Treat your students to a school trip in the heart of nature, at the summit of Mont Salève. Accessible in just a few minutes by cable car, Mont Salève is an exceptional natural site located in Haute-Savoie, near Geneva. Your classes will benefit from educational workshops led by a nature guide from the Maison du Salève, aligned with the French primary school curriculum (cycles 1, 2, and 3) and the Swiss Romand curriculum.
Wildlife observation, tree identification, landscape interpretation… each workshop is designed to spark the curiosity of young and old alike, while also aligning with your educational objectives. And the good news is: the activities are free with a cable car ticket!
Why choose Mont Salève for your school trip?
Mont Salève offers everything you need for a successful school trip. A pristine natural setting in the mid-mountain region, quick and easy access by cable car from Étrembières, and a breathtaking panorama between Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc will amaze students from the moment they reach the summit.
The advantages of a school trip to Mont Salève:
A wide range of educational activities
Free activities included with the cable car ticket
Workshops aligned with the French primary school curriculum (grades 1-5) and the Swiss Romand curriculum
Supervision by a nature guide from the Maison du Salève
Quick and easy booking via an online form
Free access to the 360° panoramic terrace
An easily accessible location: 20 minutes from Geneva, 15 minutes from Annemasse, 35 minutes from Thonon, 40 minutes from Annecy, and less than 2 hours from Lyon and Grenoble
Our educational workshops at Salève
Observing chamois, learning to recognize trees, building a model of the Salève… the nature workshops at the summit cover a variety of themes, suitable for both a school trip and a cultural outing.
CHAMOIS AND COMPANY
Students set off to discover the wild mammals of Mont Salève: chamois, roe deer, red deer, wild boar… Through the use of an identification key and the observation of signs of their presence, they learn to identify these species and understand their way of life in the mid-mountain region.
Learning Objectives
To become familiar with the common fauna of the mid-mountain region
To learn the biology of these species (diet, habitat, reproduction, calls)
To learn how to use an identification key/simple identification guide
To (re)discover the chamois, roe deer, red deer, and wild boar
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CH PER
MSN 18: Exploring the Unity and Diversity of Living Things
MSN 28: Determining Characteristics of the Living World and Various Environments and Drawing Consequences for the Sustainability of LifeFR Cycle 2 | Questioning the World of Living Things, Matter, and Objects
How to Recognize the Living World?FR Cycle 3 | Science and Technology
Living Things, Their Diversity, and Their Characteristic Functions
Planet Earth. Living Things in Their Environment
A TREE AS A FRIEND
Between sensory and naturalist approaches, students are invited to learn about, touch, and ask questions about the trees of Mont Salève. This activity reconnects the classroom with nature and fosters a sensitive appreciation of plants. The workshop is available from April to October. Educational Objectives Understand the life cycle of a tree: photosynthesis, evapotranspiration, sap, reproduction… Discover several common species of the region (mountains) Understand the role of trees for the rest of the living world and the services they provide Develop a sensitive appreciation for plants
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CH PER
MSN 16: Exploring natural phenomena and technologies
MSN 18: Exploring the unity and diversity of living things
MSN 28: Determining characteristics of the living world and various environments and drawing conclusions for the sustainability of lifeFR Cycle 2 | Questioning the living world
Understanding the characteristics of the living world, its interactions, and its diversityFR Cycle 3 | Science and Technology
Living things, their diversity, and the functions that characterize them
Highlighting the place and interdependence of different living beings in a food web
Planet Earth. Living beings in their environment
Identifying environmental issues
ALL ROADS LEAD TO THE SALÈVE
A dynamic and engaging activity that helps students understand the interactions between the movement patterns of humans, wildlife, and plants. Through role-playing, each participant is invited to reflect on their own movement patterns while discovering the concept of a wildlife corridor.
Learning Objectives
Understand the concepts of movement and wildlife corridors.
Identify movement patterns for wildlife, plants, and humans.
Understand the interactions/impacts between different modes of movement.
Reflect on one’s own movement patterns and ways to take action.
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CH PER
MSN 16: Exploring natural phenomena and technologies
MSN 18: Exploring the unity and diversity of living things
MSN 28: Determining characteristics of the living world and various environments and drawing conclusions for the sustainability of lifeFR Cycle 2 | Questioning the living world
Understanding the characteristics of the living world, its interactions, and its diversityFR Cycle 3 | Science and Technology
Living things, their diversity, and the functions that characterize them
Highlighting the place and interdependence of different living beings in a food web
Planet Earth. Living beings in their environment
Identifying environmental issues
THE LANDSCAPE IN EVERY SENSE
After an introduction to familiarize themselves with the landscape and its key elements, students are encouraged to reflect on the relationship between humans and nature. Mont Salève becomes a veritable observatory for discovering the landscape through the senses and considering the future of the region.
