Salèvation

One thing we both love when we get the chance is to escape from the hustle and bustle of urban life to open countryside and if possible somewhere with a view. Now one of the main reasons for choosing to relocate to Haute-Savoie was just that. I think there are one or two elevated views in the region that could be worth checking out. Being spoilt for choice as we are it is never easy trying to pick where to go. So we started with a trip up the nearest ‘mountain’, the Salève. Now the Salève dominates Geneva and the surrounding French towns (including ours) on the Haute-Savoie side of the border.

It rises gently from the south-east before abruptly falling away to near 800m sheer drop at some points overlooking Geneva (ice-age glacial formation at its most obvious). It’s not high, its highest point being around 1300m but it is long. On top it is effectively a plateau with views of the whole region (The Genevois basin, the Jura mountains, Switzerland and Lac Leman, Lake Annecy and the Alps).

There are a few ways of climbing the Salève, one is on foot which takes a few hours, two is by cable car which takes a few minutes, and three is by horseless carriage which was the option we chose. Once up on top, there are several trails high and low taking in a variety of landscapes.

Open alpage on top, deciduous woodlands below and rocky outcrops with precarious drops in between. We took a circular trail which we did not quite complete which took in everything the Salève has to offer, both in terms of landscape and in terms of views. It was a tiring, if not too undulating, walk which was really worth it.

There was not too much wildlife around; however very often a huge apocalyptic shadow would swoop over head – what is it? Dragons? Pterodactyls? Nope – parapente. The Salève is like many alpine ridges and mountain ranges in that there is an abundance of thermals and today was no exception. It was quite impressive to be rounding a rocky outcrop and see a huge parapente swoop by out of nowhere at some speed only a few meters away. If I had the guts I would like to try it as it must be heck of sensation as you are literally flying like a bird.

The rocks were quite impressive too, the most being the Trou de la Tine, a big hole effectively.

Looking across to the south you can see the much bigger stuff. Bring on the next mountain I say….