Croisette. Left is a more difficult route via the Trou de la Tine/la Corraterie, marked escarpé, meaning steep and exposed. The path levels out somewhat and then comes out of the woodland onto the shoulder of the mountain.
Walk up the grassy slope to a reach a stile just before the road at a corner 1. Do not go onto the road but turn hard left, leaving the GR, and follow the wide green path all along the top, with the lake down below on your left. On the right there is an aerial and a flag, indicating a jumping-off area for paragliders.
This is the ideal picnic spot. There are wonderful sweeping views of the Geneva countryside and the Jura range to the left, with the Alps to the right, dominated by Mont Blanc and the Dents du Midi, with the Môle in the foreground.
Paragliding off the Salève
Follow the grassy track across pastures to reach the signpost ‘Alpage des Crêts – alt. 1300m’ (2hr 10min).
Continue straight on towards Grange Tournier/Téléphérique, towards the observatory tower you can see in the distance. The track reaches the road at a stone balustrade and another signpost at Sur le Charrot (1280m). Here you rejoin the GR for another short stretch. Following signs to Sur Grande Gorge, walk down across a meadow to reach the road again and a signpost ‘Sur la Grande Gorge – alt. 1245m’ (2hr 20min). Continue towards Sous Grande Gorge/le Coin par Grande Gorge, and turn off left into the woods, leaving the GR on a narrow path which winds downwards 2.
The Môle from the top of the Salève
Soon after you reach a rock face to the left where there is a plaque saying ‘Grande Gorge 1854 to 1954’, with the words ‘Section Genevoise CAS’ scratched out. At first you curl round the mountain and then the path becomes steep and stony with cliffs on each side. In one place there are rough stone steps and a chain to hold on to, and further down an iron railing. The path actually goes down the side of the Grande Gorge and there is a viewpoint from where you get a magnificent view looking back up at the precipitous cliffs with trees on the summit. Another plaque, which says ‘Sentier de la Grande Gorge’, explains that the path has been maintained since 1868 by the Geneva section of the Swiss Alpine Club.
Continue down the steep path, which skirts the Grande Gorge for a short while, and then goes down more steeply, with steps and cables to help you on the more difficult parts. Take care as this can be very slippery after rain or snow. The path goes back down the side of the Grande Gorge and becomes less steep as you get lower. You cross a stony patch in the woods before reaching a junction at the signpost ‘Sous Gde Gorge Sud’ 3 (3hr 35min).
Go left following signs to le Pérouzet/le Coin (straight ahead goes to Bossy). This is a flat path going over a boggy area on wooden slats, following the contour of the hill, and is a welcome relief after the long, steep, stony descent. On the left is the steep rock face of the Salève looking even more dramatic from below. Keep straight for 10mins until you arrive at a jeep track at a post with a yellow arrow. Turn left to meet a wider jeep track coming in from the left and continue to meet the road at the signpost ‘le Pérouzet – alt. 620m’ (3hr 50min).
Turn left, with tennis courts down below, and walk up the road (Route de la Croisette) towards le Coin, passing the Nymphéa Club on the left and then the Campus Adventiste du Salève on the right. Walk between the houses and round the corner to get back to the car park (4hr 15min).
WALK 2
Balcon du Salève
| Start/Finish | La Croisette, 1175m |
| Distance | 7km |
| Total ascent | 170m |
| Grade | Easy |
| Time | 2hr |
| Maximum altitude | 1295m |
| Map | IGN 3430 OT Mont Salève/St-Julien-en-Genevois/Annemasse 1:25,000 |
| Access | From St-Julien-en-Genevois, take the D1206 to Collonges and follow all signs to le Salève. At le Coin take the D45 towards le Salève/Croisette. This is a steep uphill drive of about 4km with a number of hairpin bends. There is plenty of parking at la Croisette at the top. |
| Signposting | Good – new signposts, posts with yellow arrows on green and red/white GR signs when on the Balcon du Léman |
This is an easy walk for all the family, including young children, and can be done at almost any time of the year. In early spring the top of the mountain is carpeted with small white and purple crocuses, followed later by a blaze of dandelions. The walk gives magnificent views of Geneva and the surrounding countryside on one side, and Mont Blanc and the whole range of the Alps on the other. It was this view that inspired the eminent 18th-century Genevan scientist H B de Saussure (1740–1799), often considered the founder of alpinism, to explore the Alps further and to offer a reward to the first man to climb Mont Blanc.
Facing the line of the Alps, turn left and follow the signs saying ‘Télépherique 6km/Monnetier 11km’. Walk past the Auberge des Montagnards and bear right up a jeep track on the Route des Rochers de Faverge. This becomes a grassy track that runs parallel to the road and regains the road after 10mins at a signpost ‘la Bouillette – alt. 1215m’. The road goes all the way along the top and you meet it again later on.
From here there are spectacular views. To the left is the town of Geneva with the Jura mountain range on the horizon. Behind is the Bellegarde Gap with the Fort de l’Ecluse on one side and the Vuache ridge on the other.
At the junction 1 follow the main road, still the Route des Rochers de Faverge, to the right, signposted ‘la Pile/Télépherique/la Muraz’. The TV aerial of les Crêtes is up on the left. After passing a wooden chalet on the left, look for a jeep track going down right and a signpost ‘Sous les Crêtes – alt. 1220m’, indicating that you are on the Balcon Paysager des Crêtes (20min).
Angus Norton, Mike Woodman and Ben, walking along the Balcon du Salève
The fenced jeep track initially loses height as it traverses round the mountain with the Alps on the right. You come to a large barn and house called la Pile (1230m). Follow the track in front of the farm buildings, which then becomes wide and grassy as it goes through an attractive old gnarled beech wood, passing two stagnant ponds, the second one in front of a newly renovated house called Grange Gaby. In the grounds here is a yurt advertised as ‘Une yourte avec vue’ which can be rented out overnight. It merits its name as the view from here is magnificent.
Turn right just before the gate of Grange Gaby and follow the yellow arrows down and round, skirting the house and pond. At a junction below the house keep left and follow the fence up to join the wide track again at the far end of the property. Turn right on the track and shortly after, at the signpost ‘Grange Gaby – alt. 1210m’, take the left track following the sign ‘Balcon Paysager des Crêtes’. The track goes up gently through woodland and flattens out as it bears left. There are carpets of white crocuses all along here in springtime. At a fork bear right to reach the D41A at an iron gate from where you can see the building of the television tower ahead (1hr).
This is the perfect place for a picnic, and there are several picnic tables. The view of the Alps and Mont Blanc from here must be the finest in the Geneva region,