Learning Objectives
To describe a landscape
To discover the landscape through the senses
To discover Mont Salève as a landscape observatory
To question the place of humans in their environment
To explore the concept of territory
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CH PER
Shs 11 : Se situer dans son contexte spatial et social
Shs 21 : Identifier les relations existant entre les activités humaines et l’organisation de l’espace
Msn 18 : Explorer l’unité et la diversité du vivantFR Cycle 2 | Questionner le monde
Construire des repères spatiaux
Se repérer, s’orienter et se situer dans un espace géographique
Comprendre qu’un espace est organisé
Identifier des paysagesFR Cycle 2 | Histoire et géographie
Nommer et localiser un lieu dans un espace géographique
Nommer, localiser et caractériser des espaces
Situer des lieux et des espaces les uns par rapport aux autresFR Cycle 3 | Sciences et technologies
Identifier quelques impacts humains dans un environnement (comportements, aménagements, impacts de certaines technologies…)
Aménagements de l’espace par les humains et contraintes naturelles
Impacts technologiques positifs et négatifs sur l’environnement
CONSTRUIS TON SALÈVE
Les élèves créent une carte en 3D du Salève, à ramener en classe ou à la maison. Un atelier créatif pour s’approprier les différents milieux naturels du massif et mieux connaître les espèces végétales et animales qui y vivent.
Objectifs pédagogiques
- Créer un paysage du Salève
- Comprendre comment les paysages évoluent
- Se familiariser avec les différents milieux naturels du Salève et alentours
- Découvrir la faune sauvage du massif
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CH – PER
Shs 11 : Se situer dans son contexte spatial et social
Shs 21 : Identifier les relations existant entre les activités humaines et l’organisation de l’espace
Msn 18 : Explorer l’unité et la diversité du vivantFR – Cycle 2 | Comprendre le monde
Utiliser et produire des représentations de l’espace.
Construire des repères spatiaux.FR – Cycle 3 | Géographie
Nommer et localiser un lieu dans un espace géographique.
Nommer, localiser et caractériser des espacesFR – Cycle 3 | Sciences et technologies
Identifier quelques impacts humains dans un environnement (comportements, aménagements, impacts de certaines technologies…)
Aménagements de l’espace par les humains et contraintes naturelles
Impact
Prolongez votre journée classe verte au sommet
TERRASSE 360°
Après les ateliers, direction la terrasse panoramique 360° pour un moment de découverte à ciel ouvert. Les élèves profitent d’une vue à couper le souffle sur le lac Léman, Genève, les Alpes et le massif du Jura. Des panneaux informatifs permettent d’identifier les sommets et de prolonger l’apprentissage du paysage, les pieds dans l’herbe. L’accès est gratuit avec le billet du téléphérique.
RANDONNÉES
Le sommet du Salève est aussi un point de départ idéal pour une randonnée adaptée aux enfants. Depuis la gare d’arrivée, un sentier accessible mène à l’observatoire en 30 minutes de marche (1,7 km — dénivelé : +153 m). De quoi compléter la sortie scolaire par une balade en pleine nature. Pensez à prévoir des chaussures adaptées !
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
- Duration: 1 hour per workshop group rates here.
- Age: Children aged 6 to 11 (children aged 3 to 6 are welcome with the Chamois and Company workshop)
- Capacity: Maximum 30 children per activity
- Indoor and/or outdoor activities
- Price: Free activity, included in the cable car ticket price. Find group rates here.
- Meeting point: Educational workshop at the arrival station, after the cable car ride
In partnership with the Maison du Salève
The educational workshops are led by the team from the Maison du Salève,A key cultural venue for discovering the mountain range. Through activities, guided tours and conferences, it brings the Salève and its secrets to life around nature all year round.
With the support of Département de la Haute-Savoie
frequently asked questions
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We expect you to arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled cable car boarding time. Please go to the ticket office to collect your tickets!
At the arrival station, the activity leader will be waiting for you at the educational workshop (please arrive 5 minutes before the start of the activity). You can leave your belongings and begin the activity. Your cable car ticket grants you access to the entire cable car area, including the exhibition and the 360° terrace.
To make a reservation, please use our online booking form. Upon receiving your request, we will contact you as soon as possible to finalize your booking.
All activities take place outdoors except for “Build Your Own Salève,” which is an indoor workshop held in the educational workshop. In case of inclement weather, the outdoor activities will be replaced by the “Build Your Own Salève” activity in the educational workshop.
Please note that these activities are offered to children aged 6 to 11. The activities are unsuitable for children under 6 years old.
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For outdoor activities, we advise you to bring water (the stations do not have drinking water), sunscreen, and clothing and shoes suitable for the location and weather (temperatures at the summit of Salève can be chilly!).
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We do not have a dedicated dining room. A shaded picnic area is available around the arrival station, and there are many other places suitable for having lunch while enjoying the view.
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We offer two activities accessible to people with reduced mobility:
– Build your own Salève, which takes place indoors in the educational workshop
– The landscape in every sense, which takes place on one of our terraces. Observe chamois, learn to identify trees, build a model of the Salève… the nature workshops at the summit cover a variety of themes, suitable for both school trips and cultural outings. -
If it rains, the facilitator will offer the “Build Your Own Salève” activity, an indoor activity held at the educational workshop in the arrival station. Therefore, there will be no cancellation.
