In an exceptional forest environment (Le Parc Sylvestre), the Gorges du Pont du Diable offers a striking image of the power of erosion: The Dranse of Morzine rushes into a deep crack dominated by an imposing arch. It is at the end of Thonon-Les-Bains and at the foot of the Portes du Soleil resorts that you will discover this spectacular parade, one of the 23 geosites of the Geopark Chablais UNESCO.
But why are the Gorges associated with the devil?
Legend has it that Le Jotty and Forclaz, two villages separated by Gorges, wanted to build a bridge between them. But with each attempt, the bridge crumbled when it was finished. The inhabitants, disappointed by the lack of help from God, decided to entrust their fate to the devil! The devil proposed to them the following pact: "I am building you a solid bridge, and in exchange you offer me the first soul that will cross the bridge". The inhabitants accept. The devil then triggers a landslide: a huge block gets stuck between the two banks forming an arch above the torrent.
The next day, the inhabitants having thought about who will cross the bridge first as a sacrifice ... had the idea of sacrificing a goat ! The furious devil of deceit swore to come back for revenge in the future. This is how we tell for decades the legend of the Devil's Bridge Gorges ! Be careful not to be the victim ...
HISTORY
A visionary carpenter
In1892, Jean Bochaton, carpenter from the Gavot plateau, obtained permission to build "a wooden staircase with iron supports to allow the visit of the Gorges du Pont du Diable". He probably discovered these Gorges in the company of the driftwood collectors who had arranged access to the torrent. With the help of a blacksmith and a stonemason, he first built stairs to reach the river (the Dranse).
In the summer of 1893, he brought the first visitors there. They are for the most part curists of Evian, already famous station, or Thonon. In the following years, Jean Bochaton completes the development of the route upstream, so as to discover the entire site.
In 1908, the Gorges are finally classified by the Ministry of Fine Arts for their aesthetic value. It took fifteen years of work to equip the entire site with footbridges, stairs or steps carved into the rock. These facilities survive their creator, some until ... 1950.
A difficult succession
But tourism is still in its infancy.
In 1909, In 1909, on the death of the carpenter, nobody wants to take his succession. The municipalities owning the land have trouble persuading a butler, Jean Calligaris, who previously shared his activity between Nice, in winter, and Thonon, in summer, decided to take over. However, he finally moved to Jotty and built the hotel "Mont Ouzon" that runs parallel to the site of the Gorges.
In 1934, the maître d'hôtel gave up his right to the lease to Jean Raibaud, an engineer in metal construction converted into tourism.
The tourist boom
Jean Raibaud has taken the measure of the increase in attendance following the advent of paid leave. He is considering new installations.
Begun in 1939, they were not finished after the second world war, in 1951.
From 1949, the Jotty dam built one kilometer upstream deviates part of the Dranse towards the Bioge hydroelectric power station. The Gorges society will be compensated for the diversion of water and a minimum flow of water will be saved.
Today and tomorrow
The footbridges have been renovated and complemented by new developments: reception buildings, car parks, picnic areas, parkland ...
Carefully maintained, the walkways always allow a large public to discover this original and spectacular site which hosts each season more than 50 000 visitors !
Since 2012, the Gorges are part of the Geopark Chablais UNESCO, territory recognized worldwide for its remarkable geology.
