Menthon-Saint-Bernard, Lake Annecy © French Moments
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Last Updated: 4 March 2020

There are three sites to discover in the pretty village of Menthon-Saint-Bernard: the lakeshore with its harbour, beach and promenade, the old Savoyard village and the medieval castle of Menthon.


Situation of Menthon-Saint-Bernard, Haute-Savoie

Menthon-Saint-Bernard is situated 9kms from the city of Annecy on the east coast of Lake Annecy.

Map of Menthon

Menthon-Saint-Bernard has a population of 1,900 and its village-centre lies at approximately 500m above sea-level. It is crossed by the D909A which links Annecy to Faverges and by the D909 which reach Thônes and the Aravis range via the Pass of Bluffy.

Map of Menthon Saint Bernard


The village of Menthon-Saint-Bernard

Menthon-Saint-Bernard, Lake Annecy © French Moments
The village and castle of Menthon-Saint-Bernard seen from the lake © French Moments

The little historic centre of Menthon-Saint-Bernard is situated a bit further up the lakeshore. It includes a church, the town-hall, some restaurants and shops, as well as a few old Savoyard stoned houses clustered around little narrow lanes.

The lake is accessed via Route du Port or Route des Bains. The lakeshore of Menthon is a peaceful haven with its marina, beach and promenade.

Le Palace de Menthon-Saint-Bernard © French Moments
Le Palace de Menthon © French Moments

From the quays, the view stretches from the city of Annecy to west coast of the lake (Saint-Jorioz, Sévrier) and the mountain range of the Bauges.


The castle of Menthon

The 13th century castle is still owned by the Menthon dynasty who came from Burgundy in 1190.

There are two beautiful spots to admire the castle.

One is on the D909 road coming from the pass of Bluffy (Latitude: 45°86’86.41″N, Longitude: 6°20’61.29″E). It shows the castle emerging above the pine forest with Lake Annecy and the Bauges in the background. This view is at its best in the morning when the sun shines over the west coast of the lake.

The castle of Menthon-Saint-Bernard © French Moments
The castle of Menthon © French Moments

The second spot is found in the village of Menthon-Saint-Bernard, at the crossroad between Route des Côtes and Route de Ramponnet. Come in the afternoon for a better view of the castle.


English-French Vocabulary

(f) for féminin, (m) for masculin, (adj) for adjective and (v) for verbs

  • Alps = Alpes (f,p)
  • cemetery = cimetière (m)
  • church = église (f)
  • hotel = hôtel (m)
  • house = maison (f)
  • lake = lac (m)
  • Lake Annecy = Lac d’Annecy (m)
  • lakeshore = bord du lac (m)
  • mountain = montagne (f)
  • resort = lieu de villégiature (m)
  • village = village (m)

Visit the Annecy Tourist Office website here.

Gems of Paris by French Moments
About the author

Pierre is a French/Australian who is passionate about France and its culture. He grew up in France and Germany and has also lived in Australia and England. He has a background teaching French, Economics and Current Affairs, and holds a Master of Translating and Interpreting English-French with the degree of Master of International Relations, and a degree of Economics and Management. Pierre is the author of Discovery Courses and books about France.

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