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Walk along Lac du Bourget: From Aix-les-Bains to Le Bourget-du-Lac

During the summer of 2020, I walked along Lac du Bourget from the Grand Port of Aix-les-Bains to Le Bourget-du-Lac. I also visited Château de Thomas II on the way.

Here is a map of the path I walked:

In the morning, I took the train to Aix-les-Bains then boarded a bus to get to the Grand Port (marina), on Lac du Bourget. I started walking from there. At some point, I arrived at the Voie Verte, which I had already passed by on foot (but with bad weather) and on bike. I followed it until the Technolac in Le Bourget-du-Lac, making a detour to Base de Loisirs des Mottets. At the Technolac, I crossed the Leysse river and visited Jardin du Prieuré and Église Saint-Laurent. I then headed back to Lac du Bourget and visited Domain de Buttet. It is a nature reserve with an observatory. Inside also lie the ruins of Château de Thomas II, a castle built in the 14th century by the House of Savoie. Finally, I walked to the bus stop near the public beach of Le Bourget-du-Lac.

▲ In Jardin Vagabond.

▲ Usine de Production d’Eau Potable de Mémard (drinking water treatment plant).

▲ Lac du Bourget.

▲ Mur des Sens.

▲ Looking towards Montagne de la Biolle.

▲ North part of Lac du Bourget. The mountain in the background is Grand Colombier.

▲ Dent du Chat.

▲ Marina of Grand Port.

▲ Mouth of the Sierroz river. I recently walked its course upstream until Grésy-sur-Aix, visiting the Gorges du Sierroz on the way.

▲ Esplanade du Lac.

▲ South side of Lac du Bourget, with the Chartreuse mountains in the background.

▲ Dead rat at the marina.

▲ Aix-les-Bains public beach.

▲ Walking along the Voie Verte.

▲ Dent du Chat.

▲ Château de Bon Port.

▲ Mont de la Charvaz. I hiked to the summit last fall.

▲ Remnant of Chemin de Fer Victor-Emmanuel.

▲ Slackline.

▲ Cap des Séselets.

▲ Port at Viviers-du-Lac.

▲ Base de Loisirs des Mottets.

▲ Bike road on the south side of Lac du Bourget.

▲ Chambéry airport.

▲ Office building at Technolac.

▲ Leysse river, which flows from the Bauges through Chambéry.

▲ Fountain at Jardins du Prieuré in Le Bourget-du-Lac.

▲ Église Saint-Laurent.

▲ Le Bourget-du-Lac.

▲ Leysse river.

▲ In Domaine de Buttet.

▲ Ruins of Château de Thomas II.

▲ That building houses a museum.

▲ Observatory at the top floor of the museum.

▲ View from Observatoire des Égrettes.

▲ Dent du Nivolet.

▲ Crossing the Leysse river again.

▲ Marina of Le Bourget-du-Lac.

▲ Dent du Chat.

▲ Beach of Le Bourget-du-Lac, with the Bauges mountains in the background.

▲ Looking towards Aix-les-Bains.

▲ Train station of Aix-les-Bains.