The Crêt de la Neige peaks at 1720 m. It lies between the communes of Lélex and Thoiry, overlooking the Pays de Gex and Lake Geneva on one side and the Valserine valley and the entire Jura massif on the other.
It lies in the Haute Chaîne du Jura national nature reserve, and from up there you can enjoy breathtaking views of the Alps and Mont Blanc.
Shaped by canyons and crevasses, it is a real treasure trove for the ecosystem.
And no, it’s not just a pile of rocks:
The Crêt de la Neige is an entirely undisturbed area with an incredible variety of flora and fauna. Grouse play hide-and-seek with lynx and other predators… while the chamois go climbing! It has to be said that they are spoilt for choice with all these cavities created by erosion and time. The massive numbers of wind-sculpted hooked pines add a unique atmosphere to the massif.
If you’re lucky enough to come in summer, you’ll be able to see a multitude of flowers, each more colourful than the last, such as the bright yellow Trolle d’Europe and the famous and emblematic gentian.
How do I get to Crêt de la neige?
The Crêt de la Neige is one of the stages of the famous GR 9©Balcon du Léman, and can be reached by everyone, in several different ways. You can reach it in both summer and winter (on snowshoes).
From the village of Lélex: 850 m ascent and 6.5 kilometres walk for the more athletic. For the rest, the cable car option, with the Catheline or Fierney cable cars (from Crozet), can simplify life by about 500 m of ascent.
There is also a multi-day option, where you cross the whole of the Haute Chaîne du Jura and its highest points.
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