Last summer we had very hot temperatures in the French part of Switzerland. We reached more than 40°C several days in a row (and I was pregnant at the same time…, crazy!).
The best plan to cool down while enjoying the nature this beautiful country offer is to put your hiking shoes on, some sunscreen, take water and a packed lunch with you, and drive until one of the countless Alp mountain base parking areas to hike up from there until a summit, where the wind is fresher, enjoying the blue sky, the views from the altitude, the astonishing nature, the quietness…, a lunch in the middle of nowhere whenever you feel hungry… while exploring the flora and fauna of the Alps. There are so many trail options that I bet that for 95% of the hike you will be «alone» with nature. That’s a gift from Switzerland. No matter where you hike in the Alps. And that, it’s priceless.
One of the hikes that has amazed me the most («mon coup de coeur» as they say in French, which literally means «my heart’s hit» meaning «my favourite») is the hike to Rochers de Naye.
The Rochers de Naye are a mountain of the Swiss alps overlooking Lake Geneva. It’s close to Montreaux, overlooking the huge lake just opposite Geneva city. The mountain is 2,042 meters high, and there are several start points for hikers to achieve the summit, starting at different altitudes, depending on your level or on your mood of the day 😉
We started at around 1,000 meters high and went up, stopping somewhere in the middle with astonishing views to rest and enjoy our lunch in the middle of the nature, and proudly achieved the summit with more energy than expected 😉 You will see farms, cows, mountain views (some of them still with snow), lakes, different types of flowers and flora, and, the gift of the gifts, once at the summit, a super cool panoramic view. And among the way, your mind quiets, even without intending it, as nature speaks strong…
Curiously, at the summit of Rochers de Naye, there are several Mongolian ger you can rent to sleep. Why Mongolian? No clue. But at least it fits with the environment and doesn’t disturb the views. There’s also a restaurant with a nice terrace and a small garden center exhibiting all kind of flowers that one can find in the Alps, from the typical Swiss flower «Elderweiss» to flowers I’ve never heard their name before.
Now, once we arrive at the top, I discovered that you can also get there by train (a special -super expensive- turistic train with this station as the last one). But it didn’t discourage us, as Antonio Machado says: «Caminante, son tus huellas el camino, y nada más; caminante, no hay camino, se hace camino al andar.», which means «Wanderer, your footsteps are the path, and nothing else; wanderer, there is no path, the path is made by walking.».
Rochers de Naye will remain as once of the best hikes I’ve ever did in Switzerland and the best panoramic view of Lake Geneva I’ve had until now.
