Welcome to Thonon-Les-Bains, a small French town on Lake Geneva shores, often simply called Thonon. Once it was the capital of the historical district of Chablais and now is one of the official SPA towns. Together with a scenic lakeside location, close proximity to the Alps, plenty of hiking and cycling trails around, and a delightful old town you’ll end up with a truly great destination to explore. Stay with us and discover great things to do in Thonon-Les-Bains, France.
Interesting fact. Thonon Les Bains is one of the municipalities belonging to the Chablais UNESCO Global Geopark, a remarkable natural area, between Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc.
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Thonon-Les-Bains, France FAQ
Thonon-les-Bains is located in eastern France, on the southern shore of Lake Geneva (fr. Lac Léman), in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. The town lies at an altitude of 426m a.s.l.
Thonon Les Bains is a town with a great vibe and charm that definitely is worth visiting. Whether you are into charming colorful towns, history, relaxing in SPA, outdoor activities or just admiring breathtaking views – you’ll find something for yourself there.
Thonon is a small and fairly quiet SPA town which thanks to its great lakeside location and close proximity to the Alps is now a popular holiday destination, both in winter and summer. If you’re looking for a pleasant, relaxing destination – Thonon will be just perfect.
Thonon is a great destination for day trips while in Haute-Savoie. Without rushing, you’ll see the most important town spots in just a few hours. The town is also a great place for relaxing weekend getaways, winter or summer holidays, and serves as a good home base for digital nomads who want to discover the area.
Things to do in Thonon-les-Bains
Old Town streets
Thonon-les-Bains Old Town is located on a small hill on the south shore of Lake Geneva. Take a lovely walk among charming colorful streets, admire the typical of this region’s French buildings, and of course spectacular views of the lake, Thonon port, and Switzerland just across the lake. Discovering the crooks and crannies of the old town is definitely one of the coolest things to do in Thonon-les-Bains!
In the old town, you’ll find places of interest like the Church of Saint-Hippolyte, Basilica Saint-François-de-Sales, Parc du Belvédère, and Sonnaz Castle with Chablais Museum and Tourist Office.
Church of Saint-Hippolyte & Basilica Saint-François-de-Sale
The Church of Saint-Hippolyte and Basilica Saint-François-de-Sale are two adjoining buildings.
Baroque-style Saint-Hippolyte church (fr. Église Saint-Hippolyte) is Thonon’s oldest church dating back to the 12th century, which over the years was rebuilt and restored several times.
Basilica Saint-Francois-de-Sale (fr. Saint François de Sales Basilica) is a neo-Gothic church that was supposed to replace the Saint-Hippolyte church, which was about to be demolished. Construction began in 1889 but in 1894, due to financial issues, it was postponed. Work restarted in 1920, and finally, the church was completed in 1930. The church was given the basilica title in 1993.
Belvedere Park
Belvedere Park (fr. Parc du Belvédère) is a terraced park above Lake Geneva that offers spectacular panoramic views over the lake, Thonon port, Switzerland coast, and Jura Mountains. Just sit on one of the many benches, and enjoy the views. The Belvedere Park is open all year round and there’s no entrance fee. Visiting Belvedere Park and soaking in the views is truly a great thing to do in Thonon.
Funicular
Since 1888 funicular (fr. Funiculaire de Thonon-les-Bains) connects the shores of Lake Geneva with the upper part of town. It was the second funicular built in France! It helped to overcome the difficulties of communication between the city center and the port. In 1989 funicular was automated.
Funicular runs from the Port up to the Belvedere Park. Ticket costs €1.2 for a one-way trip, and €2.4 for both ways (November 2024). To check out current prices and hours of operation visit thononlesbains.com website.
If you prefer to walk, there is also a footpath available but it’s quite steep so get ready for some exercise.
Discover: Accommodation options in Thonon-les-Bains
Sonnaz Castle with Chablais Museum & Tourist Office
Right next to Belvedere Park, you’ll find Sonnaz Castle (fr. Château de Sonnaz) which was built in the 17th century, on the ruins of the medieval castle. Now the castle is home to the Chablais Museum (fr. Musée du Chablais) and Tourist Office. In the museum, you’ll find permanent exhibitions about the region, and temporary exhibitions which change once a year.
Entrance to Chablais Museum cost: full price – €3, reduced price – €2.5. Also, the museum is free every Sunday (November 2024). Current opening hours and prices are available on the thononlesbains.com website.
Thonon-les-Bains Port
In the lower part of town, on the shores of Lake Geneva, you’ll find the port area with a promenade, many restaurants, bars and shops lining the waterfront. The place can also offer glorious views so stop for a moment and soak it up.
In port, you’ll also find open-air Fishing and Lake Ecomuseum (fr. Écomusée de la Pêche et du Lac) which is set up in three traditional fishing huts. The museum tracks the evolution of fishing techniques and displays various fishing equipment like boats, nets, and traps. In four aquariums you’ll also be able to observe the fish like trout and perches that live in the lake nearby. There’s also a display with stuffed, lake-dwelling birds. Entrance to Fishing and Lake Ecomuseum cost: full price – €2.7, reduced price – €2.3, children under 18 years old enter for free (October 2023). Current opening hours and prices are available on thononlesbains.com website.
Castle of Ripaille
A bit outside the town center, 25 minutes by foot or about 5-10 minutes by car, you’ll find the next great place to visit in Thonon-Les-Bains – a Castle of Ripaille (fr. Château de Ripaille). This fine estate was originally built in the middle of the 15th century and was the home of the Dukes of Savoy. In the 17th and 18th centuries, it was a Carthusian monastery, and then a ruin until the end of the 19th century. In 1892 a local textile factory owner, Frédéric Engel-Gros, bought the property and restored it. Since then the Castle of Ripaille has been in the hands of the Necker-Engel family, descendants of Mr Frédéric.
