A Sunday in Haute-Savoie: open places, verified

Last remnant of Thonon's medieval fortifications: Porte des Lombards, square tower, 19th-century Rabelaisian friezes. Exteriors free, JEP visits in September.

National 'Jardin Remarquable' label and scientific direction by the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle since 1936. 2,500 alpine species. FREE entry.

Free community museum of building trades: 3 floors of historic tools. Cercle des Compagnons du Bâtiment. Wed-Fri 2.30-5pm, Sun 9.30am-12.30pm.

5-hectare public garden on the shore of Lake Annecy: rose garden, aviary, perennial border, beach and terraces opening onto the Casino Imperial.

Trail through the Cirque du Fer-à-Cheval to the Bout du Monde at Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval: 6 km loop through up to 30 waterfalls inside the Sixt-Passy National Nature Reserve.

145 km from Saint-Gingolph (Lake Geneva) to Seyssel (Rhône) via Évian, Thonon, Cluses and Sallanches. EuroVelo 17, mix of greenways and shared roads.

Reedbeds, marshes and Ire delta at the south end of Lake Annecy: walkway, observation tower and water birds. Free access, managed by Asters.

Leisure complex around a temperate natural lake at 900 m altitude. Supervised swimming, adventure course, water sports. Day pass €18, entry €3.80.

Experience vertical adventure above Nyon waterfall: treetop courses, giant ziplines, canyoning and exclusive via ferrata in a family park at 1000m altitude.

Casino Impérial Palace at 32 avenue d'Albigny in Annecy, on the lakeside: slot machines, roulette, blackjack and poker, 5-star hotel and gourmet restaurant.

Only cave open to the public in Haute-Savoie. Guided underground tour 40 min, 40 m waterfall and zip-lines. Adult ticket €10. Open April–September.

Large natural sand beach on Lake Annecy facing Dents de Lanfon. Paid July–August (€2.60), free rest of year. Blue Flag award.

Super-Châtel Gondola: reach the alpine lake and 360° panorama at 1,650 m from Châtel village. Summer tickets from €8.90 (2025 prices).

Le Reposoir, a small authentic village resort beneath the Bargy, at the foot of the col de la Colombière: family alpine skiing, snowshoeing and ski touring, historic Chartreuse du Reposoir.

Blue Flag since 2009 (confirmed 2026). 7,000 sqm of lawn and sandy banks with paddling pool, T-shaped pontoon, diving board, snack-restaurant. Tiralo on site.

Treetop adventure park at the Col de la Croix Fry (1,477 m) in Manigod, in the Aravis range: trails for ages 4 up, facing the range and Lake Annecy.

50-metre Olympic outdoor pool on the shore of Lake Geneva at Thonon-les-Bains, with diving boards, beach and children's pool. Major public facility, adult entry €4.

Multi-discipline Lake Geneva sailing centre at Sciez: kitesurfing, dinghy and catamaran on the south shore, with optimal thermal winds in the afternoon.

MK Circuit at Scientrier: outdoor karting track approved FFSA category 1 and French karting school. Adult and child karts plus 2-stroke karts.

Patinoire Jean-Régis in Annecy, 58x28 m indoor rink: public sessions, Friday night disco, figure skating and hockey lessons. Municipal facility.

Main boat-towed wakeboard spot on Lake Annecy: water-skiing, wakeboarding, wakesurfing, towed buoy. Flat water in the morning, boat waves in the afternoon.

Ruins of a 10th–12th-c. castle, residence of the Sires of Faucigny before Bonneville. Col at 862 m, 15–20 min trail. Free access year-round, restoration in progress.

Landscape alpine garden facing the Mont-Blanc massif — 5 themed gardens (kitchen, sensory, exotic, alpine, rockery) at Plateau d'Assy, Passy.

Granges de Servette Museum: contemporary art (Lyon school) and 1,000+ old tools at Chens-sur-Léman. Free entry, summer 3-7 pm.