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Château de Thénières

Pseudo-medieval château built in 1863 under Ernest de Boigne by the architect Bruger on the Boissy hillside at 733 m altitude: a spectacular silhouette overlooking Lake Geneva, today the headquarters of the Bas-Chablais Community of Communes.

View on map
Château de Thénières at Ballaison, 19th-century pseudo-medieval folly with towers above Lake Geneva
At a glance
Type
19th-century neo-medieval château
Access
External view (CCBC headquarters)
Price
No regular interior visit
Duration
20 to 30 minutes
Best season
Year-round
Parking
CCBC car park (free)
Town
Ballaison

Official source →

What is Château de Thénières

The Château de Thénières is one of the most picturesque "fantasy castles" of the Chablais. It was built in 1863 at the request of General Count Ernest de Boigne — heir to the family fortune amassed in India by his great-uncle, the famous General Benoît de Boigne — on the ruins of an earlier medieval fortress. The architect Bruger designed a pseudo-medieval silhouette imitating a fortified castle, with corner towers, crenellations and purely decorative machicolations.

The building stands on the Boissy hillside at 733 m altitude, overlooking the commune of Ballaison (74140) and offering panoramic views of Lake Geneva, the Swiss shore and, in clear weather, the distant Jura. Ernest de Boigne acquired the land in 1811 from the Genevan Jean Lasserre, in line with his family's post-Empire patrimonial strategy.

The castle is now home to the offices of the Communauté de Communes du Bas-Chablais (CCBC). Exterior visible from the public road; interior closed to the public.

Activities

What you can do here

Practical

Practical information

Address
Château de Thénières, Boissy hillside, 74140 Ballaison View on map
Coordinates
46.303° N · 6.325° E
Altitude
≈ 733 m (Boissy hillside)
Opening times
Free external view. CCBC offices open weekdays (no tourist visit). Verified on 10 June 2026.
Prices
No regular tourist visit. External view from the road free. Verified on 10 June 2026.
Official site
No dedicated tourist site — site of the Bas-Chablais Community of Communes (CCBC)
Phone
Ballaison town hall: +33 (0)4 50 94 24 78 · CCBC: +33 (0)4 50 94 35 60
Access / Parking
CCBC car park on site (use outside office hours for the external view). Reached by car from Douvaine (≈ 5 km) or Thonon (≈ 15 km).
Duration
20 to 30 minutes for the external tour and panorama. More with a walk on the Boissy hillside.
Audience
Lovers of 19th-century architecture and neo-medieval "folly" castles, photographers, hikers.
Accessibility
External view from the parking area and public road. No regular interior visit. CCBC offices accessible to people with reduced mobility.
Animals
Dogs allowed on a lead around the Château de Thénières and on the Boissy hillside.

Parking

CCBC car park (free)

Parking checked on 2026-06-15 · © les contributeurs d'OpenStreetMap sous licence ODbL

Nearby

Where to eat, drink, stay

A restaurant in Ballaison?

Hosting visitors of Château de Thénières ? Appear here.

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A bakery, a shop in Ballaison?

Share hours and specialties with visitors of Château de Thénières.

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Photos

Gallery

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit inside the Château de Thénières?

No, the Château de Thénières at Ballaison today houses the Bas-Chablais Community of Communes (CCBC) and is not open for regular tourist visits. Free external view from the road.

What is the history of the Château de Thénières?

The Château de Thénières was built in 1863 by the architect Bruger at the request of General Count Ernest de Boigne, on the ruins of a medieval fortress. Sold in 1893 to a Lyon banker, later acquired by the SIVOM of Bas-Chablais.

Where is the Château de Thénières?

The Château de Thénières lies on the Boissy hillside at Ballaison (74140), at 733 m altitude, in the Bas-Chablais. GPS: 46.303° N · 6.325° E. About 15 km from Thonon-les-Bains.

How much does it cost to visit the Château de Thénières?

The external view of the Château de Thénières is free. There is no regular tourist interior visit (CCBC headquarters). Verified on 10 June 2026.

What are the opening times of the Château de Thénières?

The external view of the Château de Thénières is free year-round. The CCBC offices inside the château are open on weekdays, but without tourist visits. Verified on 10 June 2026.

Why does the Château de Thénières look like a medieval castle?

The Château de Thénières is a pseudo-medieval 19th-century construction (1863) deliberately imitating a medieval castle — the work of the architect Bruger for Ernest de Boigne, in the Romantic taste of the time.

Where can you park to see the Château de Thénières?

Parking on the CCBC car park inside the Château de Thénières grounds (use outside office hours for the external view). Access from Douvaine or Thonon-les-Bains via secondary roads.

What is there to see around the Château de Thénières at Ballaison?

Around the Château de Thénières, you can discover the other Bas-Chablais châteaux (Avully, Buffavent), Yvoire and its Garden of the Five Senses, Douvaine, or head down to Thonon-les-Bains and the Château de Ripaille.

Sources

Sources & verification

Multi-source verification at publication. Information may change — confirm with the official operator before travelling.

Published 10 juin 2026·Updated 21/06/26

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