Neydens › Beaumont

📈 Elevation Profile

🗺️ Stage Map

📖 Stage Description

Neydens, a quiet village on the outskirts of Geneva, marks the beginning of the Via Gebennensis on the French side of the border. Within the first few kilometres, the path breaks free of the suburbs and climbs through fields and meadows that open up to superb views of Lake Geneva and the Mont-Blanc massif. The Salève — the iconic limestone cliff that towers over Geneva — keeps watch over this initial ascent, a reminder that you are entering a land of transitions, between the Swiss plain and the pre-Alpine ridges.

The crossing from Neydens to Beaumont follows rural lanes skirting vineyards and orchards before plunging into the first stands of beech and oak. Altitude builds steadily, topping 800 m along the wooded crests of the Savoyard Genevois. To the south, the Bornes massif comes into view — a foretaste of the alpine scenery that awaits in the days ahead.

At the halfway point, the trail winds through several farming hamlets typical of Haute-Savoie: stone farmhouses with steeply pitched roofs, combined barn-and-stable buildings, and modest wayside chapels. The atmosphere is one of prosperous, well-tended countryside — a world apart from the austere plateau of the Velay that lies far ahead on the horizon of this journey.

Beaumont welcomes the walker into a lively market town with every amenity. On a clear day, the view from the heights above town sweeps across the entire Alpine barrier: from Mont-Blanc to the Chartreuse massif, the mountains unfurl along the eastern skyline. An irresistible invitation to press on southward, toward Le Puy-en-Velay.

🌄 Walking Conditions

Sun exposure and terrain type over 16,7 km

☀ Sun Exposure

🥾 Terrain

⏱️ Estimated Duration for You

Estimate your walking time based on your profile — calculated using Naismith's rule.

📍 Villages and Waypoints

• 0km

  Neydens · 511 m · Start

  Savoyard village at the gateway to Geneva. French-side starting point of the Via Gebennensis. Church, bakery, a handful of shops.

  💧 Water🛒 Shops🏕️ Accommodation
• 5km

  Saint-Julien-en-Genevois · 430 m

  Lively border town. All amenities: supermarket, restaurants. Direct access to Geneva public transport.

  💧 Water🛒 Supermarket🏕️ Hotel🍽️ Restaurant
• 9km

  Jonzier-Épagny · 630 m

  Peaceful hamlet on the first slopes of the Genevois. Public fountain on the village square.

  💧 Water🛒 No shops
• 13km

  Vovray-en-Bornes · 780 m

  Farming village on the heights. Panoramic view of Lake Geneva and Mont-Blanc. Romanesque chapel.

  💧 Water🏕️ Hostel
• 16,7km

  Beaumont · 887 m · End

  Lively canton capital. Shops, restaurants and varied accommodation. Exceptional Alpine panorama.

  💧 Water🛒 Shops🏕️ Hostels & Hotels🍽️ Restaurant

⚠️ Practical Information

• ⛰️
  Gradual ascent

  A steady 573 m of elevation gain over 16.7 km — no brutal climbs, perfect for easing into the pilgrimage.

  Varied terrain: asphalt leaving Neydens, then dirt tracks and forest paths.
• 💧
  Water points

  Neydens — fountain by the church (km 0)

  Saint-Julien-en-Genevois — shops (km 5)

  Jonzier-Épagny — fountain (km 9)

  Beaumont — several points (km 16.7)
• 🛒
  Supplies

  Saint-Julien-en-Genevois km 5 · Supermarket · Bakery

  Beaumont km 16.7 · Shops · Restaurants
• 🌿
  Heritage

  Neydens church km 0 · Romanesque building, traditional blessing point for pilgrims

  View of the Salève km 3 · The iconic cliff face dominates the crossing of the Genevois

  Mont-Blanc panorama km 13 · View from the heights of Vovray across the entire Alpine chain
• 🚕
  Taxi / Emergency options

  Taxi Saint-Julien — 04 50 49 10 01

  Geneva buses — TPG lines from Saint-Julien toward Geneva