Free access to the range · Year-round
Mont Salève seen from the Geneva foothills, Haute-Savoie

Mont Salève

The Balcony of Geneva peaks at 1,379 m at the Grand Piton. 250 km of marked trails link the foothill villages to the summit, a Natura 2000 site since 2003. Free on foot, paid and seasonal by cable car.

TypePre-Alpine range · Viewpoint
AccessFree on foot · Paid cable car
CommuneMonnetier-Mornex
ParkingFree (foothill car parks) · Paid (lower cable car station)
DogsAllowed on leash
StrollerLimited (a few easy summit trails)
Best seasonApril – October (winter for sledging and snowshoes)

About Mont Salève

The Mont Salève — nicknamed the "Balcony of Geneva" — is a Pre-Alpine range in Haute-Savoie peaking at 1,379 m at the Grand Piton. It stretches from Étrembières in the north to the Pont de la Caille in the south, its territory shared between some twenty communes grouped in the Syndicat Mixte du Salève since 1994. Monnetier-Mornex holds its core and the upper cable car station.

The range has been a Natura 2000 site since 2003, protecting 17 natural habitats (beech forests, dry grasslands, peat bogs, cliffs, caves), and has been covered since 2008 by a landscape directive that prohibits new construction outside the Croisette. Two main access routes: on foot from the foothill villages, via one of the 250 km of trails marked by the Syndicat Mixte; or by cable car, running since 1932 between Étrembières and the summit plateau, refurbished and reopened in 2023.

What you can do there

Hike the 250 km of marked trails

Around twenty routes maintained by the Syndicat Mixte du Salève. Every foothill village is linked to the summit by at least one marked trail.

Take the Salève cable car

Refurbished 2023

From Étrembières (432 m) to the summit plateau (1,097 m) in under 5 minutes. Upper station listed as a Historic Monument since 2018. Paid operation, five-yearly maintenance closures.

Climb the Pas de l'Échelle trail

Historic direct route from the lower cable car station to the summit, 5 km, about 2h10. Starts with 119 steps cut into the rock, follows the line of the old rack railway (1892–1935).

Rock climbing on the Grande Varappe

The birthplace of French rock climbing — the word "varappe" was coined here at the end of the 19th century. A 20 m school wall at the upper station for beginners.

Paragliding take-off

Launch site rebuilt 2023

Take-off area at the summit facing Lake Geneva and Mont-Blanc, accessible to people with reduced mobility. Tandem flights with French or Swiss foothill schools.

Mountain biking

Family MTB on the gentler trails of the Petit Salève and the Bornes plateau. Downhill for free-riders using the cable car up (with care; some sections are banned to MTBs by municipal order).

Sledging and snowshoeing at La Croisette

Winter season

In winter, the departmental road between the Grotte du Diable and La Croisette closes to traffic: cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, family sledging, tracks laid for over 30 years by a volunteer association from Archamps.

Visit the Maison du Salève

Documentation and exhibition centre in a former Pomier Carthusian farm (1733), at Présilly. Exhibitions, family workshops, starting point for marked hikes.

Practical info

Address (upper cable car station)
Route des Trois Lacs, 74560 Monnetier-Mornex
Coordinates (Grand Piton 1,379 m)
46.1185° N, 6.1833° E
Opening hours
Range free year-round
Price (range)
Free on foot or by car (roads open depending on season)
Price (cable car)
Paid. Seasonal fares at telepherique-du-saleve.com
Lower cable car car park
Paid, at Étrembières (A40, Annemasse exit)
Animals
Dogs allowed, on leash. Surcharge on the cable car.
Accessibility
Cable car and summit paragliding launch accessible since 2023. Range trails: variable, most not adapted.
Food at the summit
Vertiges restaurant (upper station), Restaurant de l'Observatoire (20 min walk)
Public toilets
Yes, at the upper cable car station and at La Croisette

How to get there

By car

The lower cable car station is at Étrembières (A40, Annemasse exit). By road, the summit is reachable from Collonges-sous-Salève (western side, via the route des Trois Lacs) or from La Muraz (eastern side, via the Col de la Croisette, 1,176 m, up to the Col des Pitons at 1,335 m). Geneva 20 min, Annecy 40 min, Chamonix 50 min.

