About us
Discover Orienteering with the CERN Orienteering Club
Orienteering is an outdoor sport that combines navigation and adventure in nature. Using a detailed map and sometimes a compass, participants find a series of checkpoints in the correct order, choosing their own route through forests, parks, or urban areas. You can run or walk — the challenge is in reading the map and navigating the terrain.
The Orienteering Club CERN Geneva (CO CERN Genève) has been active since the early 1990s and brings together around 50 members from both sides of the French–Swiss border. Despite the name, you do not need to work at CERN to join — the club is open to everyone interested in discovering or practising orienteering.
Throughout the year, we organise training sessions, public races, and beginner-friendly events, and we collaborate with other clubs in Switzerland and France. Our members also take part in larger competitions and help create and update detailed orienteering maps of the region.
Whether you are looking for a fun outdoor activity, a navigation challenge, or a way to explore local forests and parks, orienteering is accessible to all ages and fitness levels.
New members and beginners are always welcome — come and try it!
Upcoming events
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Free Introduction to Orienteering – 14 March
Cabane des Bûcherons, Chem. des Communs, Versoix, CHInvitation: Free Introduction to Orienteering – 14 March
SIGN UP HERE (no attendee limit)Orienteering Club CERN is organising a free introductory course for beginners on Saturday, 14 March 2026, in Versoix (Bois des Douves).
Have you ever wanted to learn land navigation?
Do you know nothing about orienteering but would like to try it?Orienteering is an outdoor sport where participants navigate through terrain using detailed maps and a compass to find checkpoints in the correct order. It combines map reading, navigation, and running or walking in nature, and it is suitable for all ages and fitness levels.
During this session, our club members will introduce the basics of orienteering, including:
- understanding the map symbols and legends
- how to hold and orient the map
- how to use a compass (available to borrow on site if you don’t have one)
- how to follow a route and find checkpointsAfter the introduction, you will be able to try a short course in a safe and friendly environment.
The event will be mainly in French, but everyone is welcome, and we will translate if needed.
To make sure we print enough maps, registration is required.
Please sign up before Wednesday, 11 March at 20:00 using the link in the document available on the website SIGN UP HERE.You can come alone, with friends, or with family - beginners are very welcome!
The organizers decline all responsibility in case of accident.
1 attendee