Breathtaking mountain views, crystal-clear lakes, charming old towns, alpine villages, renowned ski areas, comfort food… All of this makes Haute-Savoie one of the most stunning regions in France, full of amazing places to discover. Not that long ago, we had the pleasure of living there for 7 weeks, and we totally loved the experience! During that time, we explored quite a large part of the department and got to know it pretty well. And in this post, we’ll show you our favorite places to visit in Haute-Savoie. Add them to your French bucket list – you won’t regret it!
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Haute-Savoie, France FAQ
Haute-Savoie (eng. Upper Savoy) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in eastern France, bordering Switzerland and Italy, with Annecy as its capital city. It extends from Lake Geneva in the north to Mont Blanc in the south, and has the craziest range of elevations of all French regions – the lowest point is at 221m, and the highest is at the Mont Blanc summit, at 4810m!
Haute-Savoie is best known for striking landscapes, charming Alpine towns, and being home to the highest summit in Western Europe – majestic Mont Blanc. There, you’ll also find many world’s renowned ski and spa resorts.
Absolutely! Haute-Savoie region offers stunning alpine scenery and colorful lakeside towns. In summer, you can enjoy activities like hiking, paragliding, and watersports, while winter brings snow-covered magic and top-notch skiing. Haute-Savoie is a perfect destination for nature lovers, adventure seekers, and anyone drawn to mountain landscapes.
Famous dishes from Haute-Savoie include Savoyarde fondue, raclette, tartiflette/reblochonnade, la tarte aux myrtilles, and gratin de crozets. Yummy!
Places to visit in Haute-Savoie, France
Annecy
Annecy, affectionately called the Venice of the Alps, is one of the prettiest towns in France. Picturesque canals, charming old town, colorful buildings, crystal-clear Lake Annecy, and the mighty Alps… All of these make Annecy a perfect destination for both adventure and culture lovers. It’s a destination where you can easily fall in love! If we were asked to recommend just one place to visit in Haute-Savoie, we would have chosen Annecy without any hesitation.
Yvoire
Yvoire is a picturesque medieval village on the Lake Geneva shores, which will transport you back in time hundreds of years. Even though the village is more than 700 years old, it has preserved its medieval vibe with stone houses and wooden balconies brightly decorated with flowers. Yvoire is also recognized as one of the most beautiful villages in France (Les Plus Beaux Villages de France), which doesn’t surprise us at all! It’s a real gem in Haute-Savoie, totally worth visiting.
Chamonix
Chamonix is another mind-blowing place in Haute-Savoie. It’s located in the heart of the French Alps, where Mont Blanc and other impressive giant mountains dominate the area. This small alpine village is full of outdoor attractions, along with cozy restaurants serving delicious food, and plenty of stylish hotels.
But what’s even more important – Chamonix is full of unforgettable views at every step! There, thanks to the Aiguille-du-Midi cable car, you’ll even have the possibility to stand right in front of the majestic Mont Blanc! So if you’re looking for an alpine escape, Chamonix will be exactly the place in Haute-Savoie for your next adventure.
Evian-les Bains
Evian-les-Bains is a small and charming SPA town located on the shores of Lake Geneva. The town is most famous for its Evian mineral water, which can be found in stores in most countries around the world. Together with a scenic lake location, close proximity to the Alps, thermal baths, many hiking and cycling trails around, and a colorful old town, you’ll end up with one of the most charming places in Haute-Savoie!
Fun fact. Even the famous Frankenstein monster once visited Evian!
Les Lindarets
Les Lindarets is a small village located high in the mountains, at an altitude of 1442m. It’s quite a unique place in Haute-Savoie. Why? Well, in winter it’s a ski resort that in summer transforms into a village dominated by… goats freely walking along the streets and hilltop meadows!
You can buy some food and feed them, but be aware that they might become intrusive. n Les Lindarets, you can also admire classic Alpine chalets, eat in one of a few restaurants, buy goat-related products, and simply enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the surroundings.
More great places to visit in Haute-Savoie, France
If you are hungry for more amazing places in Haute-Savoie, you can also check out:
- Thonon-les-Bains
- Abondance
- Morzine & Lake Montriond
- Chatel
- Les Gets
While you’re in the area, you can also explore two beautiful places in Switzerland – Geneva and Lausanne.
Explore local attractions
Places to visit in Haute-Savoie – Summing up & our opinion
Mighty mountains, lakes with crystal clear water, charming medieval villages, and colorful towns… Haute-Savoie is without a doubt one of the most stunning regions in France to visit, full of beautiful places to explore. Hopefully, this area also looks interesting to you, and you’ll appreciate its beauty as much as we did. Have a great trip!
So far, we’ve spent 7 weeks in Haute-Savoie region, from May to mid-June. During that time, we lived in Thonon-les-Bains which we found as an amazing starting point to discover the region. We quickly fell for its charm and made nice memories. After Cote d’Azur, it’s our second favorite region in France!
One more tip. Traveling by car is the best and fastest way of getting to all places in the Haute-Savoie. So if you’re not traveling by car, we recommend you rent one via the rentalcars.com website.
