The Mémises "without effort"

Departure from the upper station of the Mémises cable car. Access to the Thollon-les-Mémises station via the D24 from Evian-les-Bains, Maxilly or Lugrin. Pass the main town of Thollon and, at the station, there is a large car park on the left-hand side of the road. The lower station can be reached on foot via a small road that branches off to the right after passing the car park.

(S/E) At the cable car arrival area (east side of the station), take the track that heads eastwards and climbs steeply (ignore the track that heads downhill to the left and the one that heads slightly to the right on flat ground). Pass a paragliding launch area.

(1) At the fork, located at the foot of a relay antenna, take the path on the left that climbs towards the Chalets des Mémises along the ridges (ignore the flat track opposite). After a steep climb, you will reach a second paragliding launch site (^GR® marker post, red and white). Continue along the slightly ascending ridge, soon following a barbed wire fence on your right. You will reach the eastern summit of Les Mémises, marked by a metal cross.

(2) Continue eastwards along the descending ridge through the undergrowth. When you emerge from the undergrowth, follow another fence on your right and head towards the Frasse chairlift arrival point, which you will see on your right. Go around the electricity pylons on the right and, shortly afterwards, at a signpost, leave the^GR® trail opposite and turn right to cross the fence using a wooden plank as a ladder. Through a clear passage between the grass (not shown on the 1:25,000 map), reach a water reservoir.

(3) Ignore the signpost that invites you to turn right, but go around the small lake on the left, leaving the Frasse chairlift arrival point on your left. Pass a second artificial lake, still on your right, then turn right onto a path not shown on the 1:25,000 map (but visible when zooming in), leaving the Chalets des Mémises higher up on your left, and reach the start of the drystone shelter ski lift (do not go past the chalets as suggested by the purple line on the IGN map).

(4) Leave the hut on your right and take the start of a steep, stony track. After a few dozen metres, leave the track as it veers off to the left and turn onto a grassy track that slopes gently downwards. Walk westwards through a landscape where, unfortunately, the ski lifts of the Thollon resort are impossible to ignore... After passing a ski lift hut on your left and the Choucas ski lift arrival point on your right, continue north-west with the cable car arrival station directly opposite and schuss down to the Grand Mottay ski lift departure point (sign). At the crossroads that follows the contour of this departure point on the right, do not take the steep track that leads to the cable car arrival station (not visible on the 1:25,000 map but visible when zooming in) and take a west-southwest path on the left that passes to the left of a chairlift departure point.

(5) After the Tétras ski lift departure point (the last one in this direction), continue straight ahead towards a copse and reach a fence. There is no ladder or opening mechanism (as of July 2015), so you will need to climb over the fence where it is very low, a few metres to the right. At the fork immediately following, take the path on the right, going uphill. Do the same at the next fork and continue climbing gently through the mountain pastures, heading due west. The path makes a hairpin bend to the right and heads north-east: climb gently, the mountain pastures giving way to a canopy of spruce trees. Cross a fence (opening mechanism on the left, don't forget to close it) and reach the cable car arrival station on its west side.

(6) Turn left at the hairpin bend and take the path furthest to the right, towards Pic des Mémises. Pass a covered ski lift and then two small chalets and climb gently up to the ridge. Shortly before the summit, the slope becomes steeper and the path becomes stony. Reach the summit of Pic des Mémises (antenna, monumental cross).

(7) Retrace your steps back to the cable car arrival station on the west side.

(6) Cross the terrace of a restaurant to return to the cable car station on its east side (S/E).

Opening days and times of the Mémises cable car:
- July and August: every day, from 9.30am to 5.30pm.
- May: every weekend and on public holidays.
- June and September: every weekend and every Wednesday.
For updates or more details, see the Mémises cable car website.

The route is between 1,500 and 1,700 metres above sea level. The weather can be changeable: bring sun protection, warm clothing and a waterproof jacket. Hiking boots or good sports shoes are required.

Bring plenty of water. There are many places to stop for a break or a picnic. Refreshments and food are available at the cable car arrival station.

A detailed map is required (at least the one accompanying this description).

Recommendation:
The paths along the ridges are exposed and require caution, especially with young children.

Walking down to the lower cable car station:
If the weather is good and walkers are fit, it is possible to walk to the lower cable car station. To do so, in the arrival area (S/E), on the east side of the upper station, take the stony track that descends to the north, to the left of the one you took on the way up. The track descends in steep hairpin bends and roughly follows the cable car line, passing under it several times. In the first hairpin bends, this track is lined with protective nets that are only there for skiers in winter. Reach the cable car departure station, which you go around on the left.
N.B. This alternative route is not recommended for the ascent: the track is stony and steep, requiring considerable effort even on the descent, and the word "effortless" in the title would lose all meaning on the ascent. To climb Les Mémises entirely on foot, i.e. without using the cable car, take the "Ascension et tour des Mémises par l'échelle" route, which starts from Bernex.

The author has completed this hike five times, with various variations, the first on 25 July 2012 and the last on 31 July 2023.

- The ridge trails between (S) and between (6) and (7) are very pleasant and offer beautiful views of Lake Geneva.
- From the eastern summit of Les Mémises (2), there are views to the north over Lake Geneva, to the east over the Vaud Alps (Tours d'Aï and Mayen) and to the south over Pic de Borée and Dent d'Oche.
- From the Pic des Mémises (western summit) (7), there is a sweeping panorama of Lake Geneva to the north and west.
- The route between points (5) and (6), along a cross-country ski trail, between mountain pastures and spruce trees, is very pleasant. Only the route between points and (5), in the heart of the ski resort, is a little out of place...