June 24, 2021

Walk along the Seymaz river (Geneva)

At the end of last year, I went on a walk along the Seymaz river, which flows entirely inside the canton of Geneva: Starting from Château de Rouelbeau (Rouelbeau Castle), I followed its entire course until the confluence with the Arve.

Here is an official brochure about the river (PDF).

Here is a map of the path I walked:

In the morning, I took a Léman Express train from Annecy to the Eaux-Vives station in Geneva. I then boarded a TPG bus (line 33) to the village of Choulex. I started walking towards the ruins of Château de Rouelbeau where the Seymaz river starts. I visited the ruins then followed the course of the river all the way to its confluence with the Arve at Pont de Sierne. I then followed the Arve on its right bank until Centrale électrique de Vessy. Finally, I left the bank of the river and, since there was still some time before nightfall, I walked in the city all the way to Lancy in order to take a Léman Express train back to Annecy.

▲ Cross in Choulex.

▲ Sunrise on Le Môle (France).

▲ Église Saint-André.

▲ Sunrise seen from the Choulex cemetery.

▲ Path in the middle of vineyard.

▲ Mont de Boisy.

▲ La Dôle.

▲ The Seymaz river (Canal de la Touvière) below.

▲ Out of place.

▲ At Le Carre d’Amont.

▲ Silo of Moulin de la Pallanterie.

▲ Col de la Faucille.

▲ Wetland, with Montagne des Voirons in the background.

▲ Ruins of Château de Rouelbeau.

▲ There is a path to reach the middle of the ruin.

▲ Moat.

▲ It was quite cold.

▲ Orchard.

▲ Crêt de la Neige.

▲ Zone Humide de Rouelbeau (wetland), considered to be the start of the Seymaz river.

▲ Canal de Touvière (part of the Seymaz).

▲ Pré de la Donnaz.

▲ Boardwalk across Marais de Sionnet, with Salève in the bakground.

▲ Montagne des Voirons.

▲ Graffiti near the football pitch of FC Choulex.

▲ Prison de Champ-Dollon (jail).

▲ Heron.

▲ At the HUG (Hôpital Universitaire de Genève).

▲ Clinique de Belle-Idée (mental asylum).

▲ Centre pour migrants de la Seymaz.

▲ A SIG building.

$Sculptures de Nikola Zaric @ Parc \$

▲ A park themed around the hare and the troot (Le Lièvre et la Truite) with sculptures by Nikola Zaric.

$Truite @ Sculptures de Nikola Zaric @ Parc \$

$Lapin @ Sculptures de Nikola Zaric @ Parc \$

▲ There is also a troot fountain but I missed focus…

▲ École De-Haller in Chênes-Bourg.

▲ Train bridge near the Chêne-Bourg Léman Express station.

▲ The Voie Verte du Grand Genève (bike road) passes above the train tracks.

▲ Seymaz.

▲ Train tunnel.

▲ Chêne-Bougeries.

▲ Parc Gautier. Here I left the bank of the river for a little while since there was no path alongside it.

▲ Bell tower of Église Saint-François-de-Sales.

▲ Stade des Trois Chêne.

▲ Trash cans with the Geneva colors.

▲ Speaker playing bat sounds.

▲ Collège Claparède.

▲ Here there is a trail on the right bank know as Rives de la Seymaz. When I was there, the beginning was blocked by chopped wood logs. Possibly I could have passed but instead, I slipped beneath the fence of the field next to it. However, there are signs indicating that the fence is electrified and that the field hosts bulls… Fortunately, it was not the case when I was there though.

▲ Seymaz.

▲ The path is very close to the (possibly) electric fence.

▲ At the end of the trail.

▲ On Pont de Sierne. I first crossed the Arve in order to take a picture of the confluence from the other side.

▲ Arve.

▲ Confluence of Arve and Seymaz.

▲ Seymaz just before the confluence.

▲ Next to the confluence, with Pont de Sierne in the background.

▲ Trail along the Arve to Centrale électrique de Vessy.

▲ Fish ladder on the Arve. It was very dry though…

▲ Passerelle de Vessy.

▲ Centrale électrique de Vessy.

▲ Salève. From there, I could have taken a TPG bus back to the Eaux-Vives station but I kept walking towards Lancy since there was still some daylight.