Seythenex: Waterfall, Cave and Hiking Trails
Accommodation in Seythenex
Seythenex: Waterfall, Cave and Hiking Trails
For travelers planning a stay in Seythenex, the options differ mainly in the type of experience and the time required. At the Grotte et cascade de Seythenex, the waterfall, cave and guided underground tour are the main attractions; the hiking trails range from a short, easy route to a moderately difficult loop of just under three hours. The longer route also includes historic structures. This lets you plan your time around a particular goal without treating different routes and activities as the same.
Grotte et cascade de Seythenex
Paths and walkways lead to the top of the waterfall, which drops 40 meters. The Grotte et cascade is classified as a Géosite. The cave is the only one open to the public in Haute-Savoie. A 40-minute guided tour takes you underground and explains the effects of erosion; the temperature there is 10 °C. For specific planning, check the current visiting conditions, as operating details may change.
Two consecutive zip lines, each 150 meters long, also cross above the waterfall. Their use depends on availability with the operator and on safety conditions. The same attraction therefore offers different ways to experience it: paths and walkways leading to the top of the waterfall, or a ride across it.
Two hikes with different time requirements
The marked Balade Ă la cascade de Seythenex is an easy 0.6-kilometer out-and-back hike. It is listed as taking 20 minutes, with 50 meters of ascent. Check the trail markers and conditions on site before setting out.
Les charmes de Seythenex takes more time: the moderately difficult loop is 8.9 kilometers long, with 434 meters of ascent and 430 meters of descent, and is listed as taking 2 hours and 45 minutes. It starts and ends at Place Bernard Pellarin in Seythenex. By comparison, the Balade is a short out-and-back route rated as easy; Les charmes is the longer, moderately difficult loop. The different time and difficulty ratings can help you choose the hike that suits your plans. Trail conditions may vary.
Les charmes passes through flower-filled meadows, shady forests and traditional hamlets at the foot of the Massif de la Sambuy. The route also runs below the striking peaks of the fourteen Bauges summits that rise above 2,000 meters. Meadows, forest and hamlets offer different landscape views, while the route’s length and elevation gain set the scope of the hike.
Chapel and Pont de Seythenex
One cultural highlight of the loop is the Chapelle des Combes, a Cistercian chapel. It was probably built in the 16th century. Reconstruction took 80 years and was completed in 1851; Saint-François-de-Sales blessed the chapel. The probable construction date and the completion of the reconstruction are therefore two distinct historical reference points.
The Pont de Seythenex was inaugurated in 1912. It consists of four arches made of dressed stone and is 125 meters long and 53 meters high. The bridge was closed to traffic in 1974; since 2009, it has been open to pedestrians. If you are planning a visit, check current pedestrian access.
Discover more destinations: Vallières, Collonges-sous-Salève, Cordon, Leschaux, Megève, Neydens, Thénésol, Nernier
For the regional travel overview: Haute-Savoie.
