Family Published on 29/12/2023
The Pays de Gex is jam-packed with paths and greenways. Join us to (re)visit them with family or friends on an e-bike or regular bike.
10am Sunday morning. Let’s leave the town that Voltaire made his home over 250 years ago. We’ll stop by the château that the famous philosopher lived in for almost 20 years. Here’s a handy hint: you can leave your bike on the racks to the left of the entrance gate. My 10 year old son is delighted to return to this must-visit! Plus the view of Mont Blanc from the terrace is incredible when the sun’s out.
Les Tattes greenway
It’s time to hop back on your bike and ride through Moëns hamlet to pick up Les Tattes greenway Once you’re past the Galopain farm, the greenway covers 3km of safe sharing space that you can ride in either direction. After that, you can keep riding towards the future Ferney-Gex greenway via Maconnex then the Ornex business park. Just be careful when you cross the D1005 road to get back to Ferney-Voltaire. Stop at Brasserie Gessienne then the picnic area or little free library before visiting one of the Passport to the Big Bang platforms, a 54km route based on CERN experiments (preferably on a hybrid bike). The greenway also plays host to a countryside cross-border exhibition called “Art in the Countryside” in summer.
If you have energy to spare, head for Divonne-les-Bains through Collex in Switzerland. Actually, make sure you’ve packed your passport as well as your water bottle!
Gex-Grilly-Divonne bike path
There are still more bike paths to come! Here’s another suggestion starting in Gex. The Gex-Grilly-Divonne greenway is built on a former railway track and is a joy to ride with peace of mind. The surfaces and widths vary along this country bike ride in the shade taking you to the spa town. If you fancy some cheese, stop at Fromagerie Michelin once you reach Grilly (there’s a little lane leading to it that you can’t miss). The path takes you to the lake: Lac de Divonne. If you’re feeling sporty then tackle the Tour du Léman (ride around Lake Geneva) on the Ain loop.
Several towns including Ferney-Voltaire, Prévessin-Moëns, Thoiry, Saint-Genis-Pouilly and Péron have built (and are still building) bike paths along their roads so it’s easy to ride safely and reach other gravel tracks.
Two nearby must-do routes
Did you know that the Pays de Gex is famous for cycling? There are two major routes through or near our region. They’re called the Viarhôna, that runs just 6km from the Gex area, and the Grande Traversée du Jura (GTJ) à Vélo, that takes cyclists through La Valserine Valley. This has enabled the Tourist Board to approve sites and businesses as “Accueil Vélo”, a national brand that recognises bike-friendly services.
Plus…
Keen cyclists can ride the dozen km between Gex and the legendary Col de la Faucille, a regular feature on the Tour de France with its famous markers. The Pays de Gex also plays host to a stage of the Tour de l’Ain bike race!
