Yvoire, Haute-Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Yvoire is a French commune located in the department of Haute-Savoie, in the canton of Sciez in region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Yvoire, a medieval town from the 14th century is located on the French shore of Lake Geneva. National flower winner, member of the prestigious Association of the Most Beautiful Villages of France, this tourist town of 833 inhabitants, bathed by the waters of the largest lake in Western Europe, nearly a million visitors per year. More than 150,000 of them disembark each year from Compagnie Générale de Navigation boats on Lake Geneva. This figure makes it the third port of Lake Geneva and places it in the top fifteen in France in terms of passenger traffic.

Yvoire is a beautiful town year-round but particularly attractive during spring and summer when it is filled with flowers blooming from seemingly every balcony and windowsill. This traffic-free village has managed to preserve much of its medieval look with town walls and gates, a historic castle, and narrow cobblestone streets.

Yvoire is hugely popular with day-trippers and thus has a large number of restaurants, cafés, boutiques, art galleries, studios, and souvenir shops. With few formal sights, visiting Yvoire is relaxing and the town easy to enjoy. Yvoire is a short drive from Geneva and Evian or a fast passenger ferry crossing from Nyon in Switzerland.

Yvoire is located in Haute-Savoie in the district of Thonon-les-Bains, on the shores of Lake Geneva, 30 minutes from Annemasse and the motorway exit. Yvoire borders on Excenevex (to the east) and Nernier and Messery to the west. The town belongs to the agglomeration community of Thonon les Bains. It has obtained several distinctions: most beautiful villages in France, “ville fleurie” label with “4 flowers” as part of the competition for towns and villages in bloom, “Grand prix national du fleurissement” and silver medal in the European flower competition.

History
Yvoire’s written history goes back to 1306 and a time when Lake Geneva castles played an important role in protecting the strategic trade routes through the Alps and along the lake. However, changing trade routes pushed Yvoire into decline and relative obscurity since the sixteenth century. It is only the onslaught of mass tourism during the twentieth century that placed Yvoire back on the map as a popular day-trip destination for travelers in the Lake Geneva region.

Antiquity
The left bank of Lake Geneva is in allobroge territory. These control the flat foreland, between the Rhône and the Alps. The Romans intervene in the region from the ii th century BC. AD. Traces – tegulæ – of a Roman presence were found in Yvoire and its surroundings without however indicating an important implantation unlike in old neighboring sites (Nernier or Messery). Authors have tried to see the mention of the military port Ebrudunum Sapaudiæ in a Roman text from the end of the Empire as the site of Yvoire. The different people tend to prefer the Swiss city of Yverdon.

60 m from the castle, presence of the “Pierre de l’Equarroz” (1.1 m high and 2.5 × 2.5 m), “located on the promontory overlooking the confluence of the Foron and the stream of Chavannex “. This is the eastern slope of Mont de Boisy, near the hamlet of Chavannex. According to tradition, the place attracted residents to make sacrifices to Neptune, Neith or Niton (see also Pierres du Niton). La Chronica Gallica (452) describes the installation of the Burgundians in the province of Sapaudia. The Burgundian presence is proven on the territory of the municipality by the discovery of tombs, on the site called the necropolis of Combes.

Medieval period
The strategic location of the promontory advanced in the waters between the small and the large lake, favors building a castle from the xii th century, the center of a lordship. To the nobles of Yvoire, succeeds the great seigniorial family of Compey, vassal of the counts of Geneva. In 1289, an Anthelme de Compey, present at the Treaty of Sciez, was Lord of Yvoire and declared himself a vassal of Baroness Béatrice de Faucigny. The Ecclesia de Evyre depends on the abbey of Filly, as indicated by a papal bull of Innocent IV, of theSeptember 9, 1250.

In 1306, Count Amédée V of Savoy acquired the castle from the heirs of Anthelme de Compey and had it “redeveloped, rebuilt and fortified”. The building becomes a real fortress following the modifications of 1307-1308, then of 1325-1326. The fortifications of the city, begun shortly before, continue. The place becomes a strategic point for the count against his neighbors the count of Geneva and his ally the baron of Faucigny. The following year he also took the neighboring castle of Rovorée and had it razed. The fortified town is accessible by two gates created in 1318. These are “quadrangular towers of 5 m by 6”, called “tower of Nernier” oriented towards the west and “tower of Rovorée”, to the east. The city’s port is also defended by improvements.

