48 hours between Aix-les-Bains and Le Bourget-du-Lac
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes/2026
Time has stood still: two centuries after Lamartine published his most famous poem, Lac du Bourget displays the same mysterious charm of its deep, dark waters, its light, its atmosphere and its rituals: "One evening, do you remember? we sailed in silence; Only the sound of the oarsmen could be heard in the distance, on the wave and under the skies, striking in cadence Your harmonious waves."
If you take a quiet spot on its shores, for example around the beach at Charpignat, north of Le Bourget-du-Lac, you'll no doubt experience sensations akin to those of the poet, as you watch the rowers pass by in their modern kayaks, and indulge in a romantic meditation.
The lake is some twenty kilometers long and three kilometers wide at its widest point: the drive takes only about an hour, and much longer if you follow our gourmet tips. But the views are remarkable from the belvederes, the road rather quiet and the scenery sumptuous between lake and mountain.
If you're lucky enough to arrive at the site via the Chat tunnel, the impression is striking: a veritable postcard awaits you at the tunnel exit, embracing the entire lake in its Alpine cirque.
Le Bourget is a peaceful village that makes a good starting point. Head north to Bourdeau, with its castle and port, before climbing the Col du Chat road. The slope is very steep, and the local cycling champions make it one of their favorite training sessions. You leave this road to the right to reach La Chapelle-du-Mont-du-Chat via the Castor viewpoint. A photo stop is then made at the Ontex belvedere - for a view of the lake, but also of nearby Hautecombe Abbey - passing through Saint-Pierre-de-Curtille, on the heights, before descending back down to the lake at Conjux. at the northern end of the lake, you descend to the delightful beach of Châtillon, with its small port and lively base, before reaching Chindrieux. The road then follows the shores of the lake to Aix-les-Bains, via Chindrieux (with a useful detour to the belvedere de la Chambotte, for the view, but also for the restaurant), then Brison, crossing the railroad line several times.
Aix-les-Bains is a lively, chic spa town with over 2,000 years of history built around its healing springs. The Roman thermal baths were destroyed, and it wasn't until the end of the 18th century that the first spa to make use of the springs was built. From then on, the town grew, welcoming wealthy tourists and becoming more attractive over the decades. Today, it welcomes some 30,000 spa-goers every year.
Aix's lively center is the casino and the gourmet Rue de Chambéry, home to the city's best food shops. The people of Aix naturally frequent the Lac du Bourget, go for lunch nearby on the hill of Tresserve or at one of our three toques du Bourget, but also enjoythey also enjoy walks in the Bauges massif, which overlooks the town via Mont Revard, a classic stage of the Tour de France cycling race, at an altitude of 1563 m, in the heart of a vast ski area.
