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  France 2005 - Lac Vert Haut Savoie

 

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Le Lac Vert  & Plateau d'Assy


Lac Vert


Lac Vert image 2


Lac Vert image 3


 
A place we discovered many years ago when staying at St Gervais les Bains near Chamonix was the Lac Vert and since we were in the same region this year we decided on a return visit to see if it was as beautiful as we remembered - it was despite the grey skies!

A truly beautiful small lake with crystal clear waters surrounded by mountains and pine forests giving the water  glowing turquoise appearance. There is a rocky footpath around the lake

To find it you have to turn off the main N205 road or A40 autoroute J22 at Le Fayet and head north to Passy and then up a quite  narrow winding road to the small resort of Plateau d'Assy. Continue through the village to Plaine-Joux, a small ski resort and a favourite launch site for parapente (gliding) enthusiasts, where we stayed overnight at an  aire in the carpark. 


no turning back now!
There are terrific views across to the Mont Blanc range from here. The road continues eastwards past meadows and forests for about 1 km to the lake where there is a small car park, bar and restaurant.

carpark & aire at Plaine-Joux
car park & aire at Plaine-Joux

viaduct on road to Chamonix
Well engineered viaduct on road to Chamonix


amazing statue at Plateau d'Assy
amazing statue at Plateau d'Assy

mosaics on church front at Plateau d'Assy
mosaics on church front at Plateau d'Assy


Returning to Plateau d'Assy there is a huge strange and amazing statue in the village centre and nearby a modern church, the Église Notre-Dame-de Toute-Grâce with mosaics by Fernand Léger, sculptures and paintings by many famous artists including Braque, Chagall and Matisse.

There are several other modern sculptures beside the roads in the area

 Many years ago there were several TB hospitals in the area being at over a thousand metres altitude and the works of art were donated to the town by a benefactor.


Useful links
The church

 in English
  in French 

Sculpture trail
in French

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