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Access: from Geneva, take the A40 motorway, exit 15 (Vallée Verte); turn left onto the D903 then the D1206 towards Thonon; shortly before Machilly, turn right onto the D903, pass through Bons-en-Chablais, Brenthonne, Lully, Draillant and Allinges and join the D1005; avoid Thonon-les-Bains centre and as soon as you see the sign for "Bernex", turn right (D21, D352, D32, D152) and continue towards Bernex. At the entrance to the village, turn left towards "Le Creusaz" and drive up to the hamlet, which you will pass through; there is a car park at the end of the cul-de-sac.
Route:
(S/E) From the car park, take the track that climbs gently to the right, signposted "Col de Pertuis" (nice view of Bernex), and crosses an alpine pasture before continuing into the forest; there are some beautiful views of Mont César on your left. The forest becomes magnificent, dotted here and there with erratic boulders covered with superb emerald green moss. At the signpost marked "Bois de la Rasse", continue straight ahead towards "Echelle". The path curves to the left and becomes steeper; you will begin to see the Dent d'Oche.
(1) At the "Sous l'Echelle" signpost, at an altitude of 1320m, take the path on the left (orange markings on a rock a little higher up). Here, the path really starts to climb over rocks and roots, through denser forest, along the bed of a stream (almost dry when we passed through); When you reach the foot of the walls, follow the path that continues to the left. You will walk along a cliff before climbing up a scree slope and continuing to the right in a small corridor that is half earthy and half grassy. Once on the ridge, find a small path that you follow to the right to join the stony path that leads to the Col de Pertuis.
(2) Turn left towards "Pic des Mémises". The route continues along the summit of Montagne des Mémises; follow the well-marked path to Pic des Mémises, at an altitude of 1,674 metres. Although not very high, Montagne des Mémises offers a sublime view (panoramic, of course). To name but a few: Lake Geneva (Léman basin), the Jura mountains, Mont Billiat, Mont Ouzon, Roc d'Enfer, Dent d'Oche (spectacular viewpoint), Cornettes de Bise, the French-Swiss Alps...
(4) Retrace your steps back to the Col de Pertuis; continue straight ahead (signposted "Echelle") across the barbed wire; the path winds down (beautiful view of the west of Chablais) to the Echelle passage. The descent is not difficult, but caution is advised as the ladder is 12 metres high. After the ladder, the path winds its way between huge rocks before skirting a rock face to reach the place known as Sous l'Echelle.
(1) Follow the same route you took on the way up in reverse to the Creusaz car park (S/E).
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