• LA ROCHE
  • ACCESS & PARKING
  • WHAT TO DO
  • WHAT TO DO NEARBY
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La Roche-sur-Foron lies at the foot of the French Alps in the historic Haute-Savoie department of south east France. The lovingly restored medieval town centre, beautifully decked in flowers, packs 1,000 years of history into its walls and ranks it as one of the “100 prettiest detours in France”.
La Roche is a lively and dynamic market town with a population of 12,000. Its location close to Geneva, Chamonix Mont-Blanc  and Annecy makes La Roche-sur-Foron a great destination in one of Europe's most beautiful mountain and lake regions.
Street market every Thursday morning.
​The Tourist Office of La Roche-sur-Foron will be happy to help organise visits and trips. Contact them ...
Click on photo gallery to expand
​Photos Emmanuel Marin
La Roche-sur-Foron is conveniently located in the triangle formed by Geneva, Annecy and Chamonix Mont-Blanc (Europe's highest peak).​
It lies near two major motorways connecting Lyon, Geneva and Italy, via Mont Blanc tunnel.
It is served by Geneva airport (40 minutes) and Lyon airport (90 minutes), and has easy connections to France's high speed rail link to Paris, Lyon and the Mediterranean.

GETTING HERE

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Geneva airport - 30 minutes by car
The new Leman Express train service runs twice an hour from Geneva Central station (Cornavin) to La Roche sur Foron (terminus Annecy of St Gervais). Trains from the airport to Cornavin go every 10 minutes.
If arriving from Paris take Switzerland exit (not France)
​Lyon airport - 90 minutes by car
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High speed train (TGV) from Paris to La Roche-sur-Foron (change at Bellegarde or Annecy)
Local train from Lyon (change at Bellegarde or Annecy)
Local network trains from Geneva Central (Cornavin) to La Roche-sur-Foron run twice an hour at peak times, once an hour off peak (direction Annecy or St Gervais via Annemasse).
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From Lyon - A42 via Geneva or A43 via Annecy 
From Paris - A6 South, A40 Geneva, A410 La Roche
From Germany - A1 through Switzerland via Basel or Zurich, A410 La Roche
From Italy - Through Mont-Blanc tunnel via Chamonix, A410 La Roche
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Parking is free and easy to find during the festival (follow sign posts) in one of the many car parks in town or on the street (click on map to enlarge).
​In the "blue zones" around the centre (marked by blue space lines on the ground) the time limit is two hours to ensure that spaces free up regularly, in all other car parks there is no limit.
​You can ask for a free blue car park windscreen disc in the tourist bureau.
Warning : be careful parking around the streets in the centre on Wednesday night because of market Thursday morning.
click on the maps to enlarge
Map Overview of La Roche
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Map of La Roche Town Centre (with car parks)
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Town centre with car parks
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There are plenty of bars and restaurants in La Roche town centre. During the festival there will be live music around town as professional and amateur musicians meet and jam wherever they can find a place.
It is probably better to reserve during the Street Festival Wednesday evening and Friday lunchtime.
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The gift shops and clothes shops are all private businesses selling original quality products (you won't see any of the usual high street brands). Feel free to browse, our shopkeepers will be happy if you stop by and say hello.
Market day is Thursday morning
The market is held in the main, central car park (be careful not to leave your car there overnight on Wednesday if you want to find it in the morning!)
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There are some lovely walks to be had starting from the town. 
The Tower of the Geneva Counts is a must see with stunning views towards the Alps across the Arve valley; the sign posted walk through the medieval town centre with its family game "The Unicorn Challenge"; the Benite Fontaine with its tiny chapel and spring water source. Ask for information at the Tourist Information Office. 
They will also tell you about other walks you can do starting from La Roche or nearby in the mountains, on foot, mountain bike or horse back.
If it gets too hot the municipal swimming pool is a short walk from the centre.
Staying over before or after the festival? Check out some of these cool places
All within an easy drive from La Roche-sur-Foron
Click on pictures to enlarge
Click on place names to read about the place 
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Switzerland's 2nd city is famous for its water fountain and as home to the United Nations and the Red Cross. As the European HQ for many global corporations, Geneva is a genuine international city and there is plenty to see and do: walk along the lake shore and swim in the clear waters, stroll through the old town, visit the museums or go shopping.
25 km and 20 minutes by car; 2 trains every hour from La Roche.
website Geneva 
​website Leman Express trains 
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The pretty town of Annecy, known as the Venice of the Alps, is a must see for anyone in the region with its crystal clear lake with the magnificent Aravis mountain range as a backdrop.
You can admire the view across the lake from the Pâquier park or enjoy the atmosphere in the old town walking under the arcades or beside the river. The castle museum on top of the hill recounts the storied history of the Dukes of Savoy.
30 km and 20 mins by car or a 30 minute train ride every hour - website 
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​Yvoire is one of the most beautiful villages of Haute Savoie.
The fishing port on edge of Lake Geneva dates back to the Middle Ages. Some of the old 14th century ramparts can still be seen in the narrow streets.
40 km and 45 mins by car - website
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Chamonix Mont-Blanc Is the cradle of skiing and mountaineering.
The village is at the foot of Mont Blanc, Europe's highest summit, and you can take the cable car to the Aiguille du Midi or the rack train to the Sea of Ice (Mer de Glace). The streets around the town centre are a delight to walk through and find a restaurant serving local cheese specialities (fondue, raclette, tartiflette).
60 km, 45 mins by car or 60 mins by train and bus (every hour) - website
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The Plateau des Glières
was a key area for Resistance fighters during WWII to hide and receive arms and ammunition parachuted in by allied planes. There is a magnificent monument raised in memory of those who perished in 1944 during the great round up.
It is a beautiful for a hike.
30 km, 30 mins by car) - site web 
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If you enjoy the great outdoors, there is not much to beat this range of mountains and hills not far from La Roche for climbing, hiking or gentle walking.
There are summits reaching 2,000 m and plateaus of large fields filled with wild flowers.
30 km, 30 mins by car.. Ask at the Tourist Offices of Grand-Bornand or La Clusaz for directions to the best hiking trails - website
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Ride the Salève cable car to the top of "Geneva's Mountain" for a spectacular view acorss Geneva, its fountain and the lake with the Jura mountains in the background.
It is magnificent.
And there is even a restaurant up there, with hiking and mountain bike trails or paragliding. 
​The cable car can only be reached by (22 km, 20 min along the highway to Geneva) and it is also possible to drive to the top (25 km, 30 min) - website
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A bit further beyond Geneva is the house Charlie Chaplin made his home for the last 25 years of his life.
The house is open to the public and it is wonderfully preserved with much of the original furnishings, a TV screen in each room showing home movies of his time there and wax models of him, his family and some of the famous visitors he received.
Next to the house they have built a studio with full sets and memorabilia from some of his most famous films.
The gardens are aslo open and you can just sit on one of the benches and admire the beautiful views across the lake to the Alps. 
130 km, 90 mins by car - website