In Genolier, an extensive forest reserve, historic village details and several hiking options come together. When planning, it is worth keeping the differences between the options in mind: the Sentier des Toblerones offers a full route and a shorter alternative, while the Chemin au Loup has its own starting point and a rest area with a view. This makes it easy to shape your stay around whether nature, village history or a hike with a known time commitment matters most to you.
Bois de Chênes and the Ferme
The Bois de Chênes forest reserve now covers about 130.6 hectares. The Ferme du Bois de Chênes is located in a nature reserve at the centre of a large clearing. Guided tours of the reserve can be requested throughout the year for groups of adults or young people. As visits take place by request, you should confirm the details in advance.
The Ferme is also a notable landmark in the history of the area. In the architectural survey of the canton of Vaud, it was given a grade of 2 and is therefore considered to be of regional interest. It has been classified as a historic monument since 1961. These two designations offer a concrete reason to consider the natural environment and cultural heritage together when planning your trip.
Village history in the town centre
In the centre of Genolier, a Romanesque church and its bell tower stand on a hill. The settlement pattern also shapes the character of the village: Genolier is considered a clustered village, meaning an irregularly laid-out, densely built village around a central square. Anyone interested in the development of small villages will find a range of historical connections here, without any single attraction having to define the whole picture of Genolier.
Genolier was first mentioned in 1110, when the name Genolliacum was used. Together with the Romanesque church and the description of the village centre, this provides an overview of different aspects of the area’s history: its early written mention, its architectural history and the form of the village.
Hiking: distinguish between routes and starting points
On the Sentier des Toblerones, you can choose between the full route and a shorter alternative. The complete route is considered easy, is 17.9 kilometres long and takes about five hours on foot. The shorter alternative starts in Genolier on the Nyon–St-Cergue railway line. The trail is named after a line of fortifications built during the mobilisation from 1939 to 1945.
The Chemin au Loup has a different starting point: it begins at St-Cergue railway station. There is a rest area along the route with views of Lake Geneva and the Alps. The two hiking options therefore differ according to the criteria mentioned here: the full Sentier des Toblerones has a known length and walking time; on the Chemin au Loup, the viewpoint at the rest area is a specific landmark.
Getting there and planning your stay
The Bois de Chênes nature reserve can be reached by train via Genolier. The shorter alternative on the Sentier des Toblerones also starts in Genolier, while the Chemin au Loup starts at St-Cergue railway station. These different starting points can help you take your planned activities into account when choosing a base for your stay, without treating the hikes as a single combined route. Check the relevant timetable for your visit; you should also confirm your request for a guided tour of the nature reserve in advance.
If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Genolier, you can start by deciding which of these interests you want to shape your trip: the forest reserve with its guided tours available on request, village history or a hike with a clearly stated distance and duration. This lets you compare suitable travel plans based on specific interests while keeping the different starting points of the trails in mind.
Discover more destinations: Duillier, Tartegnin, Gland Vd, Borex, Vinzel, Begnins, Arzier, Crassier.
Back to the main travel overview: Nyon.
