Thonon-les-Bains, Administrative commune by Lake Geneva, Haute-Savoie, France.
Thonon-les-Bains is a commune on the French shore of Lake Geneva in Haute-Savoie, covering an area of approximately 16 square kilometers. The settlement sits on a terrace above the lake and offers views across the water and towards the Swiss Alps on the opposite shore from various points.
The commune belonged to the Duchy of Savoy until 1860 and became part of France following a plebiscite. During negotiations over the region's future, more than 13,000 residents signed a petition advocating for joining Switzerland instead.
The Thursday morning market brings vendors from surrounding valleys who arrive with fresh cheese and vegetables grown in the Chablais region. Locals shop here regularly and the stalls stretch across several central squares, where conversations in French and regional dialects can be heard.
The railway station sits in the upper part of town and connects travelers with Lyon, Geneva, and Annemasse through regular train services. The cable car station in the center brings pedestrians down to the lower lakeside area in a few minutes, saving a descent of around 50 meters.
The cable railway linking the upper town and the port opened in 1888 and is one of the oldest still-operating systems of its kind in the French Alps. The original design used a water ballast system that was later replaced with an electric motor.
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