Dating back to the 13th century, this last vestige of the fortress of the Counts of Geneva overlooks the Foron river, perched on its huge rock block that gave its name to the city.
After the Middle Ages, its three floors were used as a prison and then... as a quarry. It owes its salvation to an ancestral tradition, Papegai shooting, as well as to the Capuchins, who renovated it as best they could in the 19th century and set up a small summer chapel in the cool of the rock.
The view of the Arve valley and surrounding mountains from the summit is breathtaking. You can also admire the medieval town at its foot, which you can then explore to discover the two remaining town gates, the remnants of the ramparts and the grain measures, a rare reminder of a time when the metric system was not yet unified and each town had its own references.
The view of the Arve valley and surrounding mountains from the summit is breathtaking. You can also admire the medieval town at its foot, which you can then explore to discover the two remaining town gates, the remnants of the ramparts and the grain measures, a rare reminder of a time when the metric system was not yet unified and each town had its own references.
