Pointe de Nyon, Mountain summit in Haute-Savoie, France.
Pointe de Nyon is a mountain summit in the Chablais Alps reaching 2,019 meters and offers sweeping views across surrounding mountain ranges. It serves as a popular site for free flight enthusiasts who take advantage of the reliable air currents here.
The sources record no military or strategic role for Pointe de Nyon; the summit's documented history is its naming. According to Jean-Philippe Buord and Cyriel Souvy, "Nyon" derives from the Latin noviodunum, "new fortress", referring to an ancient Celtic settlement thought to have stood on the plateau. A chairlift was later built on its slopes, giving access to the summit in winter and summer.
The name Nyon is traced by Jean-Philippe Buord and Cyriel Souvy to the Latin noviodunum, "new fortress", referring to a Celtic settlement thought to have stood on the plateau. The north slope holds the Nyon waterfall, reached on foot from the valley below Morzine.
A chairlift runs on the slopes of Pointe de Nyon, giving easy access to the summit in both winter and summer. The north side of the mountain holds the Nyon waterfall, reached on foot from the surrounding slopes.
The summit enjoys consistently stable air currents that make it one of the preferred destinations for hang gliders across the French Alps. Many pilots specifically choose this site for its reliable conditions that allow for extended flights.
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