Le Môle
1,863 m
France
Also known as Ле-МольAlso known as
Ле-Моль
- Elevation
- 1,863 m
- Prominence
- 1,254 m
- Difficulty
- 2/10
- Hike
- Best Season
- May–Jun
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1The classic family hike in the Faucigny: about 700 m of ascent from the road end at Chez Béroud (1,160 m) above Saint-Jean-de-Tholome, past the alpine pastures of the Petit Môle, then up the steep south-west flank to a short, airy summit ridge. Around 2 hours up.
Elevation Profile
- Distance
- 3.2 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +709 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 1,863 m
- Time Up
- 2h 46m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 1h 49m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
From the car park at Chez Béroud (about 1,160 m), at the end of the small road above the hamlet of Bovère in Saint-Jean-de-Tholome, a forest track and the waymarked 'Chemin rural du Club Alpin' climb through conifer woods past the chalets of La Ravire to the open shoulder of the Petit Môle (about 1,510–1,530 m), reached in 30 minutes to an hour. There is an orientation table here and, in summer, a small buvette at the La Lardère pasture. Above the Petit Môle the path heads north, rising steadily in long zigzags across the south-west slope (the Plan Meulet path joins at about 1,720 m) before a final traverse to the col between the Môle's two summit bumps. A cross stands at 1,861 m on the eastern bump; the true summit, the IGN marker at 1,863 m, is a few minutes further west along the ridge — take the left branch at the signpost just before the cross. The upper path is steep, eroded and slippery when wet, and the north side of the summit ridge drops away very steeply: keep children close and stay on the south side. Descend the same way (about 1¾ hours), or make a loop: either down the east ridge directly back to the Petit Môle, or west along the ridge to Plan Meulet and back on forest tracks (adds about 1½ hours). The south-facing slopes clear of snow early, and the route is regularly done on snowshoes in winter.
Start
Chez Béroud1,154 m
- No public transport to Chez Béroud. Léman Express trains serve Marignier and Bonneville in the Arve valley; from Marignier church (477 m) a steep, direct path climbs the east ridge to the summit (about 1,380 m of ascent).
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chez Béroud → Le Môle | 3.2 | 709 | 0 | 2h 46m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Chez Béroud1,154 m
- Shoulder: Petit Môle1,525 m
Orientation table; La Lardère pasture and buvette nearby
- Summit: Le Môle1,863 m
Key Passages
- Petit Môle shoulder and orientation table
- Steep eroded zigzags on the south-west flank
- Summit ridge between the cross (1,861 m) and the IGN marker (1,863 m), steep drop to the north
Equipment
0/5 packedDownloads
Route confidence 85%Overview
A near-perfect cone of Jurassic limestone (1,863 m) standing alone between the Arve and Giffre valleys, visible from Geneva. A short, well-trodden hike of about 700 m leads to a 360° view over Lake Geneva, the Jura and the Mont Blanc massif.
Le Môle rises in isolation above Bonneville, Marignier and Saint-Jeoire in Haute-Savoie, separating the Arve valley to the south and west from the Giffre valley to the north. About 7 km long and 5 km wide, its conical outline — sometimes taken for a volcano — is a landmark across the Geneva basin. It belongs to the Chablais/Faucigny Prealps and, despite its modest height, has more than 1,200 m of prominence.
The usual ascent from the road end at Chez Béroud is a half-day family classic: forest, then the open pastures of the Petit Môle, then a steady climb to a narrow summit ridge. The view takes in the Mont Blanc massif, the Aravis and Bargy, the Salève, the Jura and Lake Geneva. Note that the summit cross (1,861 m) is not the highest point; the IGN marker at 1,863 m is a short walk west along the ridge.
The mountain is busy at weekends and is also a paragliding launch site. Several other paths reach the top — from Ayse, from Marignier (a direct 1,380 m climb from the valley), from the Granges/col du Môle road on the east side, and from Saint-Jeoire on the north — and the south-facing slopes make it a popular early-season and winter snowshoe objective.
Climbing Notes
Any reasonably fit walker can do the normal route in 3½–4 hours round trip; no technical skills are needed. The upper path is steep and badly eroded, slippery when wet and very muddy in spring, so wear boots with good grip and consider poles. The north side of the summit ridge is a steep drop — keep children close and stay on the south side. Cattle graze around the Petit Môle in summer; keep dogs on a lead and give guard dogs (patous) a wide berth if a flock is present. In winter the route is a common snowshoe outing, but beware cornices on the north side of the ridge. Combine with a loop via Plan Meulet or the east ridge for variety.
History
In 1775 the Englishman George Shuckburgh used observations from Le Môle to estimate the height of Mont Blanc. The mountain is clearly recognisable in Konrad Witz's 1444 painting 'The Miraculous Draught of Fishes', an early realistic landscape of the view from Geneva, and Mary Shelley's Victor Frankenstein mentions it among the mountains visible from his native city. In 1942 the resistance fighter Jean-Claude Carrier set up the first maquis camp of the area on its slopes.
Season
Best May–Jun- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Possible
- April: Good
- May: Best (best window)
- June: Best (best window)
- July: Good
- August: Good
- September: Best
- October: Best
- November: Good
- December: Possible
- Jan
- Snowshoe outing; cornices on the north side of the ridge
- Feb
- Snowshoe outing; cornices on the north side of the ridge
- Mar
- South slopes clear early; mud and lingering snow
- Apr
- Often snow-free on the south side; very muddy path; daffodils
- Jul
- Hot on the open south slopes; start early; afternoon storms
- Aug
- Hot on the open south slopes; start early; afternoon storms
- Oct
- Clear autumn days give the best views
- Nov
- Possible until the first lasting snow
- Dec
- Snowshoe outing when snow-covered
Access & Permits
- Rules
- Grazing livestock around the Petit Môle in summer: keep dogs on a lead; guard dogs (patous) may protect flocks
- Getting There
Bonneville; Saint-Jean-de-Tholome (trailhead commune)
Geneva Airport (GVA)
- Car: from the Findrol junction (A40/A410) or Bonneville via Peillonnex and Saint-Jean-de-Tholome to the hamlet of Bovère, then the narrow road to its end at Chez Béroud (about 1,160 m), parking for several dozen cars
- East side: a paved road from Marignier climbs to about 1,300–1,400 m (Les Granges / Fontaine) for a shorter, steeper ascent via the east ridge
- Public transport: Léman Express trains to Marignier or Bonneville; from Marignier church a direct path climbs the east ridge (about 1,380 m of ascent); no public transport to Chez Béroud
Hazards
- Exposure
- Weather
- Cornices