reduced mobility
Allowed (paved road)
Town
Lully (74890)
What is Château de la Rochette
The Château de la Rochette at Lully (74890) is one of the most affecting medieval remains of the Bas-Chablais. A 13th-century castle, built by the lords of Cervens (a cadet branch of the comital Faucigny family), it documents the rural Savoyard defensive system of the late Middle Ages on the plain of the Chablais between Annemasse and Thonon.
This geographical precision helps avoid the toponymic confusion frequent in the Chablais. The château is listed as a Monument Historique (1932), under Mérimée notice PA00118405, and benefits from full heritage protection.
The architecture is typical of the late 13th century: a central cylindrical keep (a military innovation over the older square towers), round corner towers and a partly preserved curtain wall. The site is in ruins, but the remains are visible from the outside of the private estate. NOTE: the château is privately owned — access from inside the property is NOT permitted without the owner's consent. Only the outer approaches (commune road and path) are freely and openly accessible year-round, via the Impasse du Château at Lully. Car recommended (no direct public transport); Bons-en-Chablais SNCF station (Léman Express) 5 km, A40 Bons-en-Chablais exit 10 minutes.
Activities
What you can do here
Practical
Practical information
Address
Impasse du Château, 74890 Lully (Lower Chablais, signposted from Bons-en-Chablais) View on map
Coordinates
≈ 46.292° N · 6.422° E (to be verified on Géoportail)
Altitude
≈ 530 m (Lully village)
Opening hours
EXTERIOR GROUNDS OPEN 24/7, year-round at Château de la Rochette. PRIVATE PROPERTY - access to the surroundings only (communal road and path). No interior access. The remains can be viewed from outside only. Verified on the official website 24 May 2026 — subject to seasonal changes.
Prices
FREE ENTRY to Château de la Rochette for all visitors in the exterior grounds, year-round. No ticketing. No interior access (private property). Verified 24 May 2026.
Booking
No booking needed for the exterior grounds of Château de la Rochette. Interior visits are at the private owner's discretion, no regular tourist visits. Verified 24 May 2026.
Parking
Limited parking on Impasse du Château in Lully, near Château de la Rochette. Limited capacity (a few roadside spaces). Additional parking in the village of Lully, 5 min walk away.
Dogs
Dogs allowed on a lead in the exterior grounds of Château de la Rochette (communal road and path).
Accessibility
The exterior grounds of Château de la Rochette are partially accessible: paved communal road. A wheelchair approach is possible. The remains are visible from the road. Free entry for all. Verified 24 May 2026.
Visit duration
10 min to 20 min at Château de la Rochette: exterior viewing, photographs, combined with a stroll through the village of Lully
Access
How to get there
By car
From Thonon-les-Bains (≈20 min, 18 km) via D903 then D32 towards Lully in the Lower Chablais. From Bons-en-Chablais (≈5 min) via D903. A40 Bons-en-Chablais exit, 10 minutes away. Approach via Impasse du Château in Lully (limited parking capacity).
Open in MapsPublic transport
No direct public transport to Château de la Rochette. Bons-en-Chablais SNCF station (Léman Express from Geneva) is 5 km away - taxi/ride-share or car recommended. Occasional Haute-Savoie regional coaches.
Open in MapsBy bike
Rural roads around the Lower Chablais. Bons-en-Chablais-Lully cycle route (5 km, moderate elevation gain). Bike parking on Impasse du Château.
Open in MapsWhen to visit
When to visit
Château de la Rochette's exterior grounds can be visited with free, open access year-round. It stands on private property, but the remains are visible from the communal road and path, Impasse du Château, in Lully. A 13TH-CENTURY HILL FORT LISTED AS A HISTORIC MONUMENT IN 1932 (POP Mérimée listing PA00118405) - long-standing heritage protection despite its ruined state. CHARACTERISTIC LATE-13TH-CENTURY ARCHITECTURE: A CYLINDRICAL KEEP + ROUND CORNER TOWERS - a military innovation compared with the older square towers. BUILT by the LORDS OF CERVENS, a junior branch of the comital family of Faucigny - a piece of medieval Savoyard noble genealogy. IMPORTANT CORRECTION: the commune is LULLY (74890), NOT Cranves-Sales as sometimes stated in imprecise sources - a geographic clarification avoiding place-name confusion in the Chablais area. PRIVATE PROPERTY - access to the surroundings only, NO interior access. A little-known heritage site of the Lower Chablais, rarely mentioned in standard guidebooks. Ideal for enthusiasts of medieval military architecture, Savoyard noble genealogy, and listed historic monuments. Chablais heritage combination: exterior viewing of la Rochette (free) + interior visit of Avully (paid) = a complete lordly-heritage half-day out.
Events : No regular organised events at Château de la Rochette (private property). Occasional Lower Chablais heritage activities during European Heritage Days in mid-September - check with the Lully town hall or the Alpes du Léman tourist office.
Nearby
Where to eat, drink, stay
Photos
Gallery
Been there? Share your photos — we'll add them to this page with credit. Tag #loisirs74 or email photos@loisirs74.fr
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is access to Château de la Rochette paid?
No. Access to Château de la Rochette's exterior grounds (communal road and path) is free year-round. No ticketing. PRIVATE PROPERTY - no interior access, remains visible from the road only.
Where exactly is Château de la Rochette located?
Château de la Rochette is located in LULLY (commune of Lully, postcode 74890), Lower Chablais, on Impasse du Château. NOTE: NOT in Cranves-Sales as sometimes stated in imprecise sources. An important geographic clarification.
What are the opening hours at Château de la Rochette?
Château de la Rochette: exterior grounds open 24/7 year-round. Private property - access to the surroundings only (communal road and path). No interior access. Verified on the official website 24 May 2026 — subject to seasonal changes.
Can you visit the interior of Château de la Rochette?
No. Château de la Rochette is private property - access to the remains from inside the grounds is not permitted without the owner's consent. Only the exterior surroundings are freely and openly accessible.
What is the history of Château de la Rochette?
Château de la Rochette is a 13th-century hill fort, built by the lords of Cervens (a junior branch of the comital family of Faucigny). Listed as a Historic Monument in 1932 (POP listing PA00118405). In a ruined state, private property.
What is the architecture of Château de la Rochette?
Château de la Rochette shows characteristic late-13th-century architecture: a central cylindrical keep + round corner towers + a partly preserved enclosure wall. A military innovation compared with the older square towers.
Is Château de la Rochette accessible to people with reduced mobility?
The exterior grounds of Château de la Rochette are partially accessible: the paved communal road, Impasse du Château. A wheelchair approach is possible. The remains are visible from the road. No interior access. Free entry.
How can I combine Château de la Rochette with Château d'Avully?
Château d'Avully is 5 km from Château de la Rochette. A Chablais heritage combination: exterior viewing of la Rochette (free) + interior visit of Avully (paid) = a complete lordly-heritage outing.
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Sources
Sources & verification
Multi-source verification at publication. Information may change — confirm with the official operator before travelling.
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