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Musée du Chablais

A history museum of the Chablais in the Château de Sonnaz, built in 1666 on the ruins of the medieval château of Amédée V of Savoy (1290), covering 7,000 years of history.

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Façade of the 1666 Château de Sonnaz housing the Musée du Chablais in Thonon-les-Bains above Lake Geneva
At a glance
Type
Regional history museum in a 17th-century château
Access
Paid (free under-18s and every Sunday)
Price
Adult €3.50 · Reduced €2.60 · Under-18s free · Free for everyone on Sundays
Duration
1 h to 1 h 30
Best season
Mid-May to mid-November · daily in July-August
Parking
Place du Château and Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville, 100 m away
Animals
Not admitted (except assistance dogs)
Stroller / Reduced mobility
Accepted outdoors, NOT adapted for wheelchairs (vaulted cellars)
Town
Thonon-les-Bains
Wheelchair access
Not accessible Source: Acceslibre

Official source →

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Price

Plein tarif adulte
3,50 €Visite des expositions
Tarif réduit
2,60 €Sur justificatif
Groupe adultes (10+)
2,60 €Sur réservation
Dimanche tous publics
0,00 €GRATUIT tous les dimanches
Moins de 18 ans
0,00 €Gratuit toute l'année

What is Musée du Chablais

The Musée du Chablais is housed in the Château de Sonnaz, built in 1666 on the ruins of the medieval castle of Thonon, in the heart of Thonon-les-Bains facing Lake Geneva. Once home to the Gerbaix de Sonnaz family, the château has hosted, since October 2008, the Thonon-les-Bains Tourist Office on the ground floor and the museum itself in the vaulted cellars.

The permanent exhibition 'A leap in time: 7,000 years of Chablais history' traces the region from the Neolithic to the 1860 annexation to France, with over 130 objects: lake archaeology, ethnology, navigation on Lake Geneva, border smuggling, costumes, military collections and works by sculptor Marguerite Peltzer.

Very affordable pricing: adult 3.50 EUR, reduced 2.60 EUR, free for under 18s and exceptionally free for everyone every Sunday. The season runs from mid-May to mid-November. Caution: the museum is not wheelchair accessible (vaulted cellars). 2026 temporary show: 'Portrait. From painting to selfie', from 18 July 2026.

Activities

What you can do here

Practical

Practical information

Address
2 rue Michaud, Château de Sonnaz, 74200 Thonon-les-Bains View on map
Coordinates
46.37365° N · 6.47832° E (verified on OpenStreetMap, way 729491314)
Altitude
≈ 430 m (Thonon Belvédère, overlooking Lake Léman)
Opening hours
Season opens 23 May 2026. 23 May - 30 June 2026: Wednesday-Friday + weekends 2:30pm-6pm. 1 July - 31 August 2026: daily 10am-12:30pm and 2:30pm-6pm. 1 September - 15 November 2026: Wednesday-Friday + weekends 2:30pm-6pm. Annual closure mid-November to end of April. Closed Mon-Tue outside season, 1 May. Verified on the official website 23 May 2026 — subject to seasonal changes.
Booking
No online booking. Tickets sold on-site at the reception desk in the château courtyard. Group bookings by email at culture@ville-thonon.fr or phone +33 (0)4 50 70 69 49 (Cultural Affairs Department). Verified 23 May 2026.
Parking
Place du Château and Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville surface car parks (paid) 100 m away. Limited free street parking near the lakefront.
Pets
Not admitted in the exhibitions (inner courtyard and outdoor areas are open). Assistance dogs accepted on presentation of the card.
Accessibility
WARNING: THE MUSEUM IS NOT ACCESSIBLE TO WHEELCHAIR USERS (vaulted cellars of the château, explicitly stated on ville-thonon.fr). The inner courtyard and the Tourist Office on the ground floor remain accessible. Verified 23 May 2026.
Visit duration
1 h to 1 h 30 depending on the route and the current temporary exhibition
Contact
+33 (0)4 50 71 56 34 (museum, in season) · +33 (0)4 50 70 69 49 (Cultural Affairs Department, year-round) · culture@ville-thonon.fr. Verified 23 May 2026.
Access

How to get there

By car

From Évian (≈15 min) via the N5, then the Thonon bypass, Centre-Ville exit. From Geneva (≈45 min) via the A40, then the D903 to Thonon. Place du Château and Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville (paid surface car parks) 100 m from the château.

