• LA ROCHE
  • ACCESS
  • WHAT TO DO
  • WHERE TO STAY
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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.
​The Tourist Office of La Roche-sur-Foron will be happy to help organise visits and trips. Contact them ...
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​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

what to do in la roche

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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.
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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 : do not park in town centre car park Wednesday night because of market Thursday morning.
click on maps to enlarge
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La Roche-sur-Foron with festival POI
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Town centre with car parks

what to do nearby

If you're thinking of staying over before or after the festival, check some of these cool places - all within an easy drive from La Roche-sur-Foron
Click on pictures to expand and on buttons to read about the site 
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Geneva is Switzerland's second city, famous for its fountain and for being home to the United Nations and the International Red Cross. It is also home to the European headquarters of many large corporations, making it one of the great international cities.
There is much to do including walking around the lakeside, strolling through the old town or browsing the shops and bars of the Carouge village quarter.
Accessible by car (25 kms; 30 minutes) and two trains an hour between La Roche and Geneva -  website Geneva - website Leman Express trains
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The scenic  town of Annecy, often called The Venice of the Alps, is a must see for visitors to the area with its pure lake, set against the backdrop of the Aravis mountains. ​Walk along the Pâquier and enjoy the views across the lake; soak up the atmosphere as you stroll through the streets of the old town, beside the canals and river; visit the castle perched above the old town, with its stunning views and museum relating the history of the Dukes of Savoy.
Accessible by car (40 kms, 20 minutes) and train or bus (30 minutes every hour) - website 
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​Yvoire is one of the most beautiful towns in Haute Savoie, this medieval fishing village on the edge of Lake Geneva is a labyrinth of narrow streets and alleys that still retain some of the original 14th century fortifications.
Accessible by car (40 kms, 50 mins) - website
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Chamonix Mont-Blanc is the cradle of skiing and mountaineering, this alpine resort lies at the foot of Mont Blanc, Europe's highest peak. Cable cars operate all year to reach the summit and the streets of the old town are a joy to wander along. You can also take the rack and pinion Train de Montenvers to see the 1900 meter high Mer de Glace Glacier and the ice cave.
​Accessible by car (60 kms; 45 minutes) and by train and bus (60 minutes, every hour via Saint Gervais) - website
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The Plateau des Gliders was an important site for the French resistance to receive and distribute arms and ammunition dropped by parachute in WWII. A large monument now stands in memory of those who gave their lives fighting a rearguard action for the allies in 1944.
​It is also a lovely place to visit and to go hiking.
Accessible by car (30 kms, 30 minutes) - website  (in French)
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The Aravis chain of mountains next to La Roche-sur-Foron is the perfect place for you if you enjoy the outdoors, either as an active hiker or climber, or as a gentle stroller. You will find a mixture of steep climbs (some peaks over 2000 m), plateaus and rolling pastures. 
For more information ask at the Tourist Offices of Le Grand Bornand or La Clusaz.
​Accessible by car. Ask for advice at the tourist office - website
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The Mont Salève is known as "Geneva's Mountain". You can drive or take the cable car ride up the 900 metres to the top to enjoy spectacular views over Geneva, the lake and the Jura Mountains. There is a also restaurant and bar at the top, and a Buddhist temple.
There are possibilities to hike, mountain bike and paraglide.
Cable car cessible by car (25 kms, 20 minutes); direct access to the summit by car (25 kms, 30 minutes) - website
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A bit further on from Geneva is the house Charlie Chaplin made his home for the last 25 years of his life.
Walk through the beautifully preserved house with original furniture, waxwork models and a TV screen in each room showing home movies and newsreels. Visit the studio with scenes, sets and souvenirs from his most famous films. Sit in the garden and admire the views across the lake and the Alps.
Accessible by car (130 kms, 90 mins) - website

hotels

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La Roche-sur-Foron is a small town and accommodation is hard to come by during festival week. Here are three local 3* hotels for you try.
There are also several B&B, self catering accommodation and other hotels solutions available through the tourist office website here , and more hotels in the cities of Annemasse, Aviernoz, Bonneville, Reignier and Thorens-Glières (all within 30 min by car). AirBnB also has some offerings around La Roche-sur-Foron. 

hôtel les afforêts

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​Town centre. ​Easy walk to festival.

hôtel le foron

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​Outskirts of La Roche. Pool. ​10 mins walk to festival

hôtel mont blanc

​7 kilometers. Pool. ​10 mins drive to La Roche
​Book early! Accommodation becomes hard to find around festival weekend.

camping

An unofficial campsite next to the stadium is open specially for festival week off Chemin du Livron at the end of Rue des Marmotaines (see map of La Roche above).
Showers and toilets are available in the gymnasium
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The campsite is walking distance from the town centre and the festival site and near the municipal swimming pool.
It opens on the afternoon of Monday before the festival and is closed from midday on the Monday after the festival. Note: the entrance is physically blocked at this time.
Campers will be able to use the gymnasium bathroom facilities during mornng and afternoon opening times.
The trash is taken out and the showers and toilets are cleaned daily. Please help us to keep it clean and tidy.
Cost per person of staying at the campsite depends on when you arrive: 20 euros arriving Monday-Tuesday, 15 euros arriving Wendesday-Thursday and 10 euros arriving Friday-Sunday.
​There is no reservation and the campsite is available on a first come first served basis.
Festival volunteers sell our festival currency "€uroches" on the campsite. This is an extra service that saves campers from queuing on the festival site. All food and drink bought on the festival site is paid for with €uroches.
The festival is financed primarily by the food and drink we make and sell on the festival site. We encourage campers to make some use of these facilities to help ensure the long term development of the festival.
The campsite will be open from Monday afternoon August 1st and close at 11 am on Monday August 8, at wchich time the entrance will be blocked by a bulldozer!!!
La Roche also has a Camping Car Relief Station located in the "Canada" car park.
Here is a list of campsites near La Roche sur Foron.

the campsite will  be open in 2023