Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

The archaeological dig carried out in several batches between 1976 and 1999, allowed for the building’s constructive stages to be rediscovered. The digs involved an area which used to be part of a large extra-urban necropolis, where, at the beginning of the 5th century, there was an early-Christian complex which also included the cruciform church of S. Lorenzo. At the centre of the south nave, the basement of a funeral building was found, it may be dated to some time between the 4th and 5th centuries A.D.; the primitive church, which was erected to the north of this mausoleum, consisted of a simple apsidal hall surrounded by a portico destined for use as privileged burial grounds. In the 9th century, the church was completely rebuilt and enlarged, moving the general axis of the building southwards, the eastern extremity has three apses, while the facade was rebuilt to the west of the early-Christian one. In the year 989, a bell tower was added to the facade, the remains of which are still visible up to a height of approximately 15 m. The archeological dig of the choir of the church of S. Orso allowed for a square-shaped floor mosaic to be brought back to the surface, it was unknown and not mentioned by the sources, it was made with black and white tiles with some inserts of light brown coloured tiles. A series of six circles inscribed in the square, acts as a frame for the central decorations. In the central medallion there is an elegant representation of Samson killing the lion. http://www.lovevda.it/en/database/8/churches-and-sanctuaries/aosta/collegiate-church-and-cloister-of-sant-orso/720

950 years of history through keeps, guardroom, kitchen: richly furnished rooms, decorated with artworks. Residence of St François de Sales and holiday destination of the Prime Minister of Piedmont-Sardinia Count Cavour, this castle contains many memories. https://en.lac-annecy.com/cutlural-heritage/1/161070-chateau-de-thorens.html

The construction of the castles goes to the 12.-13. century back. Her name refers to the episcopal officials Meier and Viztum, who originally resided here. From the late 14th century, Majorie Castle belonged to the prince-bishop. https://agenda.culturevalais.ch/de/infrastructure/show/214

A monumental and natural site crowned by a well-preserved church. 50'000 years of history presented in the labyrinthine spaces of a restored medieval castle at the heart of the Valais. A collection of unique objects that make a second visit worthwhile. http://siontourisme.ch/index.php/en/culture/museums/377-valais-history-museum

In a natural, protected environment and of greenery, the beach of sand of Doussard gives you a marvellous corner of relaxation, allowing you to use entirely edges of the lake of Annecy. Bathings and at pleasure laughs! https://en.lac-annecy.com/equipment/1/128585-bout-du-lac-beach.html

The construction of Tourbillon Castle dates back to the very start of the 14th Century. However, the hill on which it is located had been used since prehistoric times as a defensive vantage point in battles. Made from earth and wood, the primitive defences erected there were temporary structures, which have long since vanished without trace. http://siontourisme.ch/index.php/en/culture/the-4-castles-of-sion/366-tourbillon-13th-century

Built between 1922 and 1930, the Basilique de la Visitation is the chapel at the Visitation monastery and the place housing the tombs of Francois de Sales (1567-1622) and Jeanne de Chantal (1572-1641), co-founders of the religious order. https://en.lac-annecy.com/cutlural-heritage/1/154705-basilique-de-la-visitation.html

The oldest of France’s national parks, the Parc national de la Vanoise was created in 1963 to protect the mountain goat. Situated in Savoy, between the Maurienne and Tarentaise Valleys, it contains almost a hundred peaks of over 3,000 metres. http://www.chambery-tourisme.com/en/the-city-and-its-environment/nature-parks/

Gamba Castle Built at the beginning of the 1900s from the designs of the engineer Carlo Saroldi, it was commissioned by Charles Maurice Gamba, husband of Angélique d‘Entrèves, daughter of Count Christin d‘Entrèves. Since 1982 it has been the property of the Valle d’Aosta Autonomous Region. After a complex restoration, today the castle houses an exhibition route that winds through 13 rooms, displaying over 150 works of art such as paintings, sculptures, installations, drawings and photographs belonging to a regional collection dating back from the end of the nineteenth century to the present day. Alongside the works of the 20th-century masters, including sculptures by Martini, Mastroianni, Manzù, Arnaldo and Giò Pomodoro, and paintings by Casorati, De Pisis, Carrà and Guttuso, the collection documents Italian figurative art produced from the second half of the century up to contemporary study exponents, such as Schifano, Baruchello, Rama and Mainolfi. A vast and varied selection of works testifies to the movements that have animated the Italian art scene over the past 25 years: for example, the exhibition hosts representations of Informal art, Geometric abstraction, Transavantgarde and Pop art. Particular importance is given to Valle d’Aosta region through the activity of local artists, or those active in Valley, on regional commission. For visitors seeking both learning and distraction, the exhibition offers a series of services designed to bring different groups of visitors (families, adults, schools, children, young people) closer to modern and contemporary art through workshop activities, guided tours and events. http://www.discoversaintvincent.it/en/baron-gamba-castle

