From Geneva, the capital of Switzerland, the world is at your feet. The city itself is actually nestled between the French Alps. This leaves you with a multitude of possibilities, quite apart from those in Switzerland itself. Owner Sander spent a few days in this luxurious city and went out and about. Here are some great tips, not just for a scenic route. Cycling hotspot Geneva does not disappoint. Cycling in Geneva offers many options. Today, at least, we take you to Salève.
Basecamp
Actually, Geneva as a basecamp is not the most ideal place. Most hotels are in the middle of the city and it is crowded and chaotic there. I stay in the CitizenM, which is a fine hotel chain and there I could also park the bike in the room. But rinsing off was not quite in the cards. If you want a good place to stay, you should look on the outskirts of the city, as you can easily get out of the city towards the nicer, quieter hills. Choose an overnight spot near the embassies, the UN and the International Red Cross. From there, you'll get out of the city very quickly and drive on beautiful, back roads....
House Mountain Salève - Croisettes
From the city centre you can see two mountain ridges. To the north you can see the Jura, while the south offers views of the Alps. If there is a mountain that is also called Geneva's 'house mountain', it is Salève and the climb to Les Croisettes. It is the closest hill, you can climb it from four sides and each side has its own challenges. Want to go up painfully? Then do the Col de la Croisettes straight from the city. If you cross the French border, it goes up steeply almost immediately.
If you want a slightly less challenging climb, grab the eastern variant, to the Telepherique of Salève. We have described the western variant before and the southern variant rivals Les Croisettes and offers beautiful views of the Alps and, in the distance, Mont Blanc. Cycling in Geneva is thus certainly not a punishment.
Col de la Croisette
Quite cheerful, I grab the bike at the hotel. After a few days of work for Princeton Carbon and also for this site, I have two days to explore the area. Lovely. It is early March and the weather is fantastic. Bright blue sky, sunny and a fresh breeze. Ideal conditions to take the bike. I have mapped out a route via Komoot, which should lead me out of the city pretty directly. Because since I am in the middle of the city, you want to get out of the hustle and bustle as quickly as possible. Geneva really is a metropolis. Slaloming along the tram rails and occasionally using the adhoc cycle paths, I ride towards the south of the city.
Quickly calmer
After a few kilometres, I notice the buildings change and I enter a village-like setting. Before I know it, I am riding through a meadow and out of the city. It is immediately a lot quieter on the road. A roadside sign says: France, that way. Because my goal is the summit of Les Croisettes, the go-to climb of all Genevois. The mountain is in France, in the department of Haute Savoie. This department has a wonderful collection of climbs, many of which have also passed by in the Tour de France more than once. Also in 2022 and 2023, a Tour stage will finish just over the border with Valais, on the eastern side of the department.
Across the border
Having crossed the border, I drive through a village and there it starts going up immediately. At first, it is all gradual. I try to get into a rhythm as the hardest kilometres follow. What is also striking: in the afternoon, this part of the mountain, the north-west side, is completely in the sun. Despite the temperature of just 8 degrees, it is sweating. I have my jacket open and think to myself: why don't I ride in shorts? Bizarre. After about two kilometres of climbing, I reach a sign that says: le Saleve, turn left. I turn with the curve and then, after a few hundred metres, the first hairpin looms up. As I look down into the valley, I can see the city of Geneva and Lac Leman (Lake Geneva). Gorgeous that view. But I am less able to enjoy it, because man, man, man, this is no cat's pee. The climb from Les Croisettes is 10.6 per cent average!
Break
As I am also preparing this piece today, I am taking a photo break. I find that I might need one too. With only a few hundred kilometres left in my legs and little to no serious altimeters, this is a challenge of I told you so. I quickly forget about the steep road, because the pictures I can shoot are more than worth it.
When I jump back on the bike, hairpin bends follow one another at a faster pace. Hairpin bends almost always mean: steep! That's right. I make another stop for photos and meanwhile a lady comes shooting up with light strides. I am jealous, but also looking for a fellow cyclist to feature in my pictures. No matter how hard I pedal, I don't get any closer. Ai.
All the way up
The road winds even further uphill and slowly turns with the sun. The ascent doesn't lessen and I make another photo stop. The switchback I stop at is too beautiful not to take a picture of. Meanwhile, a few quads and a lost car tear uphill. With 1.5 kilometres to go, it levels off a bit and I see the one I wanted to overtake coming back as well. So it's not far now.
The top
The forest you cycle through now offers little shelter and slowly it opens up. Further on, I see a few patches of snow and ice and also the sign with 'Les Croisettes 1125m' on it. The summit is in sight and at the top I am kindly welcomed by two men from Rochat. I shook hands with that one in the morning. We chat a bit and they tell about the wonderful challenge a cyclist is working on. 31 (!) Times up and down the Croisettes. Respect. He will definitely need the cans of energy drinks waiting on a little table. After a photo and some local tips, I ride a little further up towards the top of the Telepherique Salève. There the view of the alps behind is at its best. I have my picture taken by a couple of smiling ladies and then start the descent
Cold
At the top of the mountain it is already a bit cooler, but still I don't expect to need my gloves. That expectation can be jettisoned after 2 minutes, because descending in the shade is freezing cold. The road surface of the Route des 3 Lacs is affected by the freezing cold on the descent and there are a number of bends where you have to pay close attention. It is also not the steepest descent, so in summer you can enjoy practising your descent skills here. The only downside is that some spots are less surveyable and this side of the mountain is popular with motorbikes. They sometimes forget there are others in the world.
Crowds of people
Arriving at the bottom of the village, I have two choices. Turn right towards La Muraz to go up the other side of the mountain from there. I'm feeling the climbing kilometres, so I opt for the left turn, back towards Geneva. The first stretch after the village enters something of a traffic jam. The motorway exit, the provincial road and I don't know what else all come together. On a Friday afternoon, that's not a good idea. I manoeuvre between the stalled traffic. On to the Voie Verte I had scheduled in Komoot. Because that's kind of relaxing. That's a sort of hugely wide, green cycle lane that goes in a straight line to Geneva.
Voie Vert
The green lane is well paved and the width also helps a lot for cycling enjoyment. The only downside is that you have to brake every 1.5-2 kilometres for a motorway crossing the cycle lane. Sometimes you have the right of way, usually not. Another thing to notice: on the way out, I pass a hard border between France and Switzerland, with flags, guard booths, the whole shabang. This time I don't see that border and before I know it I'm riding along the Route de Chêne in the heart of the Swiss capital.
This route is really ideal for an afterwork ride, or just a nice Friday afternoon. The house mountain can be climbed in four ways, so should you have a bit more time, you can take in two variants and if you only have a short time, ride Croisettes up and straight back down.
Route
Tips on mechanics, bike hire and hotspots.
Cycling hotspot Geneva has no shortage of good bike shops. Two I want to highlight. The rental bike I have from Bcyclet is a top-notch thing. The Scott Addict is in very good condition, it rides well and the service of this shop is at a high level. It is a little bit outside the city centre, but from there you can go straight into nature. Basile, the owner is a real cycling enthusiast and he also organises the Inferno Race, from Annecy to Menton. A cool challenge.
Another option is to fix your cart at Rochat Cycles. Sylvain, the owner, has a beautiful boutique in the south-east of the city and in the centre a nice shop with basically only clothes. His mechanics are professionals and the shop really breathes cycling.
For good cycling coffee, go to Velosophe, also known for cycling beer. Want to join a ride? Then take a look at these options.
While in Geneva, you can also make the trip to Nyon. Wave to our UEFA football friends and then make the almost obligatory stop at Tete de Course in Nyon.
