Mont Salève
Description
The tour up to Mont Salève can be easily started from Geneva's main train station and is therefore a worthwhile day trip from Bern or other regions of Switzerland, as Geneva can usually be reached easily and without changing trains. If you start the tour this way, you will first meander through the city center. Follow the cycle paths to the cantonal hospital, ride on through the Conche district and later cross the River Arve. You soon reach Veyrier, from where the gondola rides up to Mont Salève and also takes mountain bikers. We choose to climb under our own steam and follow a gravel path parallel to the highway to Etrembières. In Bas Mornex, the rather long ascent to Mont Salève begins on a road with a pleasant and even gradient. You should take a short break at the left-hand hairpin bend at the Chalet de la Croix, where you can get your first excellent view of Geneva. The road continues uphill, you pass the top station of the gondola lift and the transmitter tower visible from afar, and a little later you reach the inconspicuous summit. Continue along the ridge, pass the village of La Croisette and climb up to the hill just below the Grand Piton. You should treat yourself to a detour to this vantage point, as the view of Geneva and the rocky Grand Salève is nowhere better.
The hill is the starting point for the long singletrail descent down to Beaumont. A little rough at first, it becomes increasingly flowy and fun, with lots of hairpin bends at the bottom, all of which are easy to ride. In Beaumont, the fun comes to an end and you now head towards the center of Geneva on a mix of country roads, gravel paths and single trails. Just before you enter the hustle and bustle of the city center, you follow the Arve for a while and then end the tour on the promenade by Lake Geneva.
Map & GPX-Track
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Details of the tour
54 km
1310 m
1310 m
375 above sea level
1378 above sea level
1 day
Genf
Genf
1491
well suited
More information
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User comments (1)
About the author: Thomas Giger
Note: This content has been automatically translated from German. Please report any incorrect translations.
Dear Thomas (goes to: Tour author)
Encouraged by this tour description, I made my way from German-speaking Switzerland to Geneva via SBB on Tuesday, August 29, 2025. And now I have the honor of writing the first commentary, or rather I have changed your tour a little and published it on my tour portal account 'outdooracitve' divided into two tours (Uphill + Downhill):
KtGE/F Genève | Mont Salève | Le Grand Piton | Genève (Tour 1 of 2)
https://out.ac/IcAEEt
KtF/GE Le Grand Piton (Mont Salève) | Genève (Tour 2 of 2)
https://out.ac/IcAEPE
I can encourage all those interested to take the round tour suggested by Thomas Giger under the studded tires. Or download my tour above :-)
Viva, Peter Brunner