Chevenoz: Sacred Buildings and Hydropower History

Chevenoz can be explored for trip planning through several clearly distinct themes: sacred buildings from different periods, the development of hydropower, and the Dranse and its connection with white-water activities. There is also a section of the GR5 Balcon du Léman, which leads from La Vernaz towards Chevenoz. If you are looking for a hotel in Chevenoz, these themes can help you factor cultural interests, the history of technology, and weather-dependent route planning into your considerations.

Sacred Buildings: Architectural Form and Timeline

The Eglise paroissiale Saint-Jean-Baptiste was completed in 1894 and blessed in 1897. Its floor plan is in the shape of a Latin cross. In architecture, a Latin-cross floor plan refers to a longitudinal layout with a transept. This floor plan can be understood as a cross shape in which the transept meets the lengthwise main section. The description of the form therefore explains the layout of the building, while the completion and blessing record two separate events.

A first church in Chevenoz is documented in 1411; the present-day parish church was built at a different location. The early record of a church and the parish church’s completion in 1894 are almost five centuries apart. The ecclesiastical timeline thus stretches from an early record to the construction of the present-day building, although the two churches are not on the same site.

The Chapelle Saint-François de Sales was built between 1868 and 1869. It stands on the site of Abbé Vernaz’s former house. Compared with the parish church, the chapel’s construction period came before the church’s completion in 1894, but after the first church was documented in 1411. The chapel thus adds a distinct point in time to the building history; the former house site adds a specific location to this chronological context.

Hydropower: Commissioning and Expansion

The Centrale hydroélectrique de Chevenoz represents a different, technological part of the history. It is located on the banks of the Dranse d'Abondance and was commissioned on 20 May 1898 to supply electricity to Évian-les-Bains. In 1909, the installation of a pump, an alternator, and a Pelton turbine made it France’s first pumped-storage plant. The facility operated with a head of 400 metres. The dates distinguish between two phases: commissioning to supply electricity to Évian-les-Bains and the later conversion to a pumped-storage plant.

The pumped-storage principle uses water that has previously been pumped to a higher level to generate electricity again later. The 1909 conversion therefore represents a technological development beyond the original commissioning. Together with the stated head of 400 metres, this development offers a concrete insight into Chevenoz’s hydropower history.

The Dranse and the GR5 Balcon du Léman

The Dranse divides Chevenoz into two parts and is also associated with white-water activities. The division of the village is relevant for orientation; its connection with white-water activities offers another perspective on the river. The hiking information for the GR5 Balcon du Léman should be considered separately: the section from La Vernaz towards Chevenoz is accessible daily from 1 April to 1 November, outside the snowy period and depending on weather conditions. Factor these conditions into your plans and check them locally before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Viuz-La-Chiésaz, Saxel, Les Houches, Marcellaz-Albanais, Bloye, Saint-Eusèbe, Bons-En-Chablais, Menthon-Saint-Bernard

For the broader travel overview: Haute-Savoie.