DAY 1 & 2 arrive in Geneva, travel to Evian
To get to
Beaux Arts Perrier
24 boulevard Helvétique
1207 Genève
022 736 94 54Get free transportation ticket (Unireso ticket/Billet Gratuit) from machine in airport (free for 80 minutes) get ticket from the machine in the baggage collection area at the Arrival level.
Urban buses stop every 8-15 minutes at rush hours at the airport (bus stops at the Check-in level, in front of or beside the train station). Train is faster (fewer stops)
Train 12 to Terressiere or
Bus 10 (green) to Place des Eaux-Vives.
Going via Lausanne and the boat, you would get the train from the airport to Lausanne, then metro line 2 to Ouchy. From Ouchy, it's a five-minute walk to the boat.
To get to
Beaux Arts Perrier
24 boulevard Helvétique
1207 Genève
022 736 94 54Get free transportation ticket (Unireso ticket/Billet Gratuit) from machine in airport (free for 80 minutes) get ticket from the machine in the baggage collection area at the Arrival level.
Urban buses stop every 8-15 minutes at rush hours at the airport (bus stops at the Check-in level, in front of or beside the train station). Train is faster (fewer stops)
Train 12 to Terressiere or
Bus 10 (green) to Place des Eaux-Vives.
Going via Lausanne and the boat, you would get the train from the airport to Lausanne, then metro line 2 to Ouchy. From Ouchy, it's a five-minute walk to the boat.
DAY 3 spend in Evian
DAY 4
DAY 4
From Evian: To begin your alpine traverse, you climb for an hour on a waymarked route from the railway station, leading above the town, partly by a track, and then walk briefly east, parallel to the lake, with excellent views. You cut inland, not on trails but on countryside lanes, to a hotel of your choice in St-Paul-en-Chablais - Bernex area at about 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) elevation (2,000 feet above the lake) in about 3 and one-half hours of walking. (My research has not turned up any hotel situated higher than 1,000 meters.)
The maps in the Topo Guides are sufficient, but if you are using another guide book you would need to purchase a map. You will note the trail in red rising above Evian, and then branching to the left. You will probably choose the white colored road leading from Milly to Poese, and then head towards Bernex, following a route that depends upon the hotel you have chosen. I and my friends enjoyed very much our stay at the Hotel Bois Joli** in Beunaz (St- Paul-en-Chablais), but you might want to stay further along, in Bernex for example.
DAY 5
The second day you gain the Dent d'Oche (at 2,221 meters or 7,300 feet of altitue) in five or six view-filled hiking hours, dependinging upon where you have stayed.
The second day of this itinerary there is a choice of routes to reach the Dent d'Oche or the the GR5.. My group followed a trail and lanes leading over Mont Bénard and around the south of Mont César to the GR Balcon de Léman variant shown on the map in red, and then followed this south to the Dent d'Oche, about a six hours' walk.
Easygoers can take a taxi to the parking lot at La Fétiuère if they wish. Day hikers and weekend hikers visiting the Dent d'Oche typically use the trail from La Fétiuère.
DAY 6
There are many lovely, fairly priced hotels in La Chapelle d'Abondance, which is only a 3 hour hike from the Refuge of Bise and less than 5hours from the Dent d'Oche. If you wish to stay in a hotel, and eat a multi-course dinner for not too much money, this is a good town to do it in. A gîte d'étape is available as well.
DAY7
There is a fine Refuge at Trebentaz, open from mid-June to mid-September (refuge 04 50 73 26 17, guardian 06 07 19 49 34). It is a 3 to 3 1/2 hour walk from la Chapelle d'Abondance, branching off the GR5 on a trail to the left at Sur Bayard.
[painting day?]
[directions from Trebentaz website:
At the Church of La Chapelle d'Abondance, follow the road Cret Beni.
Park at the end of the paved road (if PV!).
[painting day?]
[directions from Trebentaz website:
At the Church of La Chapelle d'Abondance, follow the road Cret Beni.
Park at the end of the paved road (if PV!).
then either:
- 2:00 walk: Start on the left, then forest road variant of the GR5.
- 2:30 walk: Start on the right, then Chalets du Folliet trail Chemine.
- 2:30 walk: Start on the right, then Chalets du Folliet trail Chemine.
