The best hikes in the Evian Countryside, Abondance Valley

hiking abondance valley

Would you like to discover the Abondance Valley, its breathtaking alpine landscapes and its picturesque hiking trails through the green mountain pastures? Whether you are an experienced hiker or a family hiker, discover the typical landscapes of Haute-Savoie! Head for the best hikes in the Portes du Soleil. Our hotel Les Gentianettes, located in La Chapelle d'Abondance, in the heart of the Abondance Valley, in France, is a superb starting point for your hiking trip. Let's go and enjoy the view!

The GR5 passes in front of our hotel, it's the opportunity to discover part of the Traversée des Alpes

As we are talking about long-distance footpaths, the GR5 passes right in front of our chalet-hotel Les Gentianettes. Why not take advantage of our hotel to recharge your batteries. Massages in our SPA or a good night's sleep in one of our cocooning rooms are waiting for you to recharge your batteries before setting off to discover the mountain through its small hiking trails. For unmissable moments in the middle of nature.

Several hiking trails from La Chapelle d'Abondance: unforgettable natural landscapes

  • The Trébentaz circuit: in this difficult hike, discover the Mont de Grange reserve and take small forest paths to discover a splendid panorama of the Swiss Alps.

  • Les cornettes de Bise: from our hotel, continue along the Chevenne road, stopping at the car park at the end of the road. Follow the paths between France and Switzerland and keep your eyes open, you might see some ibex! Be careful, this hike is intended for experienced hikers.
  • Pointe d'Autigny and the three crosses: discover mountain landscapes with magical views: from Lake Geneva to Mont Blanc. Departure from the Le Sauvage car park in La Chapelle d'Abondance.
  • Fancy a little family walk? The Blanchet loop will satisfy all your desires. A hike which will please the youngest, invited to follow Sapicéa, a character imagined by the children of the school of La Chapelle d'Abondance.

  • Want to enjoy a waterfall this summer? Just a stone's throw from the hotel Les Gentianettes, coolness awaits you. Go to the place called "la Sauge" for the hiking trail "sur Bayard par la cascade". Take advantage of the breathtaking views of the Braitaz ski area, Châtel and the Pointe de Morclan. In winter, this hike can be done on snowshoes: a perfect winter walk to enjoy a typical cheese-based dish in our Savoyard restaurant La Baratte.

Head for Lake Arvouin, an unforgettable hike from La Chapelle d'Abondance

Come and discover the Lake of Arvouin, a small high-altitude lake nestled in the hollow of a glacial cirque and located in the protected site of the Cornettes de Bise. You will be amazed by the beauty of the surrounding landscapes: mountain pastures as far as the eye can see, a small valley and an extraordinary panorama of the Dents du Midi. This 30/40-minute hike is for beginners to hiking or for families wishing to discover the Evian Valley of Abondance with their children. Before departure, take advantage of our family rooms and prepare a picnic to admire the panorama during your lunch break. And to conclude this family day, why not enjoy a session in our SPA area after an escapade in the invigorating nature?

Five unforgettable hikes in the Evian Valley of Abondance

  • For beginners or a family outing: walk around the Plagnes lake, a 35-50 minute walk (1.8 kms) to enjoy the calm of the largest lake in the Abondance Valley.
  • For the more experienced walkers: leave from Abondance and discover Lake Tavaneuse, one of the most majestic lakes in the Chablais Park! A 3.5-hour hike with only 3.4 km… beware of the difference in altitude!
  • Tour du roc de Tavaneuse : 6 hours of sportive hike for experienced walkers who want to discover the lake in a more sportive way. During your walk, you will pass by the Col de Tavaneuse, the ideal place for splendid panoramas on the valley of Abondance.
  • The typical heritage of the Haute-Savoie is indeed the presence of wooden chalets. To soak up the Savoyard atmosphere, head for the Mont de Grange hunting reserve and the Chalets de Pertuis hike.
  • The Mont de Grange awaits you. Culminating at an altitude of over 2,432 metres, this hike is not for beginners. Put on your best crampons and head for the largest massif in the Chablais. At the top, you will enjoy a panoramic view of the entire Abondance Valley and the Mont Blanc Massif... what more could you ask for?

Some ideas for walks around Evian-les-Bains

Breathtaking views await you near Evian-les-Bains, a few kilometres from La Chapelle d'Abondance:

Discover other hikes near Evian-les-Bains

Some rules of good conduct before enjoying the mountains of Haute-Savoie

Before you leave, prepare your equipment with particular care. Good walking shoes, a walking stick to ensure your steps, not forgetting the right hiking bag. A bag that doesn't hurt your back and where you will have easy access to everything you need: water bottle, rain gear (because the weather in the mountains turns quickly), etc. Take the time to prepare your things well and refer, for example, to this checklist so as not to forget anything.

Our advice to ensure your safety during your hike in the Evian region

  • Tell someone you know that you are going to the mountains on one of the many trails in the Evian region.
  • Also plan your itinerary before setting off to discover the Evian region. How can you do this? With IGN maps, i.e. maps with which you know the relief, which is essential to know the difference in altitude and the difficulty of the hike.

  • A few tips: use offline GPS applications such as maps.me to always know your precise position even if you have no phone network. Or use free applications like Gpx Viewer, a tool that allows you to export your tracks to a navigation application like Open Street Map (open-source mapping). If you prefer physical maps, go to the Tourist Office in La Chapelle d'Abondance.

  • Before leaving for the sumptuous landscapes of the abondance valley, check the weather conditions and do not leave the marked trails.

A reminder of how the paths in the Abondance Valley are marked

Hundreds of picturesque hiking trails criss-cross the Abondance valley. Some of these paths date back hundreds of years. In order not to get lost, you will find three types of signposting in the Abondance valley:

  • Local signposting with wooden panels.

  • The departmental signposting of the Plan Départemental des Itinéraires de Promenade et de Randonnée (P.D.I.P.R). You will find it on beige metal panels with green.

  • The FFRP (Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre) signposting: a red and white mark for the Grandes Randonnées (GR) and a red and yellow mark for the Randonnées de Pays (RP)... These trails are intended for experienced hikers and take you through small picturesque villages to discover the Chablais Geopark, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Les Gentianettes: the perfect destination for all fans of the slopes

Hundreds of kilometers of trails await you in the Abondance Valley. And what better place to start than at our chalet-hotel Les Gentianettes, located in La Chapelle d'Abondance, to discover the natural, historical and cultural heritage of our beautiful valley of Abondance?

Would you like to organise a trek or a group hike and come to our chalet to rest, or to join us before leaving for the mountains, lakes, mountain pastures and other breathtaking landscapes of the Evian region, Abondance valley?

Please contact us!