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Château de Saint-Michel-du-Lac

Château de Saint-Michel-du-Lac

Access

No visits on recordNo opening hours or ticketing found

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

No visits are on record for this building.

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

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

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

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

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Heritage status
Protection status unknown

Base map © IGN, Géoplateforme

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.

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Sources

Identity, location and official references from Wikidata and the Mérimée register.

Within an hour’s drive

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