Access by GR5
- 3:00 walk: By The Panthiaz, then the variant of GR5.
- 4:00 walk: By Bassachaux, then the variant of the GR5 levels Mattes.]
- 4:00 walk: By Bassachaux, then the variant of the GR5 levels Mattes.]
DAY 8
The next day, from the refuge, it is about a 4 hour walk to the Col Bassachaux. Thus virtually no walking time is lost, and very little extra elevation is required.
[painting day?]
[painting day?]
DAY 9
Whichever lodgings you chose the night before, it will be enjoyable to spend the next night at Les Mines d'Or hotel-refuge-restaurant, with some private rooms and some dormitories, and which has good food, good fishing and charm. It is a 6 and 1/2 hour walk from Plaine-Drance or Tinderets, and about 3 hours from Les Crosets (and only a 20 minute detour from the GR5). [5 HOURS FROM BASSACHAUX]
DAY 10
After the Mines d'Or, there is no need to retrace your steps. You can cut across the valley floor and climb back up to the GR5 at Bonnevalette, in about 1 and 1/2 hours. After attaining les Allamands in an hour and 35 minutes, a boring one and one-half hours' descent brings you into Samoëns. From Allamands, you have a choice to walk down the road instead of following GR5. Your total walking time this day is less than 5 hours. Use your spare time to enjoy Samoëns. [And do laundry--washer and dryer available at gite.]
The center of Samoëns is colorful and lively, with many restaurants. There's a gîte d'étape and a choice of hotels. I suggest staying Samoéns if you can, rather than in Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval, even though it means a longer walk the following day.Advance reservations are highly recommended in summer in this frequented town; Samoëns was full on my first trip through, and I had to take a taxi to Sixt (and back, so as not to miss any of the trail).
DAY 11
From Samoëns, a lovely 2 hour valley walk alongside the Clévieux River brings you to the foot of the Anterne plateau. You could spend the night here, in Sixt-Fer à-Cheval in a hotel or gîte d'étape, and take a taxi or tour to see the famous view at the Fer-à-Cheval (horseshoe) to the east of the town. If you do so, your next day will be cut to a reasonable 6 hours of walking.
[painting day?] [The gite we have reservations at (Refuge Alfred Wills) is 2 hours from Sixt according to their website.]
[painting day?] [The gite we have reservations at (Refuge Alfred Wills) is 2 hours from Sixt according to their website.]
DAY 12
Now it is a 1,100 meter (3,600 foot) grimpe (long, arduous climb) up to the plateau. The Topo Guide time allocates 3 hours and 5 minutes for the climb to the Collet d'Anterne, but that is too short: Another half-hour, at least, is needed if you climb at standard speeds.
After a total walk of 6 hours from Samoéns, you arrive at the refuge of the Chalets d'Anterne, on the plateau. Should you stop and call it a day? No! Continue another 2 hours, climbing another 350 meters (1, 100 feet) to cross the Col d'Anterne and descend to the Refuge de Moëde, where you will have made an advance reservation. This refuge has a great view and a high mountain ambiance.
DAY 13
After a relatively easy, but exciting, 3 hour walk from the Moëde refuge, that might involve crossing some snow patches, you reach the Col du Brevant (2,368 m), and your first good view of the Mont Blanc massif. Many easygoing walkers will be tempted to walk down 45 minutes to Pranplatz and take the télépherique there down to Chamonix, bypassing the Brevant summit. I would recommend, however, that even easygoers continue on to the Peak of Le Brévant, which is only 160 meters higher, though one usually has to cross some snow fields and must climb a short ladder. Arriving at the summit, at 2,526 meters (8,200 feet) one hasa superlative view of the Chamonix Valley below, the plateau behind, and more.
To avoid the 1,500 meter (4,900 foot) steep descent on foot, easygoers can take the télépherique down to Chamonix (via Pranplatz). But if you are a purist you will continue down on foot, being careful to tread lightly and with your legs bent, and using trekking poles, in order to save your knees.
Assuming you are walking down by foot, stop and rest at the Bel Lachat refuge, and then take my advice to branch left, leaving the GR5, and descend to Chamonix in 2 1/2 or 3 hours rather than staying on the GR5.
DAY 14 (in Chamonix)
DAY 15: Travel to Geneva and home
