Balcon des Mémises via Sur les Prés

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The Balcon des Mémises is a magnificent hike alternating between forest trails and walks along the ridges, with spectacular views of Lake Geneva, the Chablais and the Jura mountains throughout the return journey. This hike does not take the Passage de l'Échelle.

Details

n°282968
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.94 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 755 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 749 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,692 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,162 m
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Photos

Dent d'Oche
View of Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva
View from the Mémises chalets

Description of the walk

Access: From Évian-les-Bains, head towards Bernex. Then follow signs for Creusaz. Parking is available near a restaurant (large car park for hikers).

(S/E) From the Creusaz car park (Col de Creusaz), take the wide path heading south, diagonally towards the Chalets de la Rasse, L'Échelle and the Pic des Mémises. After the chalets, enter the forest. Continue along the main path, ignoring any side paths.

(1) Turn right, cross a stream and continue on the wide path towards Sur les Prés (do not take the Échelle path "height 12m"). After a left turn, the path narrows: continue on a pleasant route through the forest where you can admire beautiful landscapes.

(2) At the Chalet de Sur les Prés (1,517 m), which offers a beautiful view of the Dent d'Oche, continue towards the Col de Neuvaz (on the right). Ignore a path climbing up to the right and continue east.

(3) At the next intersection, turn left and climb the path marked for mountain bikes (keep the path to the col on your right). The climb is steep on a wide path along the forest to the Parchet chairlift. From here, you can see the rest of the hike: the two peaks of Les Mémises are clearly visible.

(4) Pass under the chairlift line and descend towards the Mémises chalets, crossing two chairlift lines.

(5) At the Chalets des Mémises, turn north and head towards the path (start of the path towards the arrival point of the Frasse chairlift) which climbs up to the ridge towards the Grand Pic des Mémises (1686m).

(6) From the summit (metal cross), continue along the ridge to the west, with magnificent views of the end of the lake and the Swiss Alps. Continue along the balcony to the arrival point of the Mémises gondola lift at 1,610m.

(7) Go around the arrival station on the left and then climb back up towards the Pic des Mémises. Follow the ridge to the summit (cross and antenna at 1674m).

(8) Continue along the ridge to the south-west and descend to the Col de Pertuis.

(9) Then turn right and begin a fairly steep descent with hairpin bends.

(10) At a fork in a bend, follow the left towards Creusaz. Descend steeply through the forest and return to the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,162 m - Car park near a restaurant after Creusaz
  2. 1 : km 1.87 - alt. 1,300 m - Intersection Échelle
  3. 2 : km 3.28 - alt. 1,517 m - On the Prés
  4. 3 : km 4.17 - alt. 1,516 m - Col de Neuvaz intersection
  5. 4 : km 5.03 - alt. 1,692 m - Parchet chairlift line - View of the - Lac Léman
  6. 5 : km 5.54 - alt. 1,633 m - Chalets des Mémises
  7. 6 : km 6.28 - alt. 1,683 m - Eastern summit of the - Montagne des Mémises
  8. 7 : km 7.1 - alt. 1,593 m - Arrival station - Télécabine des Mémises
  9. 8 : km 8.03 - alt. 1,673 m - Pic des Mémises
  10. 9 : km 9.51 - alt. 1,462 m - Col de Pertuis
  11. 10 : km 9.85 - alt. 1,366 m - Intersection
  12. S/E : km 10.94 - alt. 1,162 m - Car park near a restaurant after Creusaz

Notes

Water points at the cable car.

Worth a visit

Admire the view of Lake Geneva from the Mémises ridges.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 30 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
User 10599697

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 22, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike, with a rather picturesque climb and, once over the summit, a superb view of Lake Geneva all along the ridge. There was still hard snow in the morning on the slopes we crossed, so caution was required; without crampons, walking poles were essential at this time of year. The descent is more technical, with loose stones that can roll under your boots. This hike was a reconnaissance trip for a hiking club made up of retired members, and as guides, we found it essential to check the technical difficulty of the various terrains.

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User 3661972

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike for August with a good amount of forest. Magnificent views. Departure around noon for a picnic along the route - water break at the cable car and restaurant - arrival around 5:30/6 p.m.
Useful information from previous hikers (point 4). The final descent is a little difficult due to the stones but quickly forgotten. Worth doing again at another time of year. Can be done without walking sticks but may be useful for some.