The magnificent water jet is 140 metres high, with 500 litres of water passing through it per second at a speed of 200 km per hour! Used initially for distributing the Rhône's propelling force to the city's craftspeople, it became the Jet d'Eau when the workshops required an additional flow. Since 1891 it has graced the centre of Geneva's harbour, and is the must-see tourist attraction! https://www.geneve.com/en/attractions/the-jet-d

The Vieille-Ville is the largest historic town in Switzerland, and is dominated by St. Peter's Cathedral, the symbolic location of the Reformation. Climb the 157 steps to the top of the tower for a unique panorama of the city. Then take a stroll in the charming surrounding alleys and passageways, each telling its own story about Geneva's history. https://www.geneve.com/en/attractions/the-old-town-and-its-treasures/

At the heart of the Parc des Bastions, the main protagonists of the Reformation, John Calvin, William Farel, Theodore Beza and John Knox, are depicted in giant statues and bas-reliefs. Geneva's 'Post Tenebras Lux' motto is engraved in the wall. As you leave the park, explore the splendid Place de Neuve and its various artistic haunts. https://www.geneve.com/en/attractions/the-reformation-wall-a-monumental-homage/

As enduring symbols of cities go, Geneva has chosen well with the Jet d'Eau. This iconic fountain shoots water nearly 500 feet in the air, making it one of the tallest fountains in the world. More than just a showy spectacle, the Jet d'Eau beautifully encapsulates Geneva's character and history.Approaching the fountain along the shoreline, you first glimpse the vertical stream of water extending far into the sky above Lake Geneva. The power and height is initially jarring as it dwarfs all surrounding buildings and natural features. Get closer and you appreciate the engineering prowess required to pump water with such force and precision. The streams catch the breeze and sway gently, evoking the fountain's early start as a safety valve for a hydraulic plant in 1886.Overall, the Jet d'Eau fuses function and aesthetics to deliver a fountain that is uniquely Geneva. Majestic yet playful, mighty yet graceful, the Jet d'Eau embodies the blend of natural wonder, scientific innovation, and beauty that the Swiss city is known for. No first time visit to Geneva is complete without seeing this geiser in action!

The Mont Avic natural park was established in 1989 to preserve the resources ofthe high valley of Torrente Chalamy (Champdepraz); in 2003, a part of the great valley of Dondena was also included in the protected area, reaching up as far as the mountain ridges of the Val Soana and the Valle di Cogne. http://www.lovevda.it/en/nature/mont-avic-park

At the heart of the old town, the majestic Lausanne Cathedral overlooks the city. Seen as one of the most beautiful gothic art monuments in Europe, it attracts more than 400,000 visitors every year. https://www.lausanne-tourisme.ch/en/P10661/lausanne-cathedral

Opened in 1841, the Vaud Museum of Fine Arts in Lausanne is one of the oldest Swiss museums exclusively dedicated to art. Located in the Palais de Rumine, it presents several temporary exhibitions a year from its collection of 10,000 works. https://www.lausanne-tourisme.ch/en/P435/vaud-museum-of-fine-arts-mcb-a?group=687

It presents animals through a totally immersive and interactive scenography using innovative digital technologies. More than an aquarium or a vivarium, AQUATIS is an exceptional journey through our planet’s most fascinating freshwater environments. https://www.lausanne-tourisme.ch/en/P23826/aquatis-aquarium-vivarium-lausanne

An area devoted to exhibiting the work of amateur artists, particularly from Chambéry, of new exhibitors and Chambéry associations. The sale of works on the premises is prohibited. http://www.chambery-tourisme.com/noesit/!/fiche/vaugelas-chapel-104915

This former residence of the Ducs de Savoie is currently the seat of the Préfecture et du Département de la Savoie. http://www.chambery-tourisme.com/noesit/!/fiche/castello-dei-duchi-di-savoia-604770

With its attractive, traditional alpine setting, the Diemtigtal Nature Park offers an array of experiences. http://www.interlaken.ch/en/region-resorts-cities-area/diemtigtal-nature-park.html

Castle Church Spiez (St. Laurentius) is evangelical-reformed First church: 7/8th century (762 first mentioned) Refurbished: 1949/50 http://www.thunersee.ch/en/activities-excursions-events-lake-thun/culture-tradition-lake-thun/thousand-year-old-churches.html

At Hünegg Castle time appears to have stood still. The rooms are still furnished just as they were under the original castle owners http://www.thunersee.ch/en/activities-excursions-events-lake-thun/culture-tradition-lake-thun/castles-in-the-region-interlaken/huenegg-castle.html

