Tour du Léman
Overview
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Distance 47 km
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Ascent 400 m
Intro
A section through the impressive natural scenery of the Rhone delta and Les Grangettes, a sanctuary for migratory birds that you don't expect to find on the heavily built-up lake shores. The route continues through Le Bouveret and St-Gingolph, small market towns on the French-Swiss border.
Description
Since 1888, a funicular has linked the centre of Thonon-les-Bains to Rives marina. It takes around 90 seconds to climb just under 50 metres in altitude. A stroll through the medieval old town is also worthwhile. The 12th century Church of St. Hippolyte is located in the centre. It was rebuilt in the 17th century with lavish Savoy baroque-style decorations and frescoes. The journey down towards the lake is not only enjoyable by funicular, but also by bike. You see Montjoux Castle from the back. The wooded castle gardens are accessible all year round. The stretch along the Golfe de Coudrée is also very popular, featuring harbours, beaches and campsites.
Studies of graveyards in 1977 found that locations in Chablais such as Sciez and Douvaine were already settled in the Bronze Age (1000 BC). Did the field of bright red poppies at Excenevex already exist back then? Opium poppies are among the oldest cultivated plants in Europe, after all. You pass through the Domaine de Rovorée, then a landscape with giant sequoias and ancient chestnut trees – and enter the small town of Yvoire, with its mighty fortifications. The well preserved medieval village centre buzzes with tourists, but is worth visiting nonetheless.
A range of roads with different surfaces then take you away from the hustle and bustle, through smaller villages such as Nernier, Messery and Chens-sur-Léman. Back over the Swiss border, you arrive at Hermance. There is usually little traffic. The marina has a slight seaside feel – a weather-beaten fisherman with a pipe is surrounded by fish traps as a pleasant breeze blows. Corn, sunflower and onion fields unfurl ahead of you, courgettes flourish as of course do the vines on the sun-drenched slopes. The view of the landscape and lake is superb!
Remains of pile-dwelling settlements have been found in Corsier, the oldest dating back to the Neolithic period (4400 –3500 BC). On the lake, small sailing boats know how to tell exciting stories: for example, about the Jura on the opposite side of the lake, or the Jet d’Eau fountain, which sprays water 140 metres high at 200 kilometres per hour. The bike promenade to Geneva is lined with gelaterias. It’s almost with a sense of wistfulness that you leave large, beautiful Lake Geneva at L'île Rousseau, the small island at the outflow of the Rhone, and find yourself immersed in Switzerland’s second-largest city.
An enjoyable tour includes the careful planning of the same. Please inform yourself in advance at the local information center about the route and weather conditions. Depending on the season and weather conditions, this route may be blocked or interrupted
| Start location |
Thonon-les-Bains
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|---|---|
| Destination |
Genève
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| Ascent |
400 m
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| Descent |
400 m
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| Distance |
47 km
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| Distance on tarred ways |
47 km
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| Physical requirements |
Medium
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| Theme |
Along Water, Through a vineyard
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Quick Facts
Route number
