August 30, 2021

Walk along the CEVA: From Gare d'Annemasse to Gare de Genève - Cornavin

In Spring 2020, I walked along the course of the CEVA train tracks between the Annemasse train station and the Cornavin train station, in the center of Geneva.

Here is a map of the path I walked:

In the morning, I took a Léman Express train to Annemasse. I then starting walking towards the Voie Verte du Grand Genève: It is a bike road / pedestrian path that follows the course of the former train tracks (which now run under it in the tunnel built for the CEVA project). The Voie Verte goes from Annemasse to the Eaux-Vives train station, not far from the lake in the city of Geneva. After that, the train tracks are still in the tunnel until the Lancy - Bachet train station. However, there were no train tracks before the CEVA so I loosely followed the course of the underground tracks though the city. I visited the Genève - Champel train station on the way, as well as a few parks. I also made a detour to Tour de Champel. Once at Lancy - Bachet, the tracks emerge in open air but there is not really a path alongside it. I followed them from afar to the Lancy - Pont Rouge train station, passing though Parc de la Mairie. After Pont Rouge, I headed to Parc Chuit using the road. Since I went on the walk, a direct pedestrian path has been built along the train tracks. I then passed through Bois de la Bâtie and Viaduc de la Jonction to reach the Saint-Jean neighbourhood on the other side of the Rhône. I walked above the train tracks on the Parc des Voies Couvertes de Saint-Jean. Finally, I walked next to the elevated train tracks as they arrived at the Cornavin train station, the main station in Geneva. I took a Léman Express train back to Annecy from there.

▲ Léman Express train at Gare d’Annemasse (Annemasse train station).

▲ Salève in the background.

▲ Old train station. Since then, the facade has been kept and a new hall has been built around it.

▲ Halle Taponnier.

▲ Chaufferie Bois d’Annemasse (heating plant).

▲ TPG tramway tracks.

▲ This is where the train tracks go underground.

▲ Voie Verte du Grand Genève, above the train tracks.

▲ Église Saint-François-de-Sales.

▲ Magnolia.

▲ Cherry blossom.

▲ Border between Savoie and Geneva, along the Foron river.

▲ Now in the town of Thônex, in the canton of Geneva.

▲ Foron (not the same as the one in La Roche-sur-Foron).

▲ “Samarskite” by Uta Bauer.

▲ Ice at the Rolex factory in Thônex.

▲ Rolex factory.

▲ Free topinambour! (Jerusalem artichoke).

▲ Condo tower under construction.

▲ Chêne-Bourg train station.

▲ Lots of concrete.

▲ Léman Express train.

▲ Old Chêne-Bourg train station.

▲ Bike garage.

▲ Bridge on the Seymaz river near the station.

▲ Seymaz.

▲ The tracks briefly emerge to cross the river.

▲ Still on the Voie Verte.

▲ Collège de la Gradelle.

▲ Terre des Hommes Suisse.

▲ Offices of Caterpillar.

▲ Near the Eaux-Vives train station. There was still construction going on this summer.

▲ Gare de Genève - Eaux-Vives.

▲ On the roof.

▲ Main entrance. This station used to be the terminus of the trains coming from Annemasse. For the CEVA, new tracks were build underground. I followed them loosely though the city.

▲ Small passage.

▲ Parc des Contamines.

▲ Primrose.

▲ Cherry blossom.

▲ Parc Bertrand.

▲ “Les Petits Amies” by Ursula Malbine.

▲ Église Sainte-Thérèse (catholic church).

▲ Stained glass of Saint François de Sales.

▲ Temple de Champel (protestant church).

▲ Halte de Champel, a park near the station.

▲ Gare de Genève - Champel. It is the deepest station of the CEVA and the one I find the most interesting.

▲ Ticket vending machine.

▲ Speedwalk towards the HUG, the main hospital in the city.

▲ Tour de Champel.

▲ Arve river below. The train tracks crosse it above ground using a bridge called Pont des Artisanes.

▲ Pont de la Fontenette across the Arve.

▲ Pont des Artisanes.

▲ Promenade des Orpailleurs along the Arve.

▲ Tour de Champel on the other side.

▲ Pont des Artisanes.

▲ When I was there, there was still some work going on (there is a park now).

▲ Passing under Pont du Val d’Arve.

▲ I made a detour to see if it was possible to walk on the bridge. However, there was sill some work going on.

▲ This year (2021), I came back and work was finished: There is now a pedestrian path on top of the bridge. It was possible to walk on it but the part above the river was blocked by a fence.