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Outdoor Recreation
The Geneva region offers outdoor activities year-round. Many CERN clubs organise group outings that are perfect for newcomers.
Hiking
You will not be short of trails here. Mont Salève, the mountain Genevois treat as their own backyard, is a quick cable-car ride from Veyrier and rewards you with sweeping views over the city, the lake, and Mont Blanc. Once you are ready for something longer, the Jura mountains have well-marked routes around the Col de la Faucille and up to the Crêt de la Neige, the highest point of the range.
For something more low-key, the paths along the Rhône and Arve rivers run right through the city and are perfect for an after-work walk. If you prefer a wilder setting, the Gorges de l'Orbe offer a dramatic canyon trail that feels surprisingly remote. Most of these hikes are reachable by public transport, so you do not need a car to get started.
Skiing and Winter Sports
Some of the best skiing in Europe is right on your doorstep. The Grand Massif (Flaine, Samoëns) and Portes du Soleil (Avoriaz, Châtel) both have huge piste networks suited to every level, while Chamonix-Mont Blanc delivers the kind of high-altitude terrain that draws skiers from around the world. All three areas are one to two hours away by car.
The CERN Ski Club runs group trips throughout the season and can help you get discounted lift passes, which is worth knowing given Swiss and French pass prices. If downhill is not your thing, cross-country skiing trails wind through the quiet Jura forests. And back in town, the Vernets ice rink in Geneva is open for public skating sessions all winter.
Lake Geneva and Water Sports
Lake Geneva shapes daily life in the region, and in summer it becomes the main gathering spot. Public beaches like Genève-Plage, Baby Plage, and Plage des Eaux-Vives fill up quickly on warm days. You can rent sailing boats and stand-up paddleboards from several points along the shore, and the water is clean enough to swim in comfortably.
The CGN boat service runs scenic crossings to Lausanne, Montreux, and Evian that make for a great half-day outing. And you will quickly get used to spotting the Jet d'Eau, Geneva's 140-metre water fountain, from just about everywhere along the lakeshore.
Day Trips
CERN sits in one of Europe's best-connected corners, so weekend day trips are easy. Within about 45 minutes you can reach Annecy, whose turquoise alpine lake and beautifully preserved old town make it one of the most popular outings from Geneva. Chamonix is roughly an hour away and offers dramatic mountain scenery plus the famous Aiguille du Midi cable car, which takes you to over 3,800 metres. In the other direction, Lausanne is also 45 minutes out and is home to the Olympic Museum and a lively lakeside centre.
If you have a full day, Lyon is about two hours south and well worth the trip for its UNESCO-listed old quarter and its reputation as the gastronomy capital of France. For something shorter and more relaxed, Yvoire is a tiny medieval village right on the shores of Lake Geneva that you can easily visit in an afternoon.
CERN Outdoor Clubs
One of the easiest ways to explore the region and meet people outside your own team is through the CERN clubs. The CERN Ski Club, the CERN Mountaineering Club, the CERN Running Club, and the CERN Cycling Club all welcome newcomers regardless of fitness level, and they tend to attract a good mix of people from across departments and experiments.
What they offer ranges from casual weekend hikes and weekly training runs to fully organised alpine expeditions and multi-day cycling tours. The CERN clubs directory on the Staff Association website has up-to-date schedules, activity descriptions, and instructions on how to join.