Count Édouard de Savoie granted a franchise charter to the city in 1324, incorporating the content of the charter of the city of Aigle, in the canton of Vaud. In 1339, the seigneury was attached to the bailiwick of Chablais and Genevois. The manor is subservient in the second half of xiv th century to Antoine Miolans of Urtières. About ten other families followed at the head of the seigneury over the next three centuries. Despite the annexation of Faucigny by the House of Savoy, the castle and the fortified town retain a strategic importance in the conflict which continues to oppose the Savoys to the Geneva. In 1536, the northern part of the Duchy of Savoy was annexed by the Protestant Bernese troops. Yvoire is integrated into the new bailiwick of Thonon. Protestant worship is developing in the town due to the conversion of the lord, François de Saint-Jeoire-d’Antioche. The old castle is burnt.

Modern period
In 1615, the lordship passes the Bouvier family, originally from Bugey, still owns the castle today. In 1772, the seigneury was erected into a barony.

Contemporary period
From the end of World War II, agriculture and fishing gradually gave way to tourism. In 2002, the village has represented France at the European Competition Bloom and got the International Trophy Landscapers and horticulturists. The village of Yvoire celebrated its 700th anniversary in 2006. The main economic activity of the town is linked to local crafts and tourist activities: cruise aboard the solar shuttle, crossings and cruises with the CGN (line between Nyon and Yvoire), Chemin des Vaudois (to discover Nernier, small fishing village).

Tourism
Yvoire is one of the 48 towns classified as a “tourist town” in the department. It is a member of the association “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France”, since 1982.

In 2014, the town’s reception capacity, estimated by the Savoie Mont Blanc organization, was 990 tourist beds in 92 establishments. The accommodations are distributed as follows: 3 furnished; 5 hotels and two outdoor accommodation establishments.

Fortified medieval village located on the shores of Lake Geneva, member of the association of the most beautiful villages of France, it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in French Chablais.

The village has been rewarded every year since 1959 as part of the competition of towns and villages in bloom. In 2014, it has benefited from the “ville fleurie” label with “4 flowers”since 1959.

Over the years, he has been one of the winners of the national flowering competitions (1992, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2007). Yvoire has also been classified at the “Grand prix national du fleurissement” since 1995 and received the silver medal at the 2002 edition of the European flower competition.

Historical heritage
The town has two monuments listed in the inventory of historical monuments and one place listed in the general inventory of cultural heritage. Moreover, it does not include any object listed in the inventory of historical monuments or in the general inventory of cultural heritage. The door Geneva also called “door Nernier” is dated xiv th and xvi th centuries. It has been “classified” since August 24, 1943. The Thonon door also called “door Rovorée” is dated 14th century. It has been “classified” since June 19, 1981. The Jardin des Cinq Sens labyrinth is located in the heart of the village. Created in 1988 in place of the old garden of the castle, it has been restored according to the art of the walled gardens of the castle of the Middle Ages. The garden is classified as a remarkable Garden of France. It covers 2,500 m 2 and is organized around a plant cloister with medicinal and aromatic plants, fountains, aviaries, old roses and trellised fruit trees.

Medieval village:
Medieval village on the shores of Lake Geneva, Yvoire is already a seigneury when Amédée V, Count of Savoy, decides in the early fourteenth century to make a fortress impregnable. From this period remains essential remains: the castle, the fortifications, the fortified gateways, the ditches and old houses… Yvoire has retained its medieval character with its stone houses and wooden balconies decorated with flowers from Spring to Autumn. Although wars during the 16th century destroyed much of the village, there are still today many relics of the medieval past. This village, now a member of the Association of the Most Beautiful Villages of France, celebrated its 700th anniversary in 2006.

The entrance gates
From any car park you choose you’ll enter the village through one of the two medieval gates. In the Middle-Ages the main road from Geneva to Thonon crossed through the village by the two fortified entrance gates: Porte de Rovorée and Porte de Nernier. They controlled comings and goings and trade activities.

Porte de Rovorée
This arched passageway faces the Town-Hall and the Tourist information centre. It is often known as the Thonon Gate (Porte de Thonon).

