La Croix des Bornes

Easy hike on the rural plateau of Les Bornes, with open views of the Salève, Aravis and Chablais mountains.
Directional signs and a few markers.

Details

522986
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.62 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 192 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 192 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 954 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 766 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the centre of the village, in the church car park.

(S/E) Almost opposite, cross the main road and start going downhill towards the river, cross it, then climb up a steep slope under a power line. Pass near some farm buildings and you will reach the D3.

(1) Follow the road to the left for 250 m, take the path on the right (signpost) and follow it for 350 m to reach a crossroads.

(2) Keep left and continue for about 900 m, ignoring various paths on either side, until you reach a larger intersection (shortcut possible: see practical information).

(3) Leave the path to the pond on your right and continue to the Gouette intersection. Then turn sharply right and follow the path to the Croix des Bornes, the highest point with a panoramic view.

(4) Stay on the path to reach a crossroads with a reservoir, which is the end of the shortcut.

(5) Continue along the path and road to reach the hamlet of La Reculaz (La Recule on the map), make a sharp turn, almost 180°, follow the road and then the path, soon turning right. Stay on this path until you reach Les Mottières.

(6) Leave the path on your left and follow the trail along the edge of a large meadow. Turn right and rejoin a stony path, follow it until you reach the Route des Bornes. Take this road on your left for about 70 metres and turn right at the intersection.

(7) Go down the road, then take a stony, wet path to reach a crossroads near the cheese dairy and cross the D3. Continue gently downhill to the Treille crossroads.

(8) Turn right, stay on this road for 200 m and turn left.

(9) Go through the chicane and take the footpath (tarmac), after a hairpin bend go slightly uphill to reach the main road, follow it downhill to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 802 m - Church car park
  2. 1 : km 0.99 - alt. 827 m - Junction with the D3
  3. 2 : km 1.63 - alt. 883 m - Intersection with rural road
  4. 3 : km 2.66 - alt. 945 m - Intersection of the pond
  5. 4 : km 3.98 - alt. 951 m - Croix des Bornes
  6. 5 : km 4.66 - alt. 938 m - Reservoir crossroads.
  7. 6 : km 5.81 - alt. 936 m - Les Mottières
  8. 7 : km 6.85 - alt. 907 m - Turn right at the intersection
  9. 8 : km 7.72 - alt. 808 m - Carrefour de la Treille
  10. 9 : km 7.88 - alt. 802 m - Chicane
  11. S/E : km 8.62 - alt. 802 m - Church car park

Notes

There is a shortcut between (3) and (5) passing near a nature area (pond).

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 25 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
sobel
sobel

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with beautiful views.

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User 21497386

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful hike

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Brigittebonneville
Brigittebonneville

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

a lovely walk, easy for families or people who are not very experienced walkers.

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enaivlys21
enaivlys21
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant, peaceful route with wide paths, a few quiet stretches of road and a great farm shop called Bornette, with a grocery store, 20 minutes from the start (check the opening hours).

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ed74kz
ed74kz

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Perfect for families, no difficulties, but I would still recommend good shoes and a cap for the sunny parts 😎
The exercise took 2 hours and 50 minutes, not including snacks.
A pleasant hike with beautiful scenery.

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lesmontagnards
lesmontagnards

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, mostly in the shade, which is important during a heatwave. Definitely worth doing again.

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Navy23
Navy23

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy walk offering beautiful scenery. The route is very clear.

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Roger Lambersens
Roger Lambersens

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I actually did the route twice, on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th January. On Saturday, I did a recce to prepare for taking a group there the following day. I thought it would be useful to do this to see whether we needed to take snowshoes.
On Saturday, under a bright sun and with the trees bending under the weight of the snow, I followed Visorando's suggestions without any difficulty. Everything was as described. On Sunday, with a group of 20 people under cloudy skies, everyone was delighted with the hike.
:whistle. :whistle.

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NanoudeBalma
NanoudeBalma

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 21, 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 walk, with a little mud at the start going down towards the stream, but not too much. I was pleasantly surprised by the setting, which was quite wild despite the proximity of villages and houses. There are a few small, easy climbs that can be done without rushing. Pretty flowers herald the arrival of spring. Plan to do some shopping at the Bornes farm if it's open, as they have really good local products. This short tour took us 3 hours.

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Crapet
Crapet

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A pleasant hike, but very windy, making it impossible to stop for a snack at the cross. We went back down to the pond to do so, which was an added bonus of this pleasant spot.

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Kathel74
Kathel74

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : May 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant, enjoyable and easy walk.

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jocelyne DESGRIPPES
jocelyne DESGRIPPES

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice walk, always pleasant views of the mountains. Follow the directions carefully

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Jp9374
Jp9374

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 11, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant short hike, easy and not very busy at this time of year. Picnic at the foot of the cross with a beautiful view in good weather.

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Nouseron
Nouseron

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 18, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The farm shop has opening hours.
You can do the tour in the opposite direction (which may be better, actually, for the views).

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seminois
seminois
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 11, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

a very beautiful short hike with stunning scenery. Very little tarmac, a peaceful hike in the countryside with lovely views of the surrounding mountains. An easy route that takes 2 hours and 45 minutes, not including a picnic break. Well signposted.
i recommend doing this with children. We went to the pond.

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