Hermance, a guide to the Geneva village on the lake

Hermance occupies the north-eastern tip of the canton of Geneva, on the left bank of Lake Geneva. The municipality ends at the Hermance river, which marks the border between Switzerland and France. It is one of the smallest municipalities in the canton, facing the lake and next to Anières.

Why Hermance?

Hermance combines a former fortified town, direct access to the lake and a position away from the main roads. The municipality remains residential and sparsely built, with a fabric of village houses and villas. Its distance from the city is offset by a bus line to Rive.

Did you know?

Hermance is one of the oldest towns in the canton. The fortified new town was founded from 1247 by Aymon II of Faucigny, at the mouth of the river and on an ancient route. The large round tower that dominates the village, the former keep of the Dauphins, was built around 1337 and 1338 for Dauphin Humbert II. Part of the town wall survives today in the masonry of the houses.

The village and the lakeshore

The heart of Hermance is explored on foot, through lanes lined with old houses built against the former town wall. The lakeshore has two harbour areas, Port aux Mouches and Port d'Hermance, whose moorings are managed by the cantonal harbour office rather than the municipality. Access to the beach is charged from 15 May to 15 September, with a free card for residents listed in the municipal register. In season, a CGN boat stop serves the village on request.

Which schools are there in Hermance?

Hermance has its own primary school, in the village. It is part of the school grouping that brings together Anières, Corsier, Hermance, Gy, Jussy and Presinge, within the Geneva primary education system. The cycle d'orientation (lower secondary school), for the following years, is outside the municipality. An early childhood facility is shared with the neighbouring lakeside municipalities.

How do you get to Hermance?

By public transport, TPG line E links Hermance to Geneva, Rive, in about thirty minutes, following the left bank of the lake. By car, access is via the lakeshore road from Vésenaz, Collonge-Bellerive, Corsier and Anières. The Hermance river closes the municipality on the east side and forms the border with France, facing Chens-sur-Léman.

Architecture and property

The building stock of Hermance is divided between the village houses of the old town and villas spread across the rest of the municipality. In the old town, several buildings incorporate parts of the former wall, which means specific works and rules apply in the event of renovation. The market is narrow: properties rarely change hands and transactions remain few each year. Of the 575 sales documented by our agency since 2006, one concerned a property in Hermance.

Our presence in Hermance

Our knowledge of Hermance rests mainly on our activity in the Left Bank area, notably in Anières and Corsier, where we follow the market regularly. For a property in Hermance, this reading of the neighbouring area makes it possible to estimate a price and assess demand with caution, taking into account the low volume of transactions specific to the municipality. We act for valuations as well as for support with a sale or a search.

To go further, see our pages on selling and buying, as well as our guides to the neighbouring municipalities: Anières, Corsier and Collonge-Bellerive.

Sources

• Hermance, history of the town and its walls: hermance.ch, prohermance.ch, Wikipedia
• Harbours, beach and transport (TPG line E, CGN): hermance.ch, tpg.ch