La Charvaz from Jongieux

With its double summit, La Charvaz offers a panorama of choice between the Jura and the Alps. Overlooking the entire vineyard, this summit remains a sporting challenge due to the difficulty of the final ascent on steep slopes.

The Charvaz mountain is pronounced La Charve. Today, the ‘geodesic north’ summit offers an open view of the Grand Colombier and the Jura mountain range, the northern part of Lac du Bourget and the northern part of the Alps (Mont Blanc Massif). Facing the Dent du Chat, the ‘south’ summit dominates the Savoyard foreland and offers a bird's-eye view of the entire Jongieux-Marestel wine-growing area. Since 2010, this exceptional landscape has received national recognition through its classification. This site forms a remarkable composition with its limestone slopes and the layering of vines from the banks of the Rhône. This landscape is the legacy of the retreat of the Rhône and Isère glaciers. During the summer, the Charvaz cliffs give back the heat accumulated during the day, which favours the cultivation of vines. The cliffs dominate a varied natural landscape of woodland, meadows and wetlands, providing an ideal habitat for nesting birds of prey. An emblematic species of the Natura 2000 site, the peregrine falcon nests on the cliffs and can be observed. The Short-toed Eagle is also a regular visitor to the site, feeding in the open areas and nesting on the higher ground. The golden eagle can be seen occasionally and is trying to establish a permanent presence in the area.