Chevenoz offers several clearly distinct points of interest to help you plan a trip: religious buildings with construction dates and an early record of a church, a historic hydropower plant, the Dranse and a seasonally accessible section of the GR5 towards Chevenoz. This lets you assess the area based on whether you are more interested in architectural history, technological development, river activities or hiking plans.
Churches built in different periods
The Eglise paroissiale Saint-Jean-Baptiste was completed in 1894 and blessed in 1897. The two dates mark different milestones: first the completion of construction, then the blessing. Its floor plan is in the shape of a Latin cross. In this type of floor plan, the transept intersects the longer nave. The shape describes an architectural feature, while the dates place the construction and blessing in time.
A first church in Chevenoz is documented in 1411. The present-day parish church was built at a different location. This means that the early reference to a church and the construction of the present-day church belong to different periods and different places.
The Chapelle Saint-François de Sales was built between 1868 and 1869 on the site of Abbé Vernaz's former house. Its connection to the former house makes the location, as well as the construction period, part of its history. Compared with the parish church, completed in 1894, it was built more than a quarter of a century earlier. The two religious buildings can therefore be considered both in terms of the time between their construction and the specific locations mentioned for each.
Hydropower and technological development
The Centrale hydroélectrique de Chevenoz is located on the banks of the Dranse d'Abondance. It was commissioned on May 20, 1898, to supply electricity to Évian-les-Bains. In 1909, the addition of a pump, an alternating-current generator and a Pelton turbine made it France's first pumped-storage plant. It operated with a head of 400 metres.
The dates show two stages in the plant's history: its commissioning to supply electricity to Évian-les-Bains was followed eleven years later by its development into a pumped-storage plant. The focus here is therefore on its purpose and later technical function. The hydropower plant adds a different perspective on local history to that of the churches: rather than architectural form and construction dates, the focus is on electricity supply and technical equipment.
The Dranse and seasonal route planning
The Dranse divides Chevenoz into two parts and is associated with white-water activities. This adds another focus to trip planning alongside architectural and technological history: activities connected with the river. The Dranse and the Dranse d'Abondance are associated with different topics in descriptions of the area; at the hydropower plant, the focus is on energy history.
The GR5 Balcon du LĂ©man section from La Vernaz towards Chevenoz is also relevant for hiking plans. It is accessible daily from April 1 to November 1, outside the snow season and subject to weather conditions. This time window helps you choose when to travel; also check local conditions before setting out, as snow and weather are explicitly part of the access requirements.
Discover more destinations: Arthaz-Pont-Notre-Dame, Metz-Tessy, Lovagny, Vallorcine, La Vernaz, Alex, Les Esserts, Armoy
For the regional travel overview: Haute-Savoie.