Built by the Dukes of Zähringen, the 12th century Thun Castle with its four towers overlooks the town and is its most visible feature. Discover the unmistakeable landmark of Thun. http://www.thunersee.ch/en/activities-excursions-events-lake-thun/culture-tradition-lake-thun/castles-in-the-region-interlaken/thun-castle.html

"Captivated by the different aspects of absinthe (its flavour, its opal colour, its rich history, ...) I decided to explore the Absinthe Trail to discover the famous beverage's secrets. First stop: the Absinthe house, recently inaugurated in Môtiers, a small and charming village in Val-de-Travers. http://www.neuchateltourisme.ch/en/decouvertes/museums/absinthe-house-motiers.9503.html

A premier holiday destination and conference venue of international renown. Situated in the heart of the Bernese Oberland, Interlaken is the ideal starting point for any number of excursions. The town is famous for its delightful location and the sites of natural beauty that surround it. http://www.interlaken.ch/en/holiday-in-interlaken-matten-unterseen.html

The Sabauda Gallery is headquartered at the New Palace of the Royal Palace and retains great masterpieces of the leading European schools. Among the works of Italian masters from the 14th century to the sixteenth century can be admired the Madonna with Child of the Blessed Angelic, the Archangel Raffaele and Tobiolo of Antonio and Piero del Pollaiolo, the Three Archangels and Tobiolo of Filippino Lippi, the Madonna with Child and painted saints by Andrea Mantegna with the help of a collaborator and the great canvas with Dinner at Simone's house by Paolo Veronese. http://www.museireali.beniculturali.it/index.php/it/il-complesso/galleria-sabauda

The Museum of Antiquities consists of several sections: the New Channel, with the Archeology exhibition in Turin and the Marengo Treasure Halls; the Territory, dedicated to the archeology of Piedmont and the "Exhibitions on the catwalk"; the Collections, the "historical" nucleus of the Museum and location of the setting up of the Papyrus of Artemidorus. The underground floor of the Manica Nuova of Palazzo Reale has been the venue since 2013 for the renewed display of the Marengo Treasury and the Archeology exhibition in Turin which presents the city's archaeological materials, originating from the collections of the sixteenth-century scholars, increased by the antiquaries of the following centuries and merged into the royal collections, together with the new acquisitions resulting from recent archaeological excavations. The section connects with the archaeological area of ​​the Roman theater which partially contains and overlooks it. http://www.museireali.beniculturali.it/index.php/it/il-complesso/museo-archeologico

In 1563, with the transfer of the ducat's capital from Chambéry to Turin, Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy established his residence in the palace of the bishop at the Duomo; already in 1584, Carlo Emanuele I entrusted the architect Ascanio Vittozzi with the construction of a new factory. After 1643, with the regency of Maria Cristina of France, the direction of the work passed to Carlo di Castellamonte and then to Carlo Morello. http://www.museireali.beniculturali.it/index.php/it/il-complesso/palazzo-reale

The Villages of Bönigen and Iseltwald are only a few minutes by car from Interlaken, nestling between two mountain ranges on the lower middle and end of Lake Brienz. Many oft he picturesque houses date backa s far as the 16th century. http://www.interlaken.ch/en/holiday-in-boenigen.html

“When I was small, I thought the Château and the Collégiale were the same thing. They were so close, they seemed to be interlinked. Was it a church or a château? Most of all, it was the wonderful playground of my childhood! The years passed but the two emblematic monuments remain inseparable. http://www.neuchateltourisme.ch/en/decouvertes/town-heritage/collegiale-neuchatel.4709.html

Created in 1798, the Grenoble Museum of Art lets you travel through eight uninterrupted centuries of Western art, and includes world-class works for each period. https://www.grenoble-tourisme.com/en/discover/essentials/grenoble-museum-art/

Get a bird’s eye view of Grenoble and the surrounding valley with a ride up the cable car. The first urban cable car in France, it was inaugurated in 1934, before being transformed into “the bubbles” in 1976. These round gondola lifts with their clear sides take you up to the Bastille fort: 500 meters up in just 5 minutes! https://www.grenoble-tourisme.com/en/discover/essentials/bastille-fort/

The Vizille Estate is first and foremost a chateau that played a key role in history and a landscaped park that has been classified as a “Remarkable Garden.” But it’s also the only museum dedicated to the French Revolution that brings together so many valuable works. Set foot in this historic and natural landscape. Inside the park, you will be able to admire the tremendous ornamental lake which often served as a playground for swans, ducks, and even herons. Along the banks, you will discover the French-style gardens and magnificent rose gardens. An animal park is a home to stags, deer, and roes roaming together more or less freely. With 100 hectares of protected natural landscapes, the gardens of the Vizille Estate bring together human history and wild nature. It is, for sure, the ideal place to play, stroll, and dream. https://www.grenoble-tourisme.com/en/discover/essentials/domaine-de-vizille/