October 16, 17 and 18, 2026, Thônes hosts “La Forêt en Fête,” a highlight of the Au Fil du Bois biennial organized as part of the Fier-Aravis Territorial Forestry Charter. This major event will mark the official inauguration of the Thônes Forest-School, managed by the Wood and Forest Ecomuseum. Free access, but registration required: all activities are free of charge.
Friday, October 16: opening with music and words
From 8 p.m. at the Espace Cœur des Vallées (Thônes), immerse yourself in the visual, musical, and sound performance “The Forest of Georgia Creek”, with the EchoSystems company (ages 8 and up). The evening continues with “Forest Readings,” featuring lumberjack-author-illustrator Mathias Bonneau, author of Bûcheron (Éditions du Seuil), in partnership with the Librairie des Aravis bookstore.
Saturday, October 17: the forest comes to town, then a big celebration on the path
- 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Place Avet (Thônes): meeting and sawing demonstrations in the heart of town, with “My Grandmother’s Tree,” the unusual mobile sawmill imagined by Andréa Viglino, architect at Tartare Lab, as well as an introductory woodworking workshop for children (ages 6 and up) with the Ecomuseum.
- 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., at the Ecomuseum, on the Forest-School site: introductory photo workshop about trees with Julien Arbez, nature photographer, including a stroll in the forest to observe and photograph trees in their most amazing aspects (ages 7 and up).
- 2:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., at the Ecomuseum, on the Forest-School site – “The Forest-School Celebration!”: workshops with free roaming throughout the new educational trail, for the whole family:
- Anim’nature forest discovery: meeting with donkeys, accompanied by a mountain guide, in partnership with the MFR of Arclosan;
- Introductory drawing workshop in the woods, with Dominique Beaufaron, lumberjack-author-illustrator, on the occasion of the new edition of his book Histoires d’un Arbre (Éditions du Seuil, in partnership with the Librairie des Aravis);
- Lyric hike in the forest, interactive and sensory, with Vincent Karche, forester, presenter, tenor and author;
- Tree climbing workshop “The Sound Tree”, with the APICALE association and the Ecomuseum: climb safely in the trees and let yourself be carried away by the sounds of the forest, between music and tales.
Sunday, October 18: logging and official inauguration
- 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., at the Ecomuseum, on the Forest-School site: meeting and logging demonstration with local lumberjacks, in partnership with the MFR of Arclosan (ages 6 and up).
- 11:30 a.m.: official inauguration of the Thônes Forest-School, followed by a friendly drink with music, accompanied by the sound of the Alpine horn.
- 2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.: thematic walk “A forest that protects us…”, on the forest as a defense against natural risks, with Jérémy Boillon, ONF-RTM agent (Mountain Terrain Restoration), ages 10 and up.
And the following week…
- Wednesday, October 21, 2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.: thematic walk “The mountain forest facing climate change”, with technicians from the CNPF, discovering the BioClimSol approach (ages 10 and up).
- Saturday, October 24, 2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.: thematic walk “The forest and wildlife…”, on the delicate balance between forest and wildlife management, with the ONF, the ACCA of Thônes, and the Federation of Hunters of Haute-Savoie (ages 10 and up).
Also to discover
From October 17 to 28, the Salle des 2 Lachat in Thônes hosts the exhibition “Between the Branches” by the Parc Naturel Régional du Massif des Bauges, dedicated to “the lookout of shared emotions in the forest.” Free entry during the opening hours of the Thônes Cœur des Vallées Tourist Office.
Practical information
- Dates: Friday, October 16 to Sunday, October 18, 2026 (with complementary activities on October 21 and 24)
- Locations: Espace Cœur des Vallées, Place Avet and Wood and Forest Ecomuseum (on the Forest-School site), in Thônes
- Prices: free activities, upon registration
- Weather: in case of bad weather, some activities will be adapted and relocation indoors at the Ecomuseum will be possible
- Information and registration: 04 50 32 18 10 – info@ecomuseedubois.com
