Pic de Borée from Thollon

de fr

A summit offering superb panoramic views of both Lake Geneva and the Chablais massif. This route via the north face is shorter than the one via the south face and runs through the Thollon-les-Mémises ski resort.

Details

n°336018
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.91 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 380 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 373 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,963 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,593 m
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Photos

Exit from the couloir
Panorama from the summit
Panorama (East)
Panorama from the summit (north)

Description of the walk

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 departure 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 due east, climbing towards a windsock (ignore the track that descends to the left and the one that heads slightly to the right on flat ground). Immediately pass a first paragliding launch area and, at the fork, follow the track that heads straight ahead (ignore the path that climbs left along the ridges). After about 1km on a slight incline, go around a reservoir on the left.

(1) Leave the Frasse chairlift arrival point on your left, turn right (southeast) and pass a second reservoir on your right. Then turn right onto a path that is not shown on the 1:25,000 map (but is visible when zooming in), leaving the Chalets des Mémises higher up on the left. You will reach the start of the Borée ski lift.

(2) Leave the hut on your right and take a steep, stony track. After a few dozen metres, ignore the grassy path on the right and continue on the track that climbs diagonally and crosses the Phébus ski lift line.

(3) At the Parchet chairlift line, turn left at a right angle and cross the Phébus ski lift again. Then turn right (south-east) and climb up a grassy slope (the "Les Myrtilles" ski slope in winter), keeping the Borée ski lift at a distance on your left. This will take you to the top of the Parchet chairlift.

(4) Go around the top of the chairlift on the left (the purple line on the IGN map is inaccurate here) and follow a well-marked path that leads to the foot of a couloir in the middle of the Borée "cliffs". Climb this rocky couloir, using a permanent rope if necessary. At the end of the couloir, follow the ridge to the right, which leads very quickly to the summit.

(5) The descent follows the same route in reverse to the cable car (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,593 m - Upper station of the - Télécabine des Mémises
  2. 1 : km 1.18 - alt. 1,625 m - Arrival of the Frasse chairlift - View of the - Lac Léman
  3. 2 : km 1.52 - alt. 1,617 m - Departure from the Borée ski lift
  4. 3 : km 1.85 - alt. 1,692 m - Fork in the road near the chairlift line.
  5. 4 : km 2.66 - alt. 1,868 m - Arrival of the Parchet chairlift
  6. 5 : km 2.95 - alt. 1,962 m - Pic de Borée
  7. S/E : km 5.91 - alt. 1,593 m - Upper station of the - Télécabine des Mémises

Notes

Opening days and hours of the Mémises cable car:
- July and August: every day, from 9.30am to 5.30pm.
- May: every weekend and every public holiday.
- June and September: every weekend and every Wednesday.

Hiking boots and equipment required.
1:25,000 scale map required (at least the one accompanying this description).
Water supplies required.
Refreshments and food available at the cable car arrival station.

Warning:
Both on the ascent and descent, progress through the rocky couloir below the summit ridge requires caution, especially in wet weather.

Hike completed six times by the author, with various variations, the first on 19 April 1981, the last on 22 July 2008.

Worth a visit

From the summit, there is a magnificent view of Lake Geneva and the Mémises (north) and the Chablais Massif (south).

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 7 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
jonathan valoteau
jonathan valoteau

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Please note, you cannot drive up in your car. You have to take the cable car.
Otherwise, everything else was great. Superb view from the peak. Did it with three children aged 8, 8 and 11.
The rope crossing is easy

Machine-translated

User 25204265

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : May 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

I was unfamiliar with the area. The starting point shown is actually only accessible by cable car. I hadn't seen this information. When I clicked on the route by car from the app to get to the starting point, the route that was displayed took us along a small road that led to the ski slopes. In fact, it wasn't a road at all, and if I hadn't had a 4x4, it would have been very dangerous.

Machine-translated

CALVINB
CALVINB
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 20, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did this hike with beautiful sunshine in the valley but clouds on the peaks.
Of course, at this time of year, the cable cars from Thollon are not open.
So we hiked from the bottom of the resort (a total of about 900 metres of elevation gain).
The climb from the bottom of the cable cars to the top took us 1 hour and 10 minutes: It's worth doing for the magnificent and impressive view of the lake.
In total, the hike took us 4 hours and 20 minutes there and back from Thollon les Mémises to the summit of Pic de Borée, including stops.
The path is easy (passable by vehicle), with just 50 metres of slippery rocks before reaching the summit.
The view from the summit was limited due to clouds, but in good weather it must be splendid (I imagine you can see the Dent d'Oche, among other peaks). We still saw the peaks in Switzerland (Grammont, etc.).
In short, a very nice hike, doable even 'out of season'.

