Geneva City Walks - Bois de la Bâtie, Zoo and Play Park combo

Mar 18

Mar 18 Geneva City Walks - Bois de la Bâtie, Zoo and Play Park combo

BBQ, Cafe/Restaurant, City Walk, Geneva, Leash-free, Play Park, Pram-friendly, Summer Walk, Winter Walk, Zoo/Animals, Dog Park

This walk is easily accessible from most parts of Geneva, and pretty much has it all! There is a woods which is all an off-leash zone for dogs, on one side it boasts the biggest play park in Geneva which has a paddling pool and if there are enough adults, one can accompany the children through the zoo whilst the pooch stays outside.

I tend to do this walk on foot from home, so it takes about 20 minutes to get there. I do a loop through the woods then along by the cemetery and add another loop on which makes it about a 1.5 hour walk in total but you can go as long as you want, as there is a path that continues along the length of the Rhone all the way to La Plaine if you so desire!

Total walking time: from 30 minutes to 2 hours+ if walking along the Rhone through the forest.

The start of this walk is just on the Petit Lancy side of Pont de Saint-Georges which is easily accessible from Jonction tram stop.

Unless you’re driving there, you will have to go up one way or another to get to the woods. The easiest way to get up if you have a pram with you is by taking the pedestrian path which runs along the tram line then make your way up from behind the woods. You will see a cycle lane to your right, which you will go up and take the first right to get into the woods. It also brings you out right by the play park. It’s a longer way up, but less steep so I find this is the best way to go with a pram.

Alternatively there are also steps to get you up to the woods directly which is the quickest and steepest way.

There is also a cyclable path which goes up along the Arve side, but as at the time of publishing this post this path is closed.

For a GPS map of the loop I generally do when I come, click here.

The play park here according to the City of Geneva website is the biggest play park in the city. There are numerous sections including an area for smaller children, a paddling pool and some bigger structures for older kids. There is also a fountain with potable water here that is on during the summer.

If you are here with your dog, you will need to ensure the dog is tied up and away from the area considered part of the Play Park, particularly on busy days.

This is also a BBQ area and a big field directly behind it for your football-loving children.

The play park is situated very close to the zoo, where the children can walk through if there are enough adults to accompany them whilst one waits outside with the dog, as dogs are strictly forbidden inside the zoo.

Generally I come here alone so we look at the sheep and goat enclosure from outside the zoo before doing a little loop past the cemetery.

The advantage of this walk is that it is almost entirely paved, so a great option after getting rain (or we’ve also been there when it has been raining!) where you don’t want to get muddy.

There is also a restaurant called Café de la Tour situated near the back of the Zoo, before you get to the cemetery, which is open every day and the food is not bad!

If you want to do the added little loop past by the cemetery, you will need running pram as part of the path is gravel and also has a small incline. You could alternatively do an out and back on the paved path which runs along the cemetery boundary.