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Porte de Nernier
The Nernier gate gives access to the village from the West. It is often known as the Geneva Gate (Porte de Genève). It is topped by a 10 m high watchtower.

The narrow streets
Between the two entrance gates are a small number of old streets lined with restaurants serving fresh lake fish, art boutiques and workshops. The more picturesque are Grande Rue Paul Jacquier, Rue des boulangers and Rue de l’église. The narrow cobbled streets are beautifully decked with geraniums and wisteria in the summer and fall seasons. Yvoire is well-known for its floral display and has been rewarded a ‘Four Flowers’ rank for the last few decades. They lead to the central square of the village, place du Thay, where is found the parish church.

Place du Thay
The delightful place du Thay is the central square of the village. In the shade of the trees, it has a certain Provençal atmosphere. It connects

Castle of Yvoire
The castle of Yvoire is a Savoyard castle. The strategic situation of Yvoire, sentinel of Lake Geneva, had not escaped the Count Amédée V Le Grand (1249-1323) who undertook major works of fortifications from 1306, in the middle of the Delphino-Savoyard war. For half a century, the village played a very important military role which earned its inhabitants the obtaining of “franchises” in 1324. The village will emerge unscathed from the wars of the Middle Ages, it will on the other hand undergo a hard assault from the Genevans and the French at the end of the XVIth century and the castle will be burnt. It will remain homeless for 350 years and the village will lose its military importance. Miraculously, precious testimonies from the past exist: ramparts, gates, ditches, houses that must be defended against modernity so that the dream remains…

Château d’Yvoire still dominates the small town today, as it must have done back in the Middle Ages. The castle is a typical Savoy design and reminds of many other medieval castles in the Lac Léman region. Yvoire Castle looks the part with turrets, towers, few windows, and thick walls. It has a commanding position right on the banks of Lake Geneva from where it guards the small fishing boat and large modern yacht harbors. Even on moderately clear days, Yvoire Castle can be seen from towns such as Nyon, Prangins, and Gland on the Swiss side of Lake Geneva. Château d’Yvoire is in private hands and not open to visitors.

Bell Tower church
The Yvoire church, dedicated to Saint Pancrace, dates back to the 11th century. It was transformed several times. The current bell tower built between 1856 and 1858 belongs to the line of bulbous bell towers which characterize Savoyard religious architecture at the end of the 19th century. Initially covered with tinned iron, the municipality envisaged its restoration in 1983 to fight against rust. In 1989, the works began, the bell tower was then covered with stainless steel type F17. The rooster and the ball at its top are covered with gold leaf. The parish church is dedicated to Saint Pancrace and carries a past steeped in history. She has been transformed several times. The current bell tower is a bulbous bell tower, typical of Savoyard and Piedmontese religious architecture. It was built between 1856. Initially, it was covered with tin-plated iron scales. Over time, the steeple rusted; it is now covered with stainless steel; the arrow and the rooster at its peak are covered with gold.

Other places and monuments
Early in the 14th century, the castle of Yvoire is built on a peak overlooking Lake Geneva, by Count Amadeus V of Savoy, on the site of a former stronghold. It is surrounded by a fortified town intended to control the passage between Geneva and Italy through the upper Rhône valley. Its strategic position makes it possible to monitor navigation between the small lake and the large lake of Léman. At the xvi th century, the castle was burned and the walls devastated during the conflict between the Bernese, the French Genevois and the Duke of Savoy. The castle is only partially recovered from its ruins. At the beginning of the 20th century century, the castle of Yvoire is restored by the Savoy family Bouvier Yvoire occupying it since the middle of the xvii th century (the castle is not open). A botanical garden called the Garden of the Five Senses has been set up for tourists, near the castle.

The Châtaignière-Rovorée, departmental field of art and culture, is a mansion built in the early xx th century by Lyon silk. It is located in the heart of the Rovorée area, a sensitive natural space co-managed by the Coastal Conservatory and the Haute-Savoie departmental council. Every year, from June to October, a temporary exhibition on Alpine heritage is presented there. In 2015, “Pourpoint, mantel and chaperon… To dress at the court of Savoy (1300-1450)”.

Harbours
The village has two harbours: a little fishing port on one side and the marina bordered with a promenade on the other.

