The Best Hiking Trails in Haute-Savoie

A lovely short walk through the forest from the charming hamlet of Lavancher to a viewpoint over the Mer de Glace - with the highlight most definitely the charming Refuge du Chapeau which serves simple but delicious fare all day long....

Perhaps THE classic Chamonix destination for kids in the summer. A very short walk along an easy, wide forest path (suitable for push chairs) takes you to the Paradis des Praz a small clearing with picnic benches and plenty for kids to do....

Gaillands is a great place to spend the day with things to do for the whole family. Nice and sunny with wonderful views. Come for the beautiful lakes (no swimming) the rock climbing from easy scrambling all the way up to 7b (both single and multi-pitch) or just relax on the grass and have a pic-nic....

One of the top tourist attractions in Chamonix consists of a ride up the Montenvers Cog Railway (€33.50 round trip) and a hike down to the Grotte de Glace—an ice cave carved into the Mer de Glace glacier....

While Chamonix is renowned as a radically-challenging mountain destination, the valley still offers a small trail system filled with easy hiking and running routes: the Les Bois trails. This network of trails and dirt paths inhabits a stand of tall trees along the banks of the river....

Cette randonnée de 11 km au départ de Doussard est de difficulté moyenne. Elle s’effectue sur une journée ou une demi-journée, en 4 heures environ. Il s’agit d’un circuit aller-retour et non d’une boucle....

From Chamonix town centre, head north out of town on the Rue Joseph Vallot street to reach the foot of the Rue Mummery, 600 metres from the town square. Turn left up this and follow it gently uphill for 200 metres to a mini roundabout....

Start in the village of Argentière, 10 kilometres northeast of Chamonix, which can be reached by car or bus. Just before reaching the Restaurant des Chéserys, at the northern end of the village, there is a carpark on the left and at the back left of this, a path leading into the woods....

The normal starting point to reach the Aiguillette des Houches is from the parking lot “Chemin de Merlet,” located around 500 meters above Les Houches, and offers the advantage of not having to hike too far before reaching incredible views of the famous Mont Blanc Massif on the opposite side of the Chamonix Valley....

The Statue du Christ-Roi towers above the town of Les Houches and the Chamonix Valley. Located high on the mountainside, the statue itself stands 25 meters off the ground, making it the second-highest statue in France, [according to Wikipedia](https://fr....

When combined, the Petit Balcon trails serve as the Chamonix Valley's classic, easily-accessible singletrack loop. These two trails—the Petit Balcon Nord on the south side of the valley and the Petit Balcon Sud on the north side of the valley—run for miles in both directions....

The Petit Balcon trails serve as Chamonix’s best easily-accessible hiking trails. Combined together, you can create [a fantastic loop](https://fatmap.com/routeid/303594/Petit_Balcon_Loop/@45.9377491,6.8737248,8753.0085392,-73.0872508,-42.9393318,1148.1898055,normal) around the Chamonix Valley. But what if you want a shorter loop that hits just the _very best_ sections of the Petit Balcon Sud trail? Well, look no further than this short loop option! This loop departs from downtown Chamonix and climbs up to the bench that the Petit Balcon Sud traverses....

This section of the famous Tour du Mont Blanc route runs from the popular tourist destination of the Merlet animal park to the top of the TPH de Bellevue lift. While there are some sections of singletrack along this route, there’s a relatively high percentage of road walking....

La Jonction is the ultimate trail that hikers dream of. A tough climb to get the adrenalin pumping, sprinkled with historical significance and an epic view. La Jonction (The Junction) is one of the classics of the Mont Blanc Massif and the Chamonix Valley....

Cascade du Card is a beautiful, easily accessible, 20 meters high waterfall in the forest at 1233m altitude. Located in the woods, it offers a refreshing break in the heart of the summer....

The hike to Lac Blanc is possibly Chamonix's most famous walk, and one of the highlights of the famous Tour du Mont Blanc. With the right timing you can enjoy a high-mountain panorama reflecting onto the 2352m altitude lake....

This 3-day hike along part of the Via Alpina in the stunning Haute-Savoie region of France takes you down the Chamonix Valley past the spectacular Aiguilles Rouges Massif and the Fiz Range, all the way from Samoëns to Vallorcine....

Nicknamed “Geneva’s Balcony,” Mont Salève stands 1,379m above the glitzy swiss city, just 20 km from the centre. Climb up a steep rambling path through thick woodland, past the quaint little village Monnetier, and eventually, you will come to Salève’s summit, where you’ll meet the less adventurous visitors who took the cable car up to the top....

Possibly the most popular hike above Lake Annecy, the traverse of Monts Veyrier and Baron is a true classic of the region and a "must do" for any keen hiker visiting the region....

Take advantage of the large gravel road to gently warm up, as once you’ll reach the trail up to Chalet du Boret, the climb will get much steeper. This bit can get fairly technical and exposed at times, but chains have been setup to secure the path in the most dangerous parts....