Spend a day in the medieval town of Yvoire

You won't realise just how beautiful Yvoire is until you pass through one of the two Gothic gates in the watchtowers of the castle, flanked by a square keep with turrets. From the outside, the ramparts do not give away the charm of the place. The Vaudois writer Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz described the picturesque village in the following terms:

The first thing you're likely to notice is the omnipresence of flowers, especially if you visit Yvoire in summer. Yvoire is one of the world's most beautiful villages in bloom!

Take a stroll through the medieval streets and you'll find craft shops of all kinds. Lacemaking, basketry, crystalware, millinery, designer groups, jewellery, regional products or pottery, many workshops open their doors to you and their shops.

Stop off at Place du Thay, one of Yvoire's main attractions, where you'll find the church of Saint Pancrace, which dates back to the 11th century but has been modified several times over the course of history. Its bell tower, for example, dates from the 19th century. You'll notice its strange onion-shaped dome covered in gold leaf, which is characteristic of this region.

Another building you won't want to miss on your visit is the Château d'Yvoire, whose majestic silhouette stands out against Lake Geneva. An ideal backdrop for photos! The castle was built in 1306 as part of the fortification of the village by the Count of Savoy, Amédée V.

It was supposed to serve as a sentinel to monitor shipping and control the route linking Geneva to the upper Rhône valley and Italy. Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to enter.

A not-to-be-missed stop in Yvoire, the Garden of the Five Senses is located on a plot of land that was once the kitchen garden of the Château d'Yvoire. It has been awarded the "remarkable garden" label, and each of its plots is devoted to a specific sense: sight, touch, taste, hearing and smell! Without being a reconstruction, the site is inspired by medieval gardens. During your walk, you'll be able to touch a bear's ear, smell a pineapple sage, contemplate the blue of a clematis, taste a berry and listen to the cooing of an aviary or the splashing of a fountain...

The garden is divided into two distinct parts. The first includes several green areas, such as an alpine meadow (a tribute to the surrounding mountains), a planted wood, a Renaissance garden and a cloister of bower trees for meditation. The second part is a labyrinth made up of four gardens separated by hedges of hornbeam and apple trees. Sound is represented by the sound of water and birdsong. In all, the garden contains 1,500 varieties of plant.

A former fishing village, Yvoire and its many restaurants invite you to sample the region's culinary specialities, in particular the expertly-cooked fish of Lake Geneva. Perch fillets and Arctic char are undoubtedly the best known and most prized. If you don't like fish, try a bit of Savoy sausage or cheese, specialities of the region.

We recommend you visit La Vieille Porte, a traditional restaurant run by the same family since 1587. In fact, it's probably the oldest drinking establishment in Yvoire, as evidenced by the cabaret licences and the house account book! From the terrace (don't forget to book, as the place is a hit), you'll have an unbeatable view of the town and the lake. The cuisine is traditional and of the highest quality, featuring products from the Haute Savoie region.