Discover Machilly: lake, raspberries and hotels

Machilly offers something for a range of travel interests: an artificial lake with a hiking route, a wetland with an ecological role, summit views, and its own church and raspberry history. If you’re looking for a hotel in Machilly, these themes can help you decide which aspects of your trip to focus on.

Lac de Machilly and Étang de Machilly

Lac de Machilly is an artificial reservoir covering 7 hectares within the municipality of Machilly. A PDIPR hiking route begins at the lake and leads to Signal des Voirons. A walk around the lake offers opportunities to observe local flora and fauna.

Lac de Machilly is a five-minute walk from Machilly train station. The station is on Léman Express line L1 towards Évian-les-Bains. If you’re travelling by train, check the current timetable before departure.

Étang de Machilly has a different focus: fishing is currently the only activity practised there. The surrounding area is suitable for walking and relaxation. The information about the lake and the pond therefore describes different options—from hiking and observing nature to fishing and unwinding.

Nature and views of the Voirons

Marais de Grange Vigny plays an important role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. It serves as a favoured place for interaction and contact between species. Another connection to nature comes through the Natura 2000 charter for the Massif des Voirons, in which Machilly participates.

From the 1,480-metre summit of Crête des Voirons, panoramic views take in the Lake Geneva basin, Vallée Verte, the Giffre mountains, the Aravis and Mont Blanc. The view encompasses a wide variety of named landscapes. It complements the glimpse of local flora and fauna by the lake with a broad perspective from the summit.

Église St Martin and the raspberry story

Église St Martin was built in 1455 and previously had several religious names. Its crypt contains the tomb of the de Langin family. The church also has two bells named Packard and Benetti. The year it was built, the crypt, the tomb and the names of the bells each provide a distinct historical point of reference.

Machilly is also known for its raspberries. Raspberry production peaked in the 1950s, reaching 1,900 tonnes a year and at times accounting for up to half of France’s raspberry production. The 1962 drought marked the start of the irreversible decline of raspberry cultivation; Machilly, however, remains known for its raspberries. The raspberry story thus tells of a former economic mainstay, not of current production volumes.

For planning your trip, the different highlights are easy to distinguish: at Lac de Machilly, the focus is on the hiking route, walking and observing nature; at Étang de Machilly, the specific activities are fishing and relaxing in the surrounding area. There are also the summit views, local church history and a long raspberry tradition. This can help you decide which side of Machilly you’d most like to experience during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Domancy, Mûres, Le Biot, Entremont, Viuz-En-Sallaz, Bonneville, Poisy, Collonges-sous-Salève.

For the broader travel overview: Haute-Savoie.