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Public transport

BUT! urban network of Thonon Agglomération, stops 'Hôtel de Ville' or 'Château' 200 m away. Thonon-les-Bains railway station (Léman Express L2 towards Geneva and Saint-Gervais) 700 m away. Thonon funicular (Belvédère ↔ Port de Rives) adjacent.

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By bike

Cycle paths along Léman and across the Thonon agglomeration. Bike parking in the town centre. Lakeside greenway nearby.

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Nearest stops

  • Les Arts · Cars Région Haute-Savoie · Y03, Y91 · 576 m
  • Thonon-les-Bains · SNCF (TER) · 579 m
  • Lycée Versoie · Cars Région Haute-Savoie · Y03, Y91 · 1184 m

Transport data verified on 2026-06-15 · source transport.data.gouv.fr (Licence Etalab 2.0)

Parking

Place du Château and Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville, 100 m away

  • Paid · 135 m · 5 spaces · Go →
  • Paid · 149 m · 7 spaces · Go →
  • Paid · 187 m · 5 spaces · Go →

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

When to visit

When to visit

The Musée du Chablais opens its season today, 23 May 2026, and remains open until mid-November 2026 (annual closure mid-November to end of April). High season in July-August offers daily opening (10am-12:30pm and 2:30pm-6pm), ideal for combining with a day in Thonon or a stay around Léman. In May-June and September-mid-November, it is open Wednesday-Friday and weekends 2:30pm-6pm only. FREE entry every Sunday of the season (an exceptional policy) is well worth taking advantage of for local visitors and families. Important note: between 23 May and 18 July 2026, only the permanent exhibition '7,000 Years of Chablais History' is open; the temporary exhibition 'Portrait' opens on 18 July 2026. The château and courtyard are freely accessible year-round (Tourist Office on the ground floor).
Events : Season opens 23 May 2026. Permanent exhibition '7,000 Years of Chablais History' on view all season. Temporary exhibition 'Portrait. From Painting to Selfie' from 18 July 2026. Museum Night (mid-May), Heritage Days (mid-September).
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

How do I book at the Musée du Chablais?

The Musée du Chablais does not require booking for individual visits. Tickets are sold on-site at the reception desk in the courtyard of the Château de Sonnaz. Group bookings (10+) by email at culture@ville-thonon.fr or phone +33 (0)4 50 70 69 49.

What is the entry fee for the Musée du Chablais?

Musée du Chablais: full adult price €3.50, reduced rate €2.60, groups (10+) €2.60/person. FREE for under-18s and for ALL visitors on EVERY Sunday of the season. Verified 23 May 2026.

What are the opening hours of the Musée du Chablais?

Musée du Chablais: season runs mid-May to mid-November 2026. 23 May-30 June and 1 Sept-15 Nov: Wed-Fri + weekends 2:30pm-6pm. July-August: daily 10am-12:30pm and 2:30pm-6pm. Closed in winter. Verified on the official website 23 May 2026 — subject to seasonal changes.

Is the Musée du Chablais really free on Sundays?

Yes. The Musée du Chablais is exceptionally FREE for ALL visitors on EVERY Sunday of the season (mid-May to mid-November), not just the first Sunday of the month. A policy unique in Haute-Savoie, well worth taking advantage of for families.

Is the Musée du Chablais wheelchair accessible?

No. The Musée du Chablais is NOT accessible to wheelchair users — the museum occupies the vaulted cellars of the Château de Sonnaz. The inner courtyard and the Tourist Office on the ground floor of the château remain accessible.

What is there to see at the Musée du Chablais?

The Musée du Chablais presents '7,000 Years of Chablais History' (Neolithic era to 1860) with 130+ objects: pile-dwelling archaeology, ethnology, navigation on Léman, smuggling, costumes, and the work of sculptor Marguerite Peltzer. Temporary exhibition 'Portrait' from 18 July 2026.

Are the Musée du Chablais and the Château de Sonnaz the same thing?

The Musée du Chablais occupies the vaulted cellars of the Château de Sonnaz (1666). The courtyard and ground floor of the château house the Thonon Tourist Office (free access). Same building, but partly separate experiences: free versus ticketed.

How do I get to the Musée du Chablais from Évian?

The Musée du Chablais is 15 minutes from Évian-les-Bains via the N5 and the Thonon bypass. By public transport: Léman Express L2 to Thonon railway station (700 m). BUT! bus stop 'Hôtel de Ville' or 'Château'. Place du Château (paid) 100 m away.

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Sources

Sources & verification

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

Published 23 mai 2026·Updated 11/07/26

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