Machine-translated

Nicole Guil
Nicole Guil

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 27, 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 hike with magnificent views of the peaks and the lake.
Just after setting off, we chose to go over the ridges to reach the 1.

Machine-translated

wakeup
wakeup

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 02, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful round trip hike, with one slightly difficult section (especially on the descent), but the reward at the top of the peak is well worth the effort.

Machine-translated

nordique78
nordique78

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very steep climb to reach the summit; the rope is welcome for the final ascent.
On the descent, we turned right towards "Sur Les Pirons" and then descended towards Les Chalets des Mémises. The descent was less steep and the scenery varied.
We made a round trip to Pic des Mémises to extend this outing (about 30-40 minutes).

Machine-translated

johangold
johangold

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 04, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We had a lovely walk with the family and grandparents to the hut at the top of the chairlift. This route to the left when looking at the peak is quite challenging, however, with some very steep slopes in places.

Part of the group took the route on the right (still facing the peak), which is longer but with a gentler gradient.

During the final ascent, the ropes were very useful, especially for the descent, because a small block of snow was blocking the path and making the grassy area near the edge slippery. However, the view from the top was magnificent, with a nice little grassy ridge path.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking The Mémises "without effort"

Visorando member
Les Mémises "sans peine"
↔5.87 km ↗+229 m ↘-233 m ◔2h 20 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Thollon-les-Mémises (Haute-Savoie)
The Mémises mountain and its two peaks offer ridge trails with beautiful views of Lake Geneva. This hike starts at the Thollon cable car station, which avoids the steep slopes of the usual ascent routes (described elsewhere). This hike is therefore designed to introduce young children or inexperienced walkers to the mountains.

Walking Pic de Blanchard via the Chalets de Corniens

Visorando member
Pic de Blanchard par les Chalets de Corniens
↔12.98 km ↗+691 m ↘-683 m ◔5h 40 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Thollon-les-Mémises (Haute-Savoie)
A hike at medium altitude, on a route that is often shaded. A flower-covered summit offering superb views of Lake Geneva and the surrounding peaks. Beautiful views of the lake along the way.

Walking Ascent and tour of Les Mémises from Thollon

Visorando member
Ascension et tour des Mémises à partir de Thollon
↔13.60 km ↗+818 m ↘-812 m ◔6h 15 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Thollon-les-Mémises (Haute-Savoie)
A circular that allows you to climb the Mémises via their northern slope. Splendid panoramic views of Lake Geneva and beautiful views of the northern faces of the Dent d'Oche and Pic de Borée await you.

Walking The Belvédère du Hucel from Thollon

Visorando member
Le Belvédère du Hucel à partir de Thollon
↔4.39 km ↗+119 m ↘-110 m ◔1h 35 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Thollon-les-Mémises (Haute-Savoie)
At the foot of Montagne des Mémises, a short walk takes you up to a unique viewpoint offering breathtaking views of Lake Geneva.

Walking Pic de Borée from Trossy

Visorando member
Pic de Borée à partir de Trossy
↔9.74 km ↗+894 m ↘-887 m ◔5h 20 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Bernex (Haute-Savoie)
The Pic de Borée offers superb panoramic views of both Lake Geneva and the Chablais massif. The route suggested here is probably not the most popular, but it offers an interesting variety of landscapes.

Walking Col de Creusaz and Bois de la Corne

Visorando member
Col de Creusaz et Bois de la Corne
↔8.88 km ↗+335 m ↘-333 m ◔3h 30 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Thollon-les-Mémises (Haute-Savoie)
A mid-season hike, while waiting for the snow to melt from the peaks. Beautiful panoramic views of Lake Geneva. Beautiful views of the Mémises cliff.

Walking Le Pic des Mémises from Creusaz

Visorando member
Le Pic des Mémises au départ de Creusaz
↔7.11 km ↗+656 m ↘-657 m ◔3h 55 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Bernex (Haute-Savoie)
A pleasant, fairly short hike in relatively wild countryside with exceptional views (Jura, Lake Geneva basin, Chablais massif).

Walking The tour of Mont Bénand

Visorando member
Le tour du Mont Bénand
↔7.04 km ↗+197 m ↘-198 m ◔2h 35 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Bernex (Haute-Savoie)
A family walk through pastures with beautiful views of the Mémises, Mont César and Dent d'Oche, as well as Lake Geneva. This hike can be done in its entirety or in a shorter version.

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.