Chalet Rose to Nyon: Day 171

Today, after a walk through snow covered forest, I left France and descended through Switzerland to Nyon, on the shores of Lake Geneva.

My tent's flysheet was rigid with encrusted ice this morning. Although only a little more snow had fallen, the temperature had dropped. Putting cold, wet socks on my feet, warm from my sleeping bag, and then inserting them into semi frozen boots was an unpleasant experience. Once on my way I found the snow had hardened overnight, making walking through it slow and tiring compared with hiking through yesterday's light and fluffy snow. After reaching Chalet Rose, a permanently locked wooden building, about a kilometre beyond where I camped, I still had seven more kilometres before I reached the town of Les Rousses. Almost all of those were through snow covered forest. Staying hydrated by drinking water is important on a long distance walk but I find it difficult when the water is really cold, as it was today when ice was forming in my water bottle. A some point the diverted GR5 rejoined the trail I was on, from where I am yet to discover.

Les Rousses was unlike the farming villages I had been walking through in the last week. In addition to being on top of a hill, Les Rousses was the kind of place where people had holiday homes, or rather holiday apartments in the large, modern, "chalet" style buildings. This however meant that there were shops, restaurants and cafes on the high street. Despite it being Sunday morning a chocolaterie / patisserie was open where I was able to sit and enjoy a "long" coffee (which was still very small) and tartlette with strawberries and raspberries. The 19th century Fort of Les Rousses was at the edge of town. Some of it had been converted into an adventure playground. Due to construction works by the fort the GR5 was diverted slightly, but as I was not sure where, I walked by the building being built, quiet on this Sunday morning.

Six more kilometres in woods and by farmland brought me to La Cure. There I had another coffee in a restaurant of which one door opened into France and the other into Switzerland. Must make filling in tax forms difficult!

Once in Switzerland the white and red stripes of the GR5 disappeared, instead paths were marked with yellow signs and diamonds, all paths not just the one on my GPS. I followed the signs directing me to Nyon. An early one indicated it would take about five hours, which meant I should be able to reach it today. First I walked to the small town of St Cergue through more snowy woodland and fields, although the snow was less thick here. A few Sunday walkers were about, one asked why I was not wearing shorts, in jest I assume given they had full winter clothing, so I replied my long trousers were to protect me from ticks (I had seen several signs on my trip warning me of "Les Tiques"). Although there were brief periods of sunshine today, there were also lengthy snow showers before I reached St Cergue. The flakes were small but fell persistently. 

Yellow path sign in snowy field.

I had visited St Cergue before when I was walking the E4, which follows the Chemin des Crêtes long distance path in Switzerland. Although there were some attractive tea rooms I had already eaten a patisserie so bought a burger for lunch. It was cooked in the French way, that is, very little.

From St Cergue it was all downhill. The track, I assume the old road, dropped steeply, repeatedly crossing the modern road which achieved a lower gradient by switching back and fore, snaking down the mountainside. As I walked down Lake Geneva came into view, and beyond it the Alps rising up, with less snow on them than I would have expected given the amount I had experienced on the lower Jura mountains. After leaving St Cergue the snow disappeared and all became green, especially the unfolding leaves on the trees. Reaching lower levels it was a walk through fields on tarmac until, soon after housing began, I arrived at Nyon Hostel and a welcome opportunity to rest my feet. 

First view of Lake Geneva and Alps.

Final section to Nyon across flat land.

33.6 kilometres walked today with a total ascent of 640 metres, and a descent of 1430 metres.