Age
From 12
Duration
2 h to 2 h 30
Sporty
Sporty
Varied
Varied
Practical info
- Abseils : Up to 23 m, mandatory
- Jumps : 2, including a 3 m one, optional
- Slides : One really steep slide
- Season : June to October
The best of canyoning in Haute-Savoie
Powerful waterfalls, jumps and superb abseils
Sporty canyoning in a wonderfully carved gorge: waterfalls up to 23 m to abseil, two jumps and a really fun slide. Such a great escape!
Among the green mountain pastures lies this impressive gorge. A first, beautifully narrow section brings you right into the action with a 3 m jump and some fairly easy first abseils.
Then comes a deep hanging pool with a steep slide and another jump. Look over the edge: below, a 23 m waterfall awaits, the first of the three Belle au Bois (“Sleeping Beauty”) waterfalls. A grand finale with spectacular abseils.
Belle au Bois is a sporty trip for fit participants, but no experience is needed!
How it goes
- Meet at Mont d’ArboisYou meet your guide and the OXO van at a car park in Mont d’Arbois, above Megève, then drive 2 more km to the canyon.
- Gear up and approach walkWe gear up at the canyon car park, then a short walk leads to the gorge. Allow about an hour in total to gear up and change back.
- The first sectionA beautifully narrow gorge: a 3 m jump and some fairly easy first abseils.
- The finaleThe hanging pool and its slide, another jump, then the three big Belle au Bois waterfalls to abseil, the first one 23 m high.
- A good half-dayAbout 2 h of activity. Two time slots: 9 am to 12 pm or 2 pm to 5 pm. Timing depends on the group size, the pace of the less sporty, how busy the river is and the water level: keep an hour of margin for the rest of your day.
Gear
Provided by OXO
- Full 5 mm hooded neoprene wetsuit
- 3 mm neoprene socks
- Canyon harness with safety lanyards and abseiling device
- Helmet
Wetsuits and socks are looked after, renewed very regularly and cleaned after each use with a bactericidal and fungicidal product.
To bring
- Swimsuit (shorts are fine), worn on arrival
- A towel to dry off and change out of sight
- A strap for your glasses if needed
- Sports shoes that can get wet, and a spare pair
Ideal: lace-up shoes with non-slip soles.
OK: old worn-out shoes, sturdy high-top hiking boots, velcro sandals with a good sole.
Not possible: water shoes and booties with soft neoprene soles, sandals and flip-flops with a toe strap.
Shoe rental in your size: €5 per person, to book the day before at the latest.
Meeting point
Mont d’Arbois car park, Megève
Mont d’Arbois, 2811 route Edmond de Rothschild, 74120 Megève. Just above Megève, you meet your guide and the OXO van at an easy-to-find car park. You then drive 2 more km to the canyon.
Chamonix: 45 min · Saint-Gervais: 20 min.
You need to drive there. The meeting point is sent to you again by email when you book.
No car? Public transport does not offer easy access to Belle au Bois. The Barberine canyon, however, is very easy to reach with the free Mont Blanc Express train: let us know and we will explain how to join us.
No toilets on site: go before you leave.
Photos & video
Waterproof GoPro camera + SD card: €20. Book it with your trip and leave with the SD card to keep your team’s exploits.
- Your own camera is welcome if it is waterproof (check it before you go); non-waterproof devices are not allowed
- Several of our helmets have a GoPro mount (female rail)
- Bring a wrist strap or a mount
- Selfie sticks are forbidden: they can be dangerous
Frequently asked questions
What fitness level?
Belle au Bois is for participants in good physical shape. No experience needed, but you must not be too scared of heights.
The river has a fairly strong flow: you must be comfortable in the water.
I’m scared: are there any mandatory jumps or passages?
No jump is mandatory in the Belle au Bois canyon. The abseils, however, are: you can ask your guide to lower you on the rope, but you must be ready to go down a waterfall of about 15 m.
Where do we change?
There is no OXO base by the river: we change in the canyon car park. It is a quiet place, but we change outdoors! Wear your swimsuit under your clothes and go to the toilet before you leave, there are none on site.
What do we do with our valuables?
Leave them in the car… or, better, at your accommodation.
Glasses and contact lenses: is it possible?
Yes. A well-adjusted strap normally keeps your glasses safe; otherwise, the safest option is to take them off before jumps and slides and slip them into your zipped jacket.
Contact lenses are fine too, as long as you close your eyes tightly when jumping into the water.
What if it rains?
We constantly monitor past and forecast rainfall to know whether we can go into the Belle au Bois canyon: the water flow can become too high.
In that case, why not switch to the Barberine canyon? Located below a dam, its flow stays almost unchanged in the rain.
Can someone follow the group on foot?
The canyon is very narrow and cannot be followed on foot. Your guide will gladly explain how to reach the viewpoint where you can watch the team abseil down the last two waterfalls, the ones that give the Belle au Bois canyon its name.
