Hiking near Geneva
 

I am planning to be in Geneva in late August for a business trip and would like to take a two day, one night trip out of town to go hiking. I am a moderately good hiker (4 - 7 mile trip with elevation change would be nice) Any suggestions?

With the Jura Mts to the west of you and Chamonix and Mt Blanc to the south-east you shouldn't have trouble finding a nice hike.

Harzer

Or take the train down to Valais (about 1-1/2 hour from Geneva. There are lots of wonderful hikes there with nice little hotels and auberges. Some locales we like - Evolene, Mürren, Glacier du Trient...

Hi ann_k,

I would go to Gstaad or Saanen, about two hours by train from Geneva.

This area has lush green rolling hills dotted with villages of brown-wood chalets. It's a very peaceful setting. There are a lot of hiking and biking trails -- here is a link to Gstaad's own pages for local hikes:

http://www.gstaad.ch/en/gs-sport/gs-...gs-hicking.htm

Here are links to my own pages (w/photos) of the area so you can get an idea of what it's like:

Gruyeres
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR..._Fribourg.html

Saanen
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...wiss_Alps.html

Gstaad
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...wiss_Alps.html

If you decide to go to the Valais, I can recommend the sweet little town of Brig, which sits at a transportation junction and is surrounded by mountains. It has a nice, flowery old town and some nice shopping.

Have fun!

s

On today's episode of the French mountain program, "Chroniques d'en haut", they focused on the hiking in the Jura around the Swiss border. A photographer has recently published a very nice coffee table book, Jura: montagne en partage

http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/2880...781258?ie=UTF8

Oops, try this:
http://tinyurl.com/njkkb

Do yourself a really big favor and go to Lauterbrunnen Valley (take the train to Bern, change to a train to Interlaken and then switch again to Lauterbrunnen; sounds complicated but Swiss trains are a marvel of efficiency and the trip by train takes about three and half hours total travel time). Spectacular is the primary word I would use to describe Lauterbrunnen Valley.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauterbrunnen


http://switzerland.isyours.com/e/gui...nenvalley.html
http://www.hurvitz.org/Photos/Switze...ley/index.html

Second ideas from swandav2000 and BTilke about Gstaad/Saanen. Next to Saanen is Rougemont, which is a lovely Frenco-swiss village with charming buildings.
Good hiking base from Gstaad. Also not that far from Interlanken.
Postbus also has hiking ideas on its brochures.

Easy one when you have less than 2 full days (1,5 days or even a day excursion is possible) is Take a train to Montreux, change to the cogwheel train to Rochers-de-Naye. The view is superbe and you can do easy walk at the top + alk down a bit to catch a train to go down all the way.

View at the top Berner Oberland mountains, namely Eiger, Mönch Jungfrau, etc. and much more.

Next easy one is as Harzer mentioned, take a bus (if you have time,, complicate but train is possible too)to Chamonix-Mont Blanc, France and take a cable car (actually two with a change) up to Le Brévent and start to hike. There are other possibilites in Chamonix. Mer de Glace, La Flègere-l'Indexe route, e.g.

Actually, I was not one of the posters who recommended Gstaad/Saanen. But it does seem like a good idea.

oops. Mistook your reference to "chroniques en'haut" as "Pays d'enhaut" (of Vaud).

Thanks to all for the great suggestions! I am overwhelmed by the thoughtful advice and becoming very excited about this trip. I have decided to stay in Saanen and hike the surrounding area.

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