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L'Arve
Kayak spot · France
Whitewater: a river with rapids
Is it worth the trip?
59Fair out of 100 for your dates
Best on Mon 9: Wind 2 kn gusting 8, Air 12 °C, River levels: no free forecast gives them, so check a gauge before you go
Tue 3 · 54 out of 100
- Wind
- 4 kn
- Gusts
- 11kn
- Air
- 7°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Wed 4 · 55 out of 100
- Wind
- 3 kn
- Gusts
- 11kn
- Air
- 8°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Thu 5 · 60 out of 100
- Wind
- 3 kn
- Gusts
- 9kn
- Air
- 10°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Fri 6 · 54 out of 100
- Wind
- 1 kn
- Gusts
- 5kn
- Air
- 8°C
- Rain
- 3.9 mm
Sat 7 · 60 out of 100
- Wind
- 4 kn
- Gusts
- 10kn
- Air
- 10°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Sun 8 · 57 out of 100
- Wind
- 2 kn
- Gusts
- 8kn
- Air
- 10°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Mon 9 · 63 out of 100
- Wind
- 2 kn
- Gusts
- 8kn
- Air
- 12°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Tap a day for wind, gusts, air and rain. Full forecast
Forecast: next 10 days
Full forecast- Mon 251, fair
- Tue 354, fair
- Wed 455, fair
- Thu 560, good
- Fri 654, fair
- Sat 760, good
- Sun 857, fair
- Mon 963, good
- Tue 1066, good
- Wed 1164, good
The spot in four facts
- Grade IIits hardest rapid III
- Moving waterthe water
- 7.2 kmthe section
- Best Jun–Sep7 good days in 7
Full forecast
every day, every number
The score doesn't know the river level, weirs or your skill.
| Day | Score | Wind | Gusts | Air | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 2Nov | 51, fair | 6 kn | 15kn | 6°C | 0 mm |
| Tue 3Nov | 54, fair | 4 kn | 11kn | 7°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 4Nov | 55, fair | 3 kn | 11kn | 8°C | 0 mm |
| Thu 5Nov | 60, good | 3 kn | 9kn | 10°C | 0 mm |
| Fri 6Nov | 54, fair | 1 kn | 5kn | 8°C | 3.9 mm |
| Sat 7Nov | 60, good | 4 kn | 10kn | 10°C | 0 mm |
| Sun 8Nov | 57, fair | 2 kn | 8kn | 10°C | 0 mm |
| Mon 9Nov | 63, good | 2 kn | 8kn | 12°C | 0 mm |
| Tue 10Nov | 66, good | 3 kn | 9kn | 13°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 11Nov | 64, good | 2 kn | 5kn | 13°C | 3.3 mm |
Wind and gusts are in knots, rain in mm. River levels: no free forecast gives them, so check a gauge before you go. More
Forecast updated . It refreshes every three hours. Forecast data: ECMWF, DWD, Météo-France and NOAA, served by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0). Changed by us. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information.
Best time to go
best Jun–Sep
Good kayaking days in a typical week, each month, for grade III paddlers, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan0of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Jan
- Feb1of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Feb
- Mar3of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Mar
- Apr5of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Apr
- May6of 7: a trip from Sat 1 May
- Jun7of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Jun
- Jul7of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Jul
- Aug7of 7: a trip from Sat 7 Aug
- Sep7of 7: a trip from Sat 4 Sept
- Oct5of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Oct
- Nov1of 7: a trip from Tue 3 Nov
- Dec0of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Dec
Tap a month to see this spot for a trip then.
Typical weather, not a forecast, and not the river's level: a month that is often good to be outside may still be low water.
Map
put-in, take-out, its town
L'Arve on Google Maps · Directions
Each place wears its best day on these dates: green good, amber fair, pale red poor, as the key says.
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More kayaking near here
1 place
- L'Arve 5.3 km away
About
the place in full, sources, credits
About L'Arve
A river section on the L'Arve, from a put-in down to a take-out. Grade II, its hardest rapid III, on the international scale. It runs 7.2 km along the river. Suits new paddlers and up, by its grade. None within 10 km, the nearest 10 km away. For grade III paddlers the best months are usually June, July, August and September, with about 7 good days in 7; in January and December, about 0. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Bonneville. Within 5 km we also list 1 kayak spot and 1 climbing area.
- River L'Arve
- Grade Grade II, its hardest rapid III, on the international scale.
- Length 7.2 km along the river.
- Who it suits Suits new paddlers and up, by its grade.
- Access No source states the access rules: check locally.
- Schools, hire None within 10 km, the nearest 10 km away.
Spots and rivers: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Whitewater sections © Rivermap (rivermap.org), Riverzone and Jonathan Riddell, ODbL.
The score is the conditions only: the journey, the price and the partners never change it (how we score, how we earn).
Rough cost (estimate): about US$1,350–US$2,530 each
about US$1,350–US$2,530 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: flights, taxi, stay, food, kayak hire.
Our estimate from typical public prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book (where they come from). Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 2 November 2026.
How we worked it out
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to GVA, estimated from distance and season, changing at CDG, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | about US$490–US$1,010 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | about US$60–US$101 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | about US$329–US$543 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | about US$315–US$584 |
| Kayak hire | 5 days, or about US$114 to fly your own | about US$154–US$289 |
| Total | about US$1,350–US$2,530 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: Bonneville
Ad Links marked Ad may pay us if you book. You pay the same, and they never change a score. How we earn
11 min by car · 7 places to stay
about US$121/nightcountry average
About Bonneville its beds, food and every spot near it
About US$121 a night is our estimate of the country's average 2-star double room that month: not each town's price, and not a quote. Drives are estimates. Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 2 November 2026.
Getting there: about 17h 25m
About 17h 25m door to door from Chicago
Fly ORD → GVA, changing at Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG), then 45 min by road
Flights ORD → GVA on your dates · AviasalesAdeSIM for your phone · Search on AiraloAd
An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.
On the water
Kayak trips and courses in Bonneville · GetYourGuideKayak hire in Bonneville · GetYourGuide
River level
River levels: no free forecast gives them, so check a gauge before you go.
Paddling schools, clubs and hire nearby
Canoë Kayak Club d'Annemasse 10 km
Base Nautique de Sciez 25 km
The nearest named schools, clubs and kayak or canoe hire within 25 km, in a straight line. Listings, not a recommendation. Schools, clubs and hire: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Credits