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Les bords de l'Arve - De Gaillard à Arthaz en VTT

Mountain biking in Gaillard

14.5 km

Mountain biking

45min

Easy

This walk along the Arve offers both walkers and mountain bikers a moment of relaxation and discovery of local fauna and flora as well as magnificent viewpoints of the massif des Bornes, the Haut-Giffre or even Mont-Blanc.

During this walk you'll come across beavers, little grebes, reed buntings and other rare birds that come to nest in these woods. With the lakes and islands on the other side of the river, you can discover a nature reserve that has been designated a biotope. Further... Read more
This walk along the Arve offers both walkers and mountain bikers a moment of relaxation and discovery of local fauna and flora as well as magnificent viewpoints of the massif des Bornes, the Haut-Giffre or even Mont-Blanc.

During this walk you'll come across beavers, little grebes, reed buntings and other rare birds that come to nest in these woods. With the lakes and islands on the other side of the river, you can discover a nature reserve that has been designated a biotope. Further along, after passing the bridge at Étrembières and then going past the attractive "Jardin des Iris" and the Grand Casino, you'll take the wooded path to Creuse and then cross the footbridge over the Menoge which links the municipalities of Bétraz-Monthoux and Arthaz. A few minutes later you'll enjoy a lovely view of the river.

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Departure

Gaillard
Difference in height

174.668 m
Plain text period

All year round.
Documentation
- GPX Trace
GPX / KML files allow you to export the trail of your hike to your GPS (or other navigation tool)

Accepted customers
- Individuals

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Points of interest

1 Bois de Vernaz

2 Île aux Castors

3 L'Arvi

4 La Yourte Restaurant

5 Mercure Annemasse Porte de Genève

1 Bois de Vernaz

‘Le Bois de Vernaz’ on the banks of the river Arve is a natural, wooded location offering walkers and mountain bikers a place in which to spend some time relaxing and discovering the local fauna and flora. ‘Le Bois de Vernaz’ is a natural area of interest for ecology, flora and fauna. It has been subject to important forest management in order to ensure its sustainability. The wood has been given an educational role with the creation of a hiking trail and the erection of several information panels.

2 Île aux Castors

Testifying to the Arve's ancient braided appearance, the torrent has a branch at Bois de la Châtelaine in Gaillard. An island sits proudly in a meander of the Arve. It's called "Beaver Island" because it's home to a family of beavers, an astonishing rodent. Beavers use the riverbanks to dig their lodge, the entrance to which is underwater.
The island is largely wooded, with many typical riparian trees such as willows, poplars and alders, which the beaver cuts into pencil shapes to eat the bark of young branches.
The woodland is also home to a multitude of birds that come to find food and shelter on the island (jays, great spotted woodpeckers, nuthatches...). The pebble banks with their fine sand are a godsend for riverside birds.
These include dippers and wagtails, which lay their eggs between the pebbles.

3 L'Arvi

Come to the Arvi restaurant and enjoy traditional dishes that are no longer found elsewhere, and are one of the reasons this place has such a good reputation! You will also discover in the "salad bowls", named after a time when you only had to cross the street, a selection of new but ever so tasty creations inspired by the regions of France and further afield! As one of the restaurant's faithful customers recalled: At the Arvi, it is true when you go there you're delighted, and when you leave ... you want to go back again!!

4 La Yourte Restaurant

Every day, our team cooks delicious home-cooked meals, mixing the "must-have" dishes that always please (burgers, tartars...) with traditional French recipes and regional specialties they know the secret of. Our aim is to offer a seasonal cuisine which is both traditional and modern. We favour local producers who are passionate about their produces. Wines are selected using the prestigious Bettane + Desseauve wine guide and the members of the Mercure Wine Club. We also offer regional wines.
To make it easier to taste them, we offer several different glass sizes.
It couldn’t be more simple, just choose your wine and the quantity you would like!

5 Mercure Annemasse Porte de Genève

Ideally located for your business or leisure stays, close to Geneva, its airport and exhibition center, as well as ski resorts, all in a green setting, welcome to the Mercure Annemasse Porte de Genève hotel. 79 air-conditioned rooms, including 11 Comfort rooms and 10 Privilege rooms, fully renovated. Come and experience our new "Privilege" rooms: bed with mattress overlay, memory foam pillows, dressing gown, slippers, Nespresso coffee machine, iHome docking station, mini bar with free soft drinks. The Restaurant La Yourte, with its terrace beside the pool, is open 7 days a week and serves traditional cuisine and also regional dishes. To make your arrival easier, our large, enclosed private car park is available for your use free of charge.
An ideal place to stop off on your way to the ski resorts! 5 meeting rooms can be used for your presentations, seminars and cocktails, and also for your private functions (weddings, birthday and anniversaries etc).