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Col de la Colombière versant sud

in Le Grand-Bornand

11.7 km
Bike routes
Hard
  • The Col de la Colombière has featured in the Tour de France 20 times since 1960. It’s southern side, above the resort of the Grand-Bornand, is much less formidable than the climb from Scionzier.
    Gradient: 6.5%

  • Documentation

    GPX / KML files allow you to export the trail of your hike to your GPS (or other navigation tool)

  • Accepted customers

    • Individuals
Points of interest
1 Church of Our Lady of Assumption
After 60 years of building work, undertaken and financed by the local community,it was consecrated in 1877. Built in the neo-gothic style of the XIX century, the architecture is typical of the golden age of the Catholic church.<br/>From the XI to the XIII century, a small chapel stood within the parish. This chapel was served by the church in Thônes.
According to descriptions given by the Bishop of Geneva during his pastoral visits in the XV century, the church was made of wood. In 1569, the church burned down and the 4 bells melted. As the baptismal fonts and the onion-shaped steeple show, it was rebuilt in the typical XVII century Baroque style. The tinplated steeple (today it is made of stainless steel) shows the influence of Savoyard migration to Germanic countries.

In 1794, during the French Revolution, the church was plundered, just as in parishes all over France. The steeple was demolished and 3 of the 4 bells were melted down. The oldest bell, dating from 1767, still remains. At the beginning of the XIX century, the church fell into ruin and finally collapsed under the weight of heavy snow in 1816. Renovation of the church lasted between 1817 and 1877. The onion-shaped steeple was rebuilt between 1820 and 1845.

Certain items are registered in the inventory of Historic Monuments as heritage articles (the baptismal fonts, the pulpit, the stalls and a painting). It was painted by artists from the Val Cesia in Piémont, the Gilardi and the Pellegrini. The 44-pipe Giroud organ was inaugurated in 1988.

The visit is free but in summer, the visit of the church is included in the tour of the Village. Here are the furniture you can see in the Church :

- Classified paintings : The virgin giving the Holy Rosary to St Dominic (18th century); and painting of the Sacred Heart (19th century)
- Bronze bell from 1767
- Pews in walnut
- Pulpit carved in 1827 showing the four evangelists
- Altarpiece (17th century) representing the Dormition of Mary
- Organs (made by Giroud) with 40 pipes dating from 1988
- The classified baptismal carved in 17th century and 1829
- Altar of 1995 with side panels representing two fundamental aspects of the economic life of the parish : the tourism and agricultural life
- Wooden crucifix
2 Chapel of Le Chinaillon
Founded in 1677, the chapel is nestled in the heart of the old village of Le Chinaillon. Despite major renovation work to the building in 1977, it has retained its traditional appearance.<br/>Founded in 1677, the chapel of Le Chinaillon was placed under the patronage of Our Lady of Puy, so as to protect the inhabitants of the village from fire. On the facade, either side of the portal, are two original windows with a small niche above them in which there is a Virgin and Child. Since 1977, the Chapel has been placed under the patronage of Our Lady of the Snow.
The exterior walls of the chapel were originally covered with plaster, but when important restoration work was undertaken in 1977 on the initiative of Barthélémy, a Capuchin brother, the stonework of the walls was uncovered and left apparent. Work on the interior of the chapel, in 2009, enabled a restoration of the softer original colors, which is what the villagers of Le Chinaillon had requested.

Sitting on top of the chapel is a little steeple with a pyramid-shaped base and a dome above it. The dome tapers up to a point with a cross on its summit. In the steeple hangs a bell which was cast in 1901 by the Paccard brothers. Their foundry was in Annecy-Le-Vieux (today it is located in Sevrier). The pedestal with two small columns inside the chapel tells us that the original bell, in 1687, had Jean-Francois Sonnerat-Lanioz as its godfather and that in 1901, Victor Perrissin-Fabert was the godfather and Elisabeth Tochon-Danguy was its godmother. All his life, Alphonse Fournier used to ring the bell, and had done so faithfully ever since his return from the Second World War. Today however, the bell is electrified and it rings every day at noon and 7pm.
On the left-hand side as you enter the chapel there is a painting, dating from 1687, of Saint Francois de Sales, Sainte Barbe (bearing the symbol of her martyrdom, the tower) and Saint- Juste (above a crowned Virgin and Child, most probably Our Lady of Puy, the patron saint of the chapel). This painting was donated by Dominique Tochon, the priest of Le Grand Bornand, and his dedication is written on the bottom of the painting. This painting was registered in the inventory of heritage monuments in April 1983. It has recently been restored.

On the left-hand side as you enter the chapel there is a painting, dating from 1687, of Saint Francois de Sales, Sainte Barbe (bearing the symbol of her martyrdom, the tower) and Saint- Juste (above a crowned Virgin and Child, most probably Our Lady of Puy, the patron saint of the chapel). This painting was donated by Dominique Tochon, the priest of Le Grand Bornand, and his dedication is written on the bottom of the painting. This painting was registered in the inventory of heritage monuments in April 1983. It has recently been restored.
The painting in the centre, reflecting the same theme, is dedicated to the Virgin and Child with Saint François de Sales on her left and Sainte Barbe on her right. Jean Angelloz-Diron, probably an immigrant from Le Grand Bornand, donated this painting in 1822 (cf : the gift donated to the church from the Angelloz-Nicoud family, also during the XIX century)
This painting is framed by two twisted colonnades with cherubs, one with a Virgin on top of it and the other a cross. This setting is typical of the Baroque style (end of XVII/XVIII century). Until 2009, the main altar was a block of granite but it has since been replaced by a simple, contemporary wooden altar.
Note also the statue of a Virgin and Child mounted on a star-studded globe.
The stained glass windows were designed and made in1977 by the artist Mrs Mongeaud from Thonon-les-Bains. The first set of windows shows the daily life of the local population: the bee hive represents the hard working ethic of mountain life while the sheep in the pasture expresses peace and gentleness. There are several features of Christian symbolism : the doves for peace, the grapes and the ears of wheat for the bread and the wine of the Eucharist. The smallest stained glass window is rather more enigmatic, representing Saint Charles sleeping at the feet of his horse.
3 Le col de la Colombière (Colombière pass)
[Road currently closed]
Located at 1618 m altitude, open from June to October, it connects Le Grand-Bornand in the Arve valley. Starting point for hikes, it is also a classic cycle route used many times by the Tour de France.<br/>It is part of the Route des Grandes Alpes you must pause there for the panoramic view and maybe a glimpse of the ibex.
4 The Mont Lachat de Châtillon
Highest point of the winter ski area over 2000 m altitude, it's also the start of various walking and mountain-bike circuits. The Lachat is also a well-known take-off point for paragliders.<br/>Whether you come to do a sport or just to look you will be delighted by the exceptional panorama from the top of the Lachat- the Aravis range, Bargy-Jalouvre, the Bauges, Chablais and Mont Blanc ranges. An orientation table allows you to identify the highest summits of the Alps and the Jura.
Accessible only by ski in winter and by walkers, mountain bikers and paragliders in summer thanks to lifts.
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