Évires: Cultural History and Nature

When looking for a hotel in Évires, it helps to sort out your travel interests: the town’s history encompasses a former artificial ice-making facility, a church and a ceramics collection. Nature attractions on the Plateau des Bornes range from viewpoints and trails to birdwatching. This will help you decide whether architectural history, the collection or the landscape should be the focus of your stay.

Industrial History in Évires

The Glacière d'Evires was built near Évires railway station in 1889 to produce artificial ice. The former site covered 3.23 hectares. A branch railway line served the facility and was connected to Évires station. Its function, size and historic rail connection give the former industrial site a tangible scale and set it apart from the town’s religious buildings and collection pieces.

Church and Architectural History

The first church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Évires was built in the hamlet of La Côte before the 15th century. In 1867, the church was rebuilt in the Gothic Revival style. Later, in 1998, its bell tower was raised by 11 metres, and the new tower received two new bells. These dates mark different phases in the building’s history: the church’s early origins, its reconstruction and the later modification of the tower. They make it possible to place the building’s long history in chronological context without conflating the separate interventions into a single construction phase.

Ceramics and Craft Tradition

The Musée de la Poterie Savoyarde displays more than 2,000 ceramic objects dating from the 12th century to the early 20th century. The collection thus spans a broad period. The architectural setting is also precisely defined: the museum is housed beneath a 19th-century timber structure, typical of the Plateau des Bornes. Ceramics and architecture are presented here as two distinct aspects: the objects make up the collection, while the structure connects to the plateau’s building traditions.

Landscape and Nature Watching on the Plateau des Bornes

The Plateau des Bornes offers views of the Aravis and Mont Blanc ranges. Trails cross former glacial terrain with wild ponds. Wetland birds can be observed from a hide at Étang du Marquis. These details offer different nature-focused options for planning your trip: panoramas, landforms and birdwatching. You can choose whether you are most interested in the views, the landscape along the trails or watching birds.

A Historic Route Between Évires and Thorens-Glières

The rural path between Évires and Thorens-Glières follows a historic route long used by the residents of Évires. It is accessible to walkers of all ages. Unlike the history of a building, the historical connection here lies in the path itself and its long-standing use by local residents. It thus adds a route between two named places to the town’s history and offers another way of experiencing the past.

Discover more destinations: Alex, Morillon, Saxel, Sixt-Fer-À-Cheval, Thorens-Glières, Nancy-Sur-Cluses, Neydens, Servoz.

For the overview of the wider region: Haute-Savoie.