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Randophil57
Randophil57

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful route offering numerous views of Lake Geneva.
Until we reached the Mémises chalet, we didn't meet anyone else in the forest, but from there on, there were a few more people, who had probably taken the cable car up.
On the way back, we took a detour via Mont César and enjoyed a fairly gentle descent along a path towards the Bois de la Corne, as indicated on another route.

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Caroly
Caroly

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Magnificent views of the mountains, including Mont Blanc, the ridges and the lake. The weather was beautiful and warm that day, and the break at the cable car was very pleasant. The descent following the Pic des Mémises is quite challenging... but facing the mountain is extraordinary.
For point 4, following the route on the map is the right direction.
I really enjoyed it

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Sandrine6493
Sandrine6493

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant hike. The view of the ridges is magnificent, despite the overcast weather at the summit. I would gladly do it again with a completely clear sky.
The terrain was very muddy on the way up, which made it difficult. And there was snow at the summit, even though it was May.
Additional information provided by other hikers at point 4 is essential for finding your way.

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cathycoco
cathycoco
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

snowshoeing with GPS tracking. Beautiful hike with magnificent views
the snow was there, and so was the sun

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Serge_34000
Serge_34000

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hiking trail. A route through woodland and magnificent mountain passes. Views of the Dent d'Oche at the start of the trail, then we finished at the Col de Mémises, with a bird's eye view of Lake Geneva.
We loved it.

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cassecouille
cassecouille

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 12, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with varied landscapes: through woods at the start, then magnificent views of the Alps and the lake.
I am rewriting a comment I already posted about a minor navigation issue: At (4), you need to continue straight ahead down a gravel path towards the two water tanks (do not go down to the left towards the cable car station, and do not go up to the right)

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Macchti
Macchti

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great views, beautiful flora.
The last descent can be difficult if the ground is wet.
There are a few more people on the plateau and ridges due to access via the cable car, but it's not overly crowded.

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Fluryjc
Fluryjc

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Completed by two senior hikers with walking sticks, knee pads and GPS tracking on their smartphones.
A very beautiful hike with wild scenery, despite cloudy weather.
No technical difficulties for a beautiful loop in the mountains.
Thank you for posting this beautiful route on the website

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Grilpain
Grilpain

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

To be done in both directions, breathtaking views, lush flora and fauna. The gradient can be quite steep in some parts of the route depending on the weather. The last descent is difficult, with a fairly steep path and lots of stones.

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M.P
M.P

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike. A must-do!
Thank you

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xaqtl
xaqtl

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 17, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Magnificent.
Many thanks to Nicole Guil and visorando, I had a wonderful time!!!
The panoramic views were superb, of course, but so was the flora
it's true that it's quite tough at the end, but the last part after the Pertuis pass has its charm.
You enter the forest and descend with the rocky peak above you and a view of the lake (I almost expected to see Indians
(western movie) to appear).
Perfect from start to finish.

As Grosmollets wrote:
"We didn't see the directions mentioned in the description: in fact, it's 'chalets Sur les prés' that is indicated). In the car park, on the opposite side of the restaurant, you have to go through a turnstile, then turn right.
At (4), continue straight ahead down a gravel path towards the two water tanks (do not go down to the left towards the cable car station - do not go up to the right)."

At point 5, the path is barely visible. Turn right immediately after the chairlift towards three electricity pylons.
At 7, after going around the arrival station, walk along the left side of the two chalets.

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Yannick64
Yannick64

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Magnificent hike with superb panoramic views
The elevation gain and loss make this hike more difficult than average, especially the last kilometre of switchbacks downhill
Be sure to follow the route as indicated and set off relatively early in summer
Arrival at the Mémises cable car: lots of people arrive by cable car and all the concrete work contrasts with the calm and beauty of the surrounding landscape

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Frank01
Frank01

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 31, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful walk to do in the direction indicated in the description.
The panoramic view of the lake is amazing!!!!!!

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Other walks in the area

Walking Ascent and tour of the Mémises via the ladder

Visorando Member
Ascension et tour des Mémises par l'échelle
↔11.20 km ↗+621 m ↘-620 m ◔5h 00 ▲Moderate
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A three-loop circuit: one around Mont César, and two on the ridges via the eastern summit of Les Mémises and then via Pic des Mémises (western summit). The length of the route can be adjusted depending on weather conditions, fitness level or the time at which you start the hike. Splendid panoramic views of Lake Geneva and beautiful views of the north faces of the Dent d'Oche and Pic de Borée.

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