Hermance

Hermance is the last commune on the left bank of Lake Geneva before the French border, and it is unlike the rest of the canton - a small medieval village founded in the thirteenth century by the counts of Savoy, with lanes of stone houses, a fortified tower left from the old castle, and a lakeshore that is public rather than built over. It has been protected as a heritage site, which is why the fabric is intact in a canton where almost everything else was rebuilt. Artists and galleries occupy several of the houses. A shore path runs from the village toward Anieres and on toward Geneva, and there is a small harbour and a public beach.

What you actually see

• A thirteenth-century Savoyard village - stone lanes and a surviving tower.
• A protected heritage core - intact fabric in a canton of rebuilding.
• Galleries in old houses - the artists who settled in the village.
• A public shore and path - the lake walk toward Anieres.

When to go

April to October. Half a day.

Honest expectations

It is very small - an hour covers the lanes. Parking is limited and the bus from Geneva takes a while. Restaurants are few and busy in summer. There is no major sight, only the ensemble.

Nearby

Geneva is south-west; the French shore and Yvoire are just across the border.