Can you visit the château de Saint-Michel-du-Lac?

You can walk to the site, but it consists only of the ruined remains of a medieval fortress, with no standing building.

How do you get to the château de Saint-Michel-du-Lac?

Access is on foot, either from the Notre-Dame du Lac chapel in Servoz or from a car park near the Hôtel de la Fontaine in Les Houches.

How old is the château de Saint-Michel-du-Lac?

It is first mentioned in 1289, in an exchange between the prior of Chamonix and Béatrice de Faucigny.

Where is the château de Saint-Michel-du-Lac located?

It stands on a rocky outcrop at the entrance to the Chamonix valley, between the communes of Servoz and Les Houches, in Haute-Savoie.

Château de Saint-Michel-du-Lac

Les Houches

Visit

Hours to be confirmed

Book a visit

You are leaving for the château’s own website

Where: Les Houches

Hours and prices not verified at the source yet.Check on the official website

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Château de Saint-Michel-du-Lac stands in Les Houches (Haute-Savoie), in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. Its opening hours and prices have not been verified at the source yet.

On a rocky outcrop at the entrance to the Chamonix valley, the remains of the Saint-Michel-du-Lac castle mark the site of a fortress built in the late 13th century. Straddling the modern boundary between Servoz and Les Houches, the position once allowed control over the passage between the Arve valley and Chamonix. Only ruins remain today, yet the place still recalls the old rivalry between the Chamonix priory and the lords of Faucigny.

Written from Château de Saint-Michel-du-Lac

What to know

Only ruined remains survive, with no restored building to visit.
Access is on foot, either from the Notre-Dame du Lac chapel in Servoz or from the car park near the Hôtel de la Fontaine in Les Houches.
The site sits on a rocky outcrop, so reaching it involves an uphill walk.
There are no set opening hours or fees, as the site is freely accessible.
The location is remote and has no visitor facilities on site.

Where this château is

Les Houches · Haute-Savoie · Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Map of the area around Château de Saint-Michel-du-Lac

Loading the map…

This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Tour Saint-Michel, 74310 Les Houches

Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.

Get directions View on a map

4.4 / 5from 19 Google reviews

Heritage status: Protection status unknown

In pictures

Frequently asked

Can you visit the château de Saint-Michel-du-Lac?: You can walk to the site, but it consists only of the ruined remains of a medieval fortress, with no standing building.
How do you get to the château de Saint-Michel-du-Lac?: Access is on foot, either from the Notre-Dame du Lac chapel in Servoz or from a car park near the Hôtel de la Fontaine in Les Houches.
How old is the château de Saint-Michel-du-Lac?: It is first mentioned in 1289, in an exchange between the prior of Chamonix and Béatrice de Faucigny.
Where is the château de Saint-Michel-du-Lac located?: It stands on a rocky outcrop at the entrance to the Chamonix valley, between the communes of Servoz and Les Houches, in Haute-Savoie.