Around the castle, there are also 22 hectares of vineyard with Chasselas grapes, the oldest known grape originally coming from Egypt.
Ripaille Castle is open for visitors. Entrance cost: full price – €12, reduced price – €9, children under 7 years old enter for free (November 2024). Current opening hours and prices are available on the ripaille.fr website.
Activities around Lake Geneva
Do you need more ideas for things to do in Thonon-les-Bains? No problem! Just tell us what you prefer: active or passive rest? Ok, it doesn’t really matter, because near Lake Geneva everyone will find something for themselves!
Sports enthusiasts can choose from activities like paddleboarding, kayaking, kayak-rafting, windsurfing, sailing, canoeing, water skiing, or just swimming. Also, there’s a possibility to rent a small boat, with or without a license.
If you are not into watersports you can head to the lakeshore to relax, sunbathe, and take a nice refreshing dip in the lake. You can choose free beaches along the shore, or head to a municipal swimming pool/beach which can offer you various facilities like swimming pools, slides, and restaurants. Entry tickets cost for 2024: €5.3 for adults and €3.3 for children. For current prices and opening hours visit ville-thonon.fr website.
In our opinion, the best free beaches are right next to Ripaille Castle – it’s pebbly but quiet and it’s easy to find many shady places. It’s even possible to make a few new animal friends!
Cycling & MTB biking
In no other place, we’ve seen so many cyclists and MTB lovers. We can’t say much in this matter but there are many cycling routes to choose from in, or near, Thonon-les-Bains. Check out websites like outdooractive.com and komoot.com to discover more.
Discover: Accommodation options in Thonon-les-Bains
How to get to Thonon-les-Bains, France?
Thonon-Les-Bains is located about 10km from Evian-Les-Bains, 35km from Geneva in Switzerland, 100km from Chamonix, and 75km from Annecy. The most convenient way to get to Thonon-Les-Bains is by car or by train.
Where to park in Thonon-les-Bains?
There are a few parking lots in Thonon-Les-Bains. We left our car in this free parking lot, located only 1km, 10min by foot, from the town centre.
Airports near Thonon-les-Bains
The closest airports to Thonon-Les-Bains are in Geneva, Switzerland (40km away) and Lyon (190km away). Both airports have train and bus connections with Thonon. To check the connections that interest you please visit rome2rio.com website.
To Thonon-les-Bains by train
France is very well connected by trains. For example, the journey from Geneva to Thonon Les Bains takes about 1.5h (€15-58), 10 min from Evian-Les-Bains (€1-35) and 3.5h from Lyon (€57-127). To learn more about train connections that interest you visit sncf-connect.com or rome2rio.com website.
For great train ticket deals visit Trainline website.
To Thonon-les-Bains by bus
You can also get to Thonon-Les-Bains by bus. For example, the trip from Evian-Les-Bains will take about 35min (€3-6), 1.5h from Annecy (€8-18), and 3h45min from Lyon (€18-26). To learn more about bus connections that interest you visit rome2rio.com website.
To Thonon-les-Bains by ferry
You can also get to Thonon-Les-Bains by ferry from Lausanne in Switzerland. The journey will take about 50min and will cost €25-30.
Camping in Thonon-les-Bains
If you’re traveling by camper, campings like Camping Les Huttins, Camping Du Lac, Camping Disdillou, or Camping du Chatelet might interest you. All are located in or near Thonon.
Things to do in Thonon-les-Bains, France – Summing up
Now you know many great things to do in Thonon-les-Bains, France. Spectacular views, chilling time on Lake Geneva shores, colorful old town, cozy restaurants, friendly people, thermal baths… What would you need more? We hope that you’ll have a truly amazing time there!
Our opinion about Thonon-les-Bains
We lived in Thonon-les-Bains for 6 weeks (May to mid-June) during our season#1 of digital nomad life. During that time the town was still quiet, without huge crowds and only with few tourists. We loved living there and we’ll come back without hesitation one day. Until today we remember beautiful sunsets, chilling on lake shores during hot days, lovely streets, and super friendly people.
We also found Thonon as a good starting point for discovering the Haute-Savoie and Lake Geneva areas. Cons? None! Ok… Maybe except for quite high prices in supermarkets.
Restaurants, accommodations, and map
Check out various recommended places below.
Where to eat in Thonon-Les-Bains?
Here are your best, high-rated options in Thonon-Les-Bains:
Where to sleep in Thonon-Les-Bains?
Hotel Les Marronniers
Hotel Les Marronniers is a charming and cozy hotel in Thonon-Les-Bains, offering comfortable rooms and a peaceful garden terrace perfect for relaxing after a day of exploring the town and Lake Geneva. Its location in the heart of the town also makes it a convenient base for discovering the surrounding mountains and nearby ski resorts.
ibis Styles
ibis Styles Thonon-Les-Bains offers stylish and comfortable accommodations with modern amenities such as a fitness center and a bar. Its central location in the town also provides easy access to Lake Geneva and the surrounding area for outdoor activities and sightseeing.
Appart’City
Appart’City offers modern and well-equipped apartments with a kitchenette and a fitness center for guests to use. Its location close to the train station and Thonon center makes it a convenient choice for both leisure and business travelers visiting Thonon-Les-Bains.
Accommodations photos source: booking.com