The Port des Pêcheurs
The little harbour of the fishermen is the oldest in Yvoire. Walk to the end of the pier to enjoy great views of the old village and the castle with the waves lapping on the shore.

The Grand Port
This is where the ferry terminal is found. Its marina is busy in summer by yachtsmen from Switzerland and Haute-Savoie. Walk to the end of the pier to admire the view of the castle, the Alps of Chablais and the Swiss shore backed by the Jura mountains. You can even spot the Swiss city of Lausanne in the distance.

Cultural events and festivities
Several occasional activities as well as street artists settle in the village for the summer period:

April: cooking festival (with the arrival of spring, the partner chefs concoct surprise menus on a theme);
May: Venetian parade (the association Rêveries Vénitiennes offers a spectacle of elegance and magic in the heart of the medieval village for a whole weekend);
June: music festival;
July: Yvoire Jazz Festival; Harley Days;
July 14: rescue party;
end of August: capture of Rovorée (pedestrian race bringing together more than 150 runners;
September: painters’ day (installation of local amateur painters in the streets of the medieval village, who, for a day, produce a view of Yvoire);
October: donkey festival and organic market (to end the season, the tourist office in collaboration with local associations, organizes the donkey festival.

Natural space

Garden of the Five Senses
In the heart of the village, don’t miss the occasion to visit the Garden of Five Senses classified “Remarkable Garden” by the Ministry of Culture. This little piece of green heaven invites you to a poetic discovery of the plants with your five senses. Everything is made for your pleasure: the pleasure of your eyes with the colorful landscape provided by the arrangement of the flowers, the pleasure of stroking the softness of the foliage, the pleasure of smelling the roses, the pleasure of listening to the birds and the whispering of the water, the pleasure of finally going back to the true tastes of your childhood…

The Jardin des Cinq Sens, a former labyrinth of the Jardin des Cinq Sens, is located in the heart of Yvoire (Haute-Savoie), on the site of the old kitchen garden of the castle of Yvoire and was restored in 1986 according to art and the symbolism of Paradise lost in medieval gardens. It is classified as a remarkable garden by the Ministry of Culture. The plant labyrinth which is declined according to the five senses is a real curiosity. Plants and flowers correspond to sight, touch, taste and smell; the fifth sense, hearing, is represented by the song of water and birds.

Further on, visitors will discover a vegetal cloister with medicinal and aromatic plants, a checkerboard of old roses, old fruit trees with trellises and a few aviaries and fountains. Flowery medieval village, Yvoire was rewarded many times and is classified amongst the Most Beautiful Villages in France for the charm of its alleys which lead to Lake Geneva and its old rocks which invite the visitor to immerse themselves in the history of Savoie. In the fortified center, you will travel back to Middle-Age by discovering the gates and ramparts which used to protect the village and the castle from the modern era to discover a picturesque site which has perfectly been preserved.

The garden is open to visitors from mid-April to mid-October. It holds a collection of over 1000 varieties of plants.

Vegetti trail
From Yvoire to Nernier: Overlooking Lake Geneva to reach the picturesque village of Nernier from Yvoire.

Domaine de Rovorée la Châtaignière
The residence of La Châtaignière, stands on an area of 24 hectares of meadows, secular chestnut trees, remains of the medieval stronghold of Rovorée, and wooded areas bordering the lake shore over more than 1 km allowing points of varied views of Lake Geneva.

Boat cruise:
Thanks to its electro-solar propulsion, the Foué will allow you to navigate in the quietest and sweetest while enjoying the charm of the peninsula of Léman. From the sea, passengers will appreciate the breathtaking views of the medieval village, its stone houses, colorful flowers (site classified “Most Beautiful Villages of France”, with in background, mountain ranges, the legendary Dent d’Oche to the Peaks of Voirons). A comment will discover the history of the village, its fishermen’s port, its church… but also to know the legend of the “Pierre d’Equarre”. Thanks to the N3 Navimobility line between Nyon and Yvoire, the medieval city of Yvoire is only 20 minutes away from the Swiss coast. Cruise and relaxation lovers, embark on one of the magnificent steamboats of the Belle Epoque fleet of the Compagnie Générale de Navigation and enjoy the pleasures of water in the heart of the Savoyard mountains.

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