Signature experience — Thonon-les-Bains
Château de Ripaille and its vineyard
Duration
Half day
Price
From €300
Mercedes
Dedicated vehicle & chauffeur
Founded in 1434, Ripaille stretches between Lake Geneva and its namesake woodland, where the former residence of the Dukes of Savoy blends medieval walls with 19th‑century restorations by industrialist Frédéric Engel‑Gros. The 22‑hectare estate is planted with Chasselas, the local white variety, and the arboretum shelters species collected around 1900. Just 3 km from central Thonon‑les‑Bains, Ripaille also echoes diplomacy: the 1434 “Ripaille” moment helped shape Savoy’s rise—and the reputation of a lake‑side wine poured with perch fillets to this day.
Your dedicated driver collects you from your Thonon hotel in a Mercedes and keeps the car at your disposal for a flexible half‑day. It’s a 10‑minute drive to the gatehouse, then a guided or self‑guided circuit through historic rooms and shaded paths. You taste Ripaille AOP while the driving and bookings are handled seamlessly. On request, pause at the Dame de Ripaille viewpoint or detour via Rives harbor 2 km away; with a private chauffeur in Thonon‑les‑Bains, tastings and the arboretum stroll link together without a hitch.
Your itinerary
- I
09:30 — Pickup at your Thonon‑les‑Bains hotel and 10‑minute Mercedes transfer to Ripaille.
- II
09:45 — Enter the château and tour the historic rooms and tower (45–60 min).
- III
10:45 — Guided tasting at the estate: Ripaille Chasselas and current vintages (30–40 min).
- IV
11:30 — Stroll the arboretum, photo stop at Dame de Ripaille, then return to the hotel (arrive ~12:30).
What’s included
- ✓ Dedicated Mercedes driver
- ✓ Hotel pickup
- ✓ Waiting time and transfers
- ✓ Visit and tasting booking
Your chauffeur’s tip
Aim for weekday opening time (often 10 am): low lake light flatters the façades and the knights’ hall is quieter; book the tasting 48 hours ahead in peak season.
Book this experience
Confirmed within 30 minutes · Fixed price quoted in advance