Abondance can be explored through three themes: cheese-making, the abbey church and trails around Lac des Plagnes. Seasonal winter activities are also available. When planning your trip, you can first decide whether culture and cheese, walks by the lake or winter sports should be the focus.
Cheese-making in nine stages
The Maison du Fromage Abondance offers a sensory tour in nine stages. Interactive exhibits follow the key steps in making Abondance cheese—from milking the cows to maturing the cheese in the cellar. This lets you discover the cheese through its production process, rather than focusing only on the finished product. You can also taste different varieties of local cheeses. The exhibition and tasting offer different experiences: one shows how the cheese is made, while the other lets you try several varieties.
Abbey church, cultural site and walking route
When visiting the Notre-Dame de l’Assomption Abbey Church, it is helpful to distinguish between the church and the cultural site. The church in Abondance is open daily and free of charge. The paid cultural site of the Abbaye d’Abondance includes access to the cloister, part of the former monastery and the orchard. If you would like to visit both areas, take their different access conditions into account and check them before your trip.
The Tour du village d’Abondance walking route starts in the village centre, passes near the Abbaye d’Abondance and then continues to the Maison du Fromage Abondance. It connects a starting point in the centre with a route near the abbey and a destination at the cheese house. If you plan a visit there, check the Maison’s opening hours; conditions on the route can also vary.
Lac des Plagnes: geology and trails
Lac des Plagnes is designated as a UNESCO Geopark. Its basin was carved out by the passage of the Ardens Glacier. This gives the lake a geological significance, while it is also a starting point for numerous walks and hikes. Those interested in scenery and outdoor activity will find a different focus here than at the cheese-making site or the abbey church.
Comparing winter activities
A free, groomed five-kilometre cross-country and Nordic skiing trail starts at Lac des Plagnes. It is seasonal and depends on snow conditions. The lake is also a starting point for snowshoeing. The Abondance ski area offers a different kind of winter sport, with 17 kilometres of slopes at elevations between 950 and 1,730 metres. It can be reached from the village centre by gondola; the gondola operates seasonally.
In the heart of Abondance village, the Front de neige du Ludoffaz offers slopes for beginners. This winter area also depends on snow and weather conditions. The activities therefore differ in type and scale: a five-kilometre trail by the lake, snowshoeing, slopes in the ski area and beginner slopes in the village. This seasonal dependence is an important factor when choosing when to travel.
Choosing the focus of your stay
For a visit to the church and cultural site, their different access conditions are important; for winter activities, the season, snow and weather matter.
Discover more destinations: Chatel, Passy, Moussy, Verchaix, Montagny-Les-Lanches, SĂ©vrier, Yvoire, Draillant
Return to the regional travel overview: Haute-Savoie.
