Mandement genevois

The Léman Express links Genève-Cornavin to La Plaine in around twenty minutes, stopping at Satigny and Russin in the middle of the vineyards. La Plaine sits within the commune of Dardagny, at the foot of the slopes. By car, leave the motorway at Vernier and climb the route du Mandement. There are a few parking spaces in the village, though not many on harvest weekends.

Good to know: from La Plaine station up to Dardagny village is about two kilometres of steady climbing. It is manageable on foot with children who walk well, much less so with a loaded pushchair.

Dardagny village itself is flat, lanes and fountains included, and a half-hour loop covers the whole of it. The banks of the Allondon are the other good option: the path follows the river with almost no gradient, and the pebble bed keeps children busy for hours. The tracks through the vines, by contrast, are steep and stony, so save those for a carrier. There is little shade on the slopes in high summer, so bring hats and water bottles.

In spring the slopes are green and the paths empty, which is the best time to walk. In summer, head down to the Allondon to paddle, bearing in mind that it is a nature reserve: stay on the paths and take nothing away with you. September and October bring the grape harvest, when the Mandement is at its liveliest, with tractors everywhere and cellars open to visitors. In winter, the bare landscape and the mist off the Rhône are worth the trip for a short walk followed by a hot chocolate.