Tag Archives: walking

France: From Vesegnin to Pregnin – along Le Lion (river)

Features: River – Views – Birds- Threes – Animals

Overview: Accessible for all

Time: around 1,5 – 2hours          Km: 8,2

Description:  I started this walk from the small car park in the centre of Vesegnin, next to the Domaine de la Boissière. You can find the exact starting point on the map further down if you don’t know the area. Further away, next to the elementary school of Grand Chènes, there’s a bigger car park and also a play area for those kids who still have some energy left to burn after the walk.

Starting from the Vesegnin car park, you walk along Route de Vesegnin through the small hamlet of buildings. After about 500 meters, take left onto Promenade de la Manchette.

Continue straight on. After another 500 meters, take left and follow the promenade de la Manchette. Keep walking straight on, after yet another 500 meters you again keep to the left and walk through a small barrier and continue straight on. 

Now, walk until you see a bridge on your left side. Cross the bridge and you will see a small pathway that takes you along the river Le lion. In the springtime when there is plenty of water you may come across one or two people fishing.

If you are the proud owner of a fishing rod and would like to try catching a nice trout or two, don’t forget to buy the fishing licence before you start fishing. You can get this at the tourist information. Fun fact: women pay less for these licences in France, as a way to promote fishing as a less gender-specific activity!

Walking along Le Lion is peaceful, and you won’t meet a lot of people. In the springtime, you will be sure to smell the wild garlic that grows here in large quantities.

If you pay attention to the river you will also see the point where the rivers Le Lion and Le Grand Journans meet.

Where the pathway joins the road, continue to the right, and soon you will be walking past a small farm with chickens, horses and cows.

Continue along this road until you reach a roundabout. Here, keep right and walk on the Vie Detraz through another roundabout. When you reach the third roundabout, take right and you’ll soon be on the carriage road again.

When you are back at the bridge where you found the pathway, you now take left and continue back to Vesegnin.

Happy walking!

France: Promenade des Berges du Journans – from Gex to Cessy

Features: River – Views – Birds- Threes – Playground- Skate park

Overview: Accessible for all

Time: around 1-hour      Km: 3,9

Description:  Start from the centre in Gex and walk down Avenue Francis Blanchard until you see the the entrance to the park Promenade des Berges du Journans. 

You will enter by walking own a flight of stairs where you have can look at the backside of the houses that used to be on the main street. The waterfall, the river, the threes and birdsong will give you the feeling of being out in the forest even if you are surrounded by houses and apartments. Choose you path and follow the river down towards Cessy.  You will find several benches and there are many picnic  tables available.

When you have crossed Chemin de la Poudriere you will find a nice and new playground and also one of the best skateparks in the area. Here you will also find the restaurant Mamma Mia that serves Italian food as well as ice-creams and refreshments.

In this part of the park you can also find a fitness trail.

The park ends when you come to Route the Mury and you have to turn around and walk back with the beautiful view on the Jura mountains ahead of you.

If you visit in the spring the you will be sure to smell the wild garlic!

Gex is the administrative center in the Pays the Gex and offers a variety of shops and restaurants and coffee places. If you have time, I recommend a walk around the streets in the town center.

Happy walking!

France: Pleasant walk from Sergy to Chevry!

Features: River – Views – Birds

Overview: Short and easy and excellent for smaller children.

Description: Start from place du Tilleul in Sergy. Walk along Chemin des Borrax until you come to a carriage road. Follow this carriage road along the river and you will pas a cabane called Le Renadiere.

Cross the river and you will soon be on Sentier des Boraz follow this path until you come to rue the Moraines.  Go left and walk along rue de Moraines for a few meters until you come to chemain des Hautins. 

Follow chemin des Hautins until you are back and on the sentier des Boraz and continue the same way back to you starting point.

Happy walking!