By public transport

From Geneva: TPG bus line 8 to Veyrier-Douane, then a 10-min walk to the lower station. From Annemasse: TAC bus line 4, Téléphérique du Salève stop on weekends and public holidays, Veyrier Douane stop on weekdays.

By bike

Six road ascents, from the easiest (southern side from Cruseilles) to the most demanding (western side from Collonges-sous-Salève, 11.7 km at an average 7%, pitches up to 12.5%).

When to visit

The range is open year-round. Key periods:

  • April – June: dry-grassland bloom, cool beech woods.
  • July – August: high season, early starts advised to avoid cable car queues.
  • September – October: autumn light, blazing beech woods, moderate attendance.
  • December – March: Nordic area at La Croisette when snow falls, partial closure of the departmental road.

The Syndicat Mixte du Salève and the Maison du Salève run guided walks, themed outings (geology, fauna, astronomy) and major annual hiker gatherings. Calendar at syndicat-mixte-du-saleve.fr.

Where to eat, drink, stay nearby

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A restaurant on the Salève?
Based on the Salève or at the foot of the range and welcoming visitors? Appear here.
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A bakery, a local shop?
Based in Monnetier-Mornex, Étrembières, Collonges-sous-Salève or the Salève foothills? Appear here.
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Guesthouse, B&B, campsite, rental. Share your availability with visitors.
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Photos of Mont Salève

Geneva from the Salève - panoramio (4).jpg
📷 Björn S. · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
74560 Monnetier-Mornex, France - panoramio (5).jpg
📷 Björn S. · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
74560 Monnetier-Mornex, France - panoramio (6).jpg
📷 Björn S. · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
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Frequently asked questions

Is access to the Mont Salève paid?
No. Access to the Mont Salève is free and open year-round: on foot from the foothill villages, by car via the western or eastern side roads (season permitting). Only the cable car from Étrembières is paid.
How high is the Mont Salève?
The Mont Salève peaks at 1,379 m at the Grand Piton. The summit plateau served by the cable car is at 1,097 m, and the Col des Pitons, the highest road point, at 1,335 m.
How long does it take to walk up the Mont Salève?
From the lower cable car station at Étrembières, count about 2h10 to reach the summit plateau via the Pas de l'Échelle (5 km, about 650 m of elevation gain). The Mont Salève has 250 km of marked trails in total, with a starting point from every foothill village.
Can I bring my dog to the Mont Salève?
Yes. Dogs are allowed on the trails of the Mont Salève on a leash. A surcharge applies on the cable car.
Is the Mont Salève cable car open all year?
The Mont Salève cable car runs on seasonal hours (daily 9am–6.45pm from 1 April, late nights Thu/Fri/Sat). It closes for major maintenance every 5 years (next scheduled window: November 2025 to January 2026). Up-to-date hours at telepherique-du-saleve.com.
Can I paraglide from the Mont Salève?
Yes. The Mont Salève is one of Haute-Savoie's most iconic paragliding sites. The summit launch area was rebuilt in 2023 and made accessible to reduced-mobility users. Tandem flights with French or Swiss schools, from age 11.
Can I ski on the Mont Salève?
No alpine skiing on the Mont Salève. In winter, the departmental road between the Grotte du Diable and La Croisette closes to traffic and becomes a cross-country ski, snowshoe and sledge area, with tracks laid by a volunteer association from Archamps.
Is the Mont Salève a protected site?
Yes. The Mont Salève has been a Natura 2000 site since 2003 (17 natural habitats) and is covered by a landscape directive approved by decree on 27 February 2008, which limits new construction and prevents any expansion of existing quarries.
Why is the Mont Salève called the "Balcony of Geneva"?
The Mont Salève directly overlooks the Geneva metropolitan area (over 700,000 inhabitants) and offers a panorama over Lake Geneva, the Jura, the Prealps, Lake Annecy and Mont-Blanc. It has been the "mountain of the Genevans" since the 18th century, when naturalists such as Horace-Bénédict de Saussure launched the fashion for mountain walking here.
Sources

Cross-checked across multiple sources at publication date. Information may change — confirm with the official operator before a specific visit.

Published 23 avril 2026 · Last updated 23 avril 2026 · Report outdated info