Here comes the sun…. take a look at this handy guide to some of the best beaches on
Lake Geneva.
OK, so I have a small confession, might as well get it over with now…
I’m a beach lover and always have been.
Give me a warm sandy beach, big straw hat, and a good book, throw in a Pina Colada and that’s it, heaven on earth.
But what about the hiking, the skiing, and the sweaty mountain activities. Fabulous… but there’s a time and place for everything…
With the weather warming up nicely, the time is de
finitely now, and the place… well, any one of the 120 beaches that you’ll find around the shores of Lake Geneva.
Who has time to discover all those?
Look no further. Here’s my guide to some of the best beaches on Lake Geneva in our little corner of paradise, the Haute Savoie.
Memories are made in flip-flops
I’m only including the beaches that have parking close by and toilet and refreshment facilities in this list.
There are many other places where you can teeter down to the lakeside from the side of the road and be entirely on your own. Those are the ones for you to discover for yourself when you get here.
Happiness is a day at the beach
The soft sands of Excenevex
Let’s start with the most popular lakeside beach at Excenevex. Situated a few kilometres south of the medieval town of Yvoire, Excenevex (pronounced Ex-en-vay) is the only natural sandy beach on the shores of Lake Geneva.
The beach curves around a small bay and, with its shallow waters extending way into the lake, it’s ideal for paddleboarding, kayaking, and swimming.
Sandy toes, sun-kissed nose
Adding to the beach vibe is a long boardwalk which makes it easy to cart all the equipment (think children) out to your perfect spot.
There are numerous cafes and restaurants, catering to all budgets.
My favourite is Vedetts, the Leman Beach Club, which serves delicious salads at lunchtime under crisp white umbrellas. In the evening Vedetts turns into a party venue. You can check out their offerings on their Facebook page.
All restaurants here fill up fast on sunny days so perhaps best to take a picnic and avoid the queues.
There are also children’s playgrounds and a rainbow selection of pedalos to rent.
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With only one access road to the beach, arrive early to avoid the traffic. Where to Stay: At the popular ‘Camping de la Pinède’, only metres from the beach |
Port de Séchex – off the beaten track
I love it when I discover somewhere I’ve never been before. Séchex is a hidden gem. Tiny in comparison to its nearby neighbour, Excenevex. The little hamlet of Séchex has a small pebble beach curving around a tiny bay that’s ideal for swimming in its shallow waters. Although there’s no natural sand there’s a grassy sunbathing area in addition to the beach.
There’s no children’s playground here and no lifeguards but there are public toilets. There are also 3 or 4 fabulous-looking restaurants on the water’s edge and plenty of car parking.
Beach. Sleep. Repeat
The tranquil Anthy sur Leman
The beach at Anthy is also relatively small but is backed by a large grassy area with picnic tables and a small café for refreshments. A large popular restaurant, Le Goeland, is situated towards the end of the beach, with roadside parking. There’s also a little children’s playground.
The white beach at Corzent
From Anthy you can walk along the lakeside to the beautiful beach of Corzent, its white pebbles shine in the sunlight giving it a real Mediterranean feel. There’s a small café at one end of this little beach and a well-regarded restaurant ‘Les Pieds Dans L’Eau’ at the other. There’s limited parking along the roadside but there are larger car parks on the edge of Corzent in the direction of Thonon. Toilets are also available.
The beach at Corzent is also home to Leman Windsurfing, a charitable association renting windsurfers, paddleboards and foils on an annual basis to members. Storage of equipment also available to members. See their Facebook page for more details or contact Leman.windsurf@gmail.com
The Plage de St-Disdille
Situated at the Parc de la Chataigneraie near Thonon les Bains is a beautiful little beach with a cordoned-off swimming area that makes it perfect for small children with inflatable unicorns.
The beach itself is pebbly but bordered by boulders that make ideal seats for watchful parents. A large grassy area behind the beach has a children’s playground and picnic tables making this an ideal spot for barbecuing.
The real gem here is the beach bar and restaurant, L’Oxxy, which adds a Caribbean vibe to the lakeside. You can also rent paddleboards and pedalos here.
If you arrive by boat, someone will come by pedalo from the restaurant to collect you and bring you to shore. How cool is that!
| Lifeguards – from 1st July – 31st August Parking free Toilets available |
Good Times and Tan Lines
Time to reflect at Amphion
The ever-popular beach at Amphion, called the ‘Plage du Miroir’, has recently had an upgrade. This pebbly beach is backed by a large green grassy area where sunbathers and picnickers are set up for the day.
Popular activities here are pétanque and volleyball and paddleboarding.
There’s also a new ‘Wellness’ area at one end of the beach, with Norwegian sauna cabins for those who like to sweat a little more.
Want to burn off some of your child’s energy before yet another dip in the lake? Well this year, to the delight of the under 5’s, a herd of mechanical ponies has appeared under the trees. They can be rented out to any budding jockey who can squeeze into the seat.
The new restaurant and bar have a large terrace complete with a sandpit for the children. At weekends a DJ plays summer hits in the afternoons that have the salsa dancers on their feet.
Straw brollies and palm trees add to the holiday vibe.
There is now also access to the beach here for people with reduced mobility.
| Car parking is free Toilets and showers also available Lifeguards are on duty here during July and AugustWhere to Stay: Hotel de la Plage |
Petite Rive de Maxilly
A long stretch of easily accessible pebbly beach runs alongside the lake to the east of Evian. Bordered by a promenade and large grassy spaces. The Petite Rive is popular with picnickers and sunbathers alike.
Several restaurants have outdoor terraces along the promenade. My favourite is the friendly and unpretentious Rive-Sud (Natalie’s) which serves great salads and refreshments under lime green brollies. Just a stone’s throw from the beach.
The Rive Sud often has live music in the evenings, check out their facebook page for details.
| Parking is available, although it’s easier to park in Evian and walk along to the Rive at the height of the season. Toilets are also available. |
If you need me, I’ll be at the beach
…and so there we have it. Just a brief selection of a few of our local, and favourite beaches. I hope you have the chance to check them out for yourself this summer…and don’t forget, I’m the one in the big hat, with the book and the pina colada
