At the beginning of 2020, I went on a hike below the southern tip of the Bauges mountains: Starting in Montmélian, I went up to Rocher de Montélian and visited the Christ d’Arbin nearby then walked on Chemin des Vignes (Vineyard Trail) until Chignin, visited the ruins of the medieval fortifications there and went up to Mont Ronjou at the end of the day.
The Bains de la Caille (Baths of La Caille) are former thermal baths, now lying in ruins at the bottom of Gorge des Usses below the Ponts de la Caille, between Cruseilles and Allonzier-la-Caille in Haute-Savoie. There have been baths on the site since the middle ages, because of the presence of a source of sulfur water. However, the modern Bains were built in the mid-19th century. It drew customers from Annecy and Geneva and there was extensive construction done over the years, including a hotel, a church and even a casino. The Bains closed for good in 1960. Most of the buildings have been dismantled it seems but, for some reason, the building containing swimming pools is still standing today. There is also a small metal bridge (which is kinda falling apart) to cross the Usses river near the swimming pool building, as well as ruins here and there on both sides of the river.
Visiting the Bains is officially forbidden and dangerous (apparently there is a risk of rockfall from the cliff above) but the ban is not really enforced and the path is not blocked very convincingly. The most direct way to come is by hiking down from the Ponts de la Caille (Bridges of La Caille), on the Allonzier side: There is a steep road with many switchbacks that goes to a large bridge over the Usses and then to the Bains nearby. However, erosion over the years and lack of maintenance have transformed it into more of a trail (barely passable at one point). There is also an easier path from the mouth of Gorge des Usses: This is the one I took on the way in, hiking from Copponex (I used the direct road to the Ponts on the way out). I will post more details about that hike in a few days.
The Château de Chaumont is a former castle located in the village of Chaumont in Haute-Savoie, below Le Vuache. It was built starting in the 12th century and was razed by the French in the 17th century. These days, only a few fragments of walls remain, but the hill it was built on is now a park that offers a great view on the plain below and the surrounding mountains. In very clear days, it is even possible to see the Mont Blanc.
Montmélian is a small city in Savoie located below the southern tip of the Bauges mountains, next to the Isère river. In the middle ages, its location was considered strategic for Savoie, as it sat on the road between France and Italy and at the border with the Dauphiné. As a result, a fortress was built on the so-called Rocher de Montmélian (Rock of Montmélian) in the 11th century and was upgraded over the years. However, the Fort de Montmélian was finally destroyed by French troops in 1705. Nowadays, only a few scattered ruins remain and on the location of the former fort is a park with a good view on the plain below.
Sheikhupura Fort (also known as Qila Sheikhupura) is a fort near the city of Sheikhupura in Punjab, Pakistan, not far from Lahore. The fort was built by Mughal Emperor Jahangir in the early 17th century. It was later occupied by the Sikhs during their reign over Punjab. These days, there are still a lot of frescos left and it is somewhat possible to imagine how glorious the fort once was. Unfortunately, the fort is slowly crumbling to ruin and bats occupy some of the buildings. It is normally not open to the public but my guide knew someone who was able to let me in and give me a tour of the site.