Haute-Savoie is the department of lakes and Mont Blanc, an Alpine region of exceptional beauty nestled between Lake Geneva, the River Arve and the Alpine peaks that have brought worldwide fame to Chamonix and its winter sports resorts. This department, which became part of France in 1860 along with Savoie, bears the mark of a unique Franco-Sardinian and Franco-Swiss history in its architecture and culture.
Annecy, with its crystal-clear lake and medieval old town criss-crossed by the Thiou canals, is one of the most photographed towns in France. Its castle, the former residence of the Counts of Geneva and the Dukes of Genevois-Nemours, overlooks the town from its rocky outcrop and now houses the Annecy Castle Museum. The Château de Montrottier, on the shores of Lake Annecy, houses a collection of weapons, armour and works of art assembled by Léon Marès in the 19th century.
Lake Geneva, lined with the Belle Époque villas of Évian-les-Bains and Thonon-les-Bains, and the lakeside châteaux — Châtel, Rives — bear witness to Haute-Savoie’s role as a destination for hospitality and holidays for the great European families of the 19th century.