The Pays de Gex
The Pays de Gex is naturally made up of a plain part (the “pays de Gex plain”) and a mountain part (the “Monts Jura resort”). The Monts Jura, with the Mont Blanc massif visible in the distance, provide one of the most beautiful panoramas in Europe. The Pays de Gex is located near the Swiss boarder and Geneva airport, which makes this magnificent landscape easily accessible.
Let’s exploretogether the main assets of this beautiful environment.
Get to learn : Cern, Fort l’Ecluse and Château de Voltaire
Fans of architecture, and especially military architecture, make your attack on Fort l’Écluse in Léaz. It is a military fort carved into the rock and built on a mountainside. Climb the 1165 steps connecting the lower fort to the upper fort. For the more athletic, continue with the Fort l’Écluse Adventure tree climbing course.
For the literary aficionado, it is the castle of Voltaire that you must discover in Ferney-Voltaire: the residence was acquired by the philosopher in 1759, he wrote many books there.
Relax : thermal station, golfs, hippodrome, casino…
If you want to relax, stop off at Divonne-les-Bains. This spa town, located near Geneva, benefits from springs with soothing and beneficial properties. Come relax and recharge your batteries in this thermal spa resort or indulge in other activities thanks to the presence of a golf course, a racecourse, a casino or even a nautical center.
Move at the rhythm of the seasons
At the Col de la Faucille, you will enjoy a wide range of activities. Follow marked routes for hiking or mountain biking, of all levels, with exceptional panoramas. Test the steepest zip line in France, rail tobogganing, tree climbing courses, mini-golf, horse-drawn carriage rides, paintball.
In the Mont Jura resort, nature made up of fir trees invites you to ski and snowshoe walks.
Delight yourself : gluttony when you hold us…
Discover the magnificent products of the Pays de Gex. Local farmers have come together to introduce their short circuit production to you: lentils, apple juice, seasonal vegetables. Go in search of small markets. For cheese lovers, the choice is vast: in addition to the famous Bleu de Gex made in the last cheese dairy in the Pays de Gex at Chézery-Forens, you can taste various goat, cow and sheep cheeses.
The meat is of excellent quality in the various traditional Gessian butcher’s shop. Discover the “atriaux”, sausages, pâtés en croute. To accompany all these dishes, taste biodynamic wine: white, red, sparkling. If you prefer beer, go to the Gessian brewery in Ornex. Finally, on the sweet side, you have to try the “Crozet ou Gex papette”, a flan tart placed on a brioche dough.