For tourists approaching Evian, discovering the town from the lake is always spectacular. The backdrop of the Mémises, the flower-filled quays and the historic lakefront buildings form a picture often described with admiration.
The town’s small size and pedestrianized center make it easy to explore on foot. The first building to discover is the Notre Dame de l’Assomption church, built in the second half of the 13th century. The area around the church is full of examples of medieval architecture. After crossing the old market square and taking the Passage des Bonbonnes, you come to the Source Cachat, discovered in 1789. This small revolution in Evian was to change the destiny of the fishing town forever. From the end of the 19th century onwards, Evian became known the world over for its spa tourism. Grand hotels were built, the Casino and the social life attracted the crowned heads of Europe, and made the thermal baths a success. The Belle Epoque was Evian’s golden age, and many of its buildings bear witness to this: the Buvette Cachat, the Palais Lumière, the Town Hall, the Hôtel Royal… The funicular still allows you to reach the grand hotel districts, as it did in 1907 – the year it opened – in just a few minutes from the lower town.
All year round, daily.
Free access.
