UBC October 2024 - Evian

Welcome back to October's UBC. Halftime!

Today why don't I share our Evian experience. On our way from Annecy back to Switzerland, I wanted to check out Evian. I am a good customer of their mineral water, and I always wanted to visit the place of its origin. I'm not sure what I expected, but I think it was some sort of a walk-in spa ;-) After all the town's full name is "Evian-les-bains"!

This wasn't entirely the case.

What we found was your average French small town on the shores of Lake Geneva. Average, except they have a casino. It's a popular half-hour boat trip for tourists in Switzerland. You hop on the ferry in Lausanne or Montreux and ride across the lake. 

We arrived by car, and it was a cool and windy day, as is often the case in this region, due to the "Bise Wind", a cold, dry north-easterly wind that frequently blows across the Lake Geneva region, particularly during the colder months. It can create clear skies, a significant chill and rough conditions on the lake, causing waves as you can witness on my video.

The mineral water spring is the origin of Evian's international reputation. It bears the name of Gabriel Cachat, owner of the garden where it flowed at the end of the 18th century. Its therapeutic properties were discovered by Count Jean Charles de Laizer, an aristocrat from Auvergne.  The Cachat spring belongs to the Société anonyme des Eaux minérales of Evian, which is currently part of Nestlé, even though they announced they'd like to sell their bottled water business.

Back to Jean Charles. He was on the run from the French Revolution, and he stayed with Gabriel Cachat. While there, he drank from the spring every day. He was quickly cured of a kidney stone that had plagued him for several years. 

The Source Cachat in Evian-les-Bains is the actual source of Evian mineral water, not just a symbolic memorial. Located in the heart of the town, this historical spring was first recognized for its water's health benefits in the 18th century. 

Visitors can see the spring and even fill bottles (bring your own) with the naturally flowing mineral water directly from the source, which is still in use today. 

Remember when I was talking about the scenic bridge, Pont Morens, in Annecy? I almost despaired because tourists kept crowding the place, not to say monopolizing it as if they were the only people in the world? 

The same thing happened at the mineral water spring. On the one hand, locals arrived with a dozen bottles to fill up, which is totally okay. They live and pay taxes there, and for them it's like going to the supermarket. But the selfish tourists who took turns to photograph and film each other? Filling the bottle once with their left hand. Then with the right hand. Washing their faces. Oh, the water is cold! Wet, too! Screaming, splashing each other, dancing, striking a pose, I found it repulsive to watch. 

Even if a nobleman once cured his kidney stone with this water (which he would probably have succeeded in doing with any other water, because the point is to drink plenty of fluids, isn't it?), Evian may not be a place of pilgrimage, but in my opinion this place of spring still deserves a certain amount of respect and appreciation. 

Opposite the spring is a building called Buvette Cachat, a magnificent bathhouse and pavilion that was originally built in 1903. It was a popular meeting place for spa guests who wanted to take advantage of the healing waters of the Cachat spring. The building was designed in Art Nouveau style, which can be seen in the ornate facades, curved lines and decorative details. 

In recent years, however, the building has been neglected and stood empty for some time. Fortunately, renovation work has begun to restore the historical significance and architectural splendor of this building. The aim of the restoration is to restore the bathhouse to its former glory and make it accessible again as part of Evian's cultural heritage. It is unclear when these works will be completed, so I'll have to keep my eyes open. 

The long wait had made me hangry, and to the chagrin of my husband, who says of me that I constantly have “basic needs” (food, bathroom, buy something) to fulfill, we “had” to go to lunch. However, if he was honest, he didn't mind that we got a chance to warm up. 

When we had just arrived, I noticed a billboard advertising a mouthwatering burger. Once there, however, we learned that this pub only opens in the evening. So we found ourselves in an Italian pizzeria, just as atypical for a French spa town as a British pub. What can I say, sometimes you have to warm your heart with carbs ;-)

In 2006, the City of Evian opened the doors of its Palais Lumière. 

Don't you love how the French like to call their buildings "palais" or "hôtel"? Don't be fooled though, the Palais de Justice is not a royal residence but the courthouse, just like Hôtel de Ville is not a city hotel. It's the town hall. In Annecy we were talking about the Palais de l'Isle, which turned out to be the jailhouse ;-)

Back to Evian's Palais Lumière. Formerly a thermal spa, this rediscovered jewel of Evian's heritage now houses an internationally renowned exhibition space and convention center.

In the previous millennium - sounds dramatic, doesn't it - gambling was banned in Switzerland. This brought many gambling enthusiasts to places near the border such as Constance on Lake Constance (Germany), Bregenz (Austria), Campione d'Italia (Italy) or Evian (France).

Although 21 licensed casinos have opened in Switzerland since 2002, it is still attractive to make the trip to the neighboring country, depending on the exchange rate, not least because it is associated with a cultural experience.  

Exchange rate? Yes, Switzerland, which is not part of the European Union (don't get me started), uses the Swiss Franc, while all surrounding countries pay in Euros. 

Le Fabuleux Village des Flottins, loosly translated as The Fabulous Floating Village, is an enchanting outdoor exhibition located along Lake Geneva. This unique attraction features a collection of wooden sculptures that have been crafted from driftwood and reclaimed materials, which reflect the region's cultural and environmental heritage.

As I said, we suffered from the cold wind, so we didn't look at too many sculptures. Here's the deal: as soon as the renovation work on the buvette is finished, I will come back, preferably in summer, and explore the shore some more - I love the rhyme ;-) I will also visit the Japanese Garden. 

Until then...

What do you think of Evian and its sights? Would you visit? Skip?