Évian & Lake Geneva

Évian-les-Bains on the French south shore of Lake Geneva is known worldwide for its mineral water and is an elegant Belle Époque spa town. The lakeside promenade, thermal baths and boat trips across the largest Alpine lake shape the town, with the Savoy and Swiss Alps greeting in the background.

Highlights

• World-famous Évian mineral water
• Belle Époque spa town on Lake Geneva
• Lakeside promenade and boat service
• View over the largest Alpine lake

Good to know

Practical info

Background & History

Évian lies on the southern shore of Lac Léman, usually called Lake Geneva in German, the largest lake in the alpine region, whose wide expanse of water belongs to a good half to Switzerland and otherwise to France. The place became known for its springs, whose mineral-rich water filters through the rock strata of the hinterland before it comes to the surface. From this peculiarity grew in the 19th century a fashionable spa town in which magnificent hotels and a casino breathe the spirit of the Belle Époque and recall the time when health spas were among the great social meeting places of Europe.

The lake itself is a work of the Ice Age, gouged out by enormous glaciers that once advanced from the Rhône valley and left behind a broad basin. Along its shores line old fishing villages such as nearby Yvoire, whose medieval core dates back to the 14th century and whose lanes have preserved the character of a fortified harbour. Whether by steamship across the mirroring surface or on a walk along the lakeside promenade, here Savoyard lifestyle combines with the mild, almost southern climate of a lake that carries the warmth of summer within it for a long time and whose shores have captivated artists, spa guests and travellers alike since the Belle Époque.