Hike along the Fier river in Thônes: Betwen Pont de Morette & Pont Romain des Clefs
In the fall of last year, I went on a hike along the Fier river in Thônes: I walked upstream from Pont de Morette to Pont Romain des Clefs.
Here is a map of the path I walked (download KML):
In the morning, I took a LIHSA bus (line 62) to Thônes and got off at the Morette bus stop, in front of the Mobalpa factory. I crossed the Fier river on Pont de Morette then took a trail along the Fier until Zone Artisanale des Perrasses, an industrial park. I crossed the Fier again to get to Lac de Thuy, a small fishing lake. I ate lunch there and walked around the lake. I then continued along the Fier river, this time walking along the right bank until Pont des Chamois in the city, where I crossed the Fier again. I kept walking on the left bank of the river until its confluence with Ruisseau de Champfroid. I crossed the stream to reach the Pont Romain, located in the locality known as Les Clefs. It is one of the three bridges in Thônes known as Pont Romain: Although its name literally means Roman Bridge and may indicate that some bridge existed since Roman times (a Roman road passed through Thônes), the actual structure is from the 15th century. It is not really connected to any path so I walked on it and took a few photos then went up to the center of Les Clefs on a hill above. I walked down again and crossed the Fier river for the last time that day. I went back to Thônes using a mountain trail through the forest and waited at Gare Routière for the last bus to Annecy.
Above, looking towards the center of Thônes from the Morette bus stop.
Above, Pont de Morette across the Fier.
Above, Fier.
Above, Roche à l’Agathe.
Above, crossing the Fier to get to Lac de Thuy.
Above, Montagne de Sulens.
Above, La Tournette.
Above, Lac de Thuy.
Above, clouds engulfing Tête à Turpin.
Above, construction.
Above, on Pont des Chamois.
Above, downstream.
Above, Roche à l’Agathe. It has a difficult Via Ferrata.
Above, confluence of the Nom and Fier rivers. The Nom comes from Col des Aravis.
Above, towards Plateau de Beauregard.
Above, arriving near the center of Thônes.
Above, Église Saint-Maurice.
Above, Montagne de Cotagne.
Above, Mont Lachat de Thônes.
Above, blond horse.
Above, sheep.
Above, Thônes.
Above, bridge across Ruisseau de Champfroid.
Above, road bridge across the Fier at the confluence with the Ruisseau.
Above, Pont Romain des Clefs across the Fier.
Above, donkeys near the bridge.
Above, arriving at Les Clefs.
Above, towards Manigod.
Above, Montagne de Cotagne.
Above, Mont Lachat.
Above, Tête de l’Arpettaz.
Above, Église Saint-Nicolas.
Above, road to Col du Marais and Faverges.
Above, bridge across the Fier river.
Above, last crossing of the Fier.
Above, Aiguille de Serraval.
Above, Église Saint-Nicolas.
Above, Montagne de Cotagne.
Above, Montagne de Sulens.
Above, La Tournette.
Above, chalets.
Above, in the forest on the way back to Thônes.
Above, valley.
Above, sunset on Mont Lachat.
Above, Tête à Turpin.
Above, shops in the center of Thônes.
Above, night.