Freestone · Limestone · Alps / Haute-Savoie

Giffre

A wide, stony braided river channel with turquoise water flowing past forested slopes and snow-covered Alpine peaks near Samoëns, France.
Contributor photo

Le Giffre @ Samoëns

Guilhem Vellut - CC BY 2.0

Major Haute-Savoie mountain river system.

Good · Brown Trout
Small Perdigón · 16-20
Goodlive now
A proper day on the water
Low and clear — careful approach country. Stay small, stay accurate.
75% confidence
What moved it
  • LevelDry recentlyNo gauge reading
  • Water temp15.0°C
  • ClarityClear
Today’s fly
Small Perdigón
Small Perdigón16-20
Euro-nymph
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Level
Dry recently
No gauge reading
Water temp15.0°C
ClarityClear
Weather14°C
WindE 5 km/h
Pressure1019 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead18.5 mm

No gauge on this water — readings are regional estimates from weather, not a live gauge.

Water temperature for brown trout
Ideal
15°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for brown trout
When
Through the open trout season — late spring through autumn. The Giffre is glacial-influenced from Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval; fishes after snowmelt drops.
Where
Pool tails and pocket water through the Haute-Savoie valley. Alpine freestone — fast pockets, undercut banks.
Method
Upstream dry to risers; dry-dropper through the riffles. The water reads clear — long leader, fine tippet. Move slowly, cast accurately.
Kit
9 ft #4 — French freestone default. Floating line, 12 ft leader to 4 to 5 lb fluoro. Studded boots.
Why this works
Good — water temperature is working for you, but time of day is the limiting factor today.
Hatch timeline · todayQuiet day

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 6 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.

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Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

See the full sub-surface read with Pro.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 2 with Pro.

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Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalModerate confidence

Backed by regional invertebrate surveys; no sampling on this exact reach yet.

Through the year
0–3 scale · July highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Grayling seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
1
Alpine RhithrogenaHatch
2
3
3
2
Sculpin / Baitfish (Rivers)Hatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
March BrownHatch
2
3
2
Large StoneflyHatch
2
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Brown Trout fly box
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Carte de pêche AAPPMA alpine
  • Remise à l'eau encouragée.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
Arve
15 km
Brown trout
Lac Léman (French side)
31 km
Brown trout · Char
Nom
33 km
38
Brown trout
Arly
41 km
Brown trout
Borne
42 km
Brown trout · Grayling
Gallery · 2
  1. A wide, stony braided river channel with turquoise water flowing past forested slopes and snow-covered Alpine peaks near Samoëns, France.
    Le Giffre @ Samoëns
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Major Haute-Savoie mountain river system. Lower Giffre at Marignier has productive fishing water accessible by wading. Alpine freestone, snowmelt character. Spring through early summer best when water clears. Technical casting in places. Upper reaches more remote and technical. Check AAPPMA for access details and restrictions.

  • Limestone
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Good
  • Chemical: Unknown

WFD classification · FRDR564A

The full read · show the working · for brown trout · confidence 75%
How the 76 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature100 × 28%28.0
Flow60 × 22%13.2
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time40 × 13%5.2
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity61 × 12%7.3
Conditions total= 76
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitysurvey-backed invertebrate datasurvey
What would change the calculation
The dawn and dusk windows score higher than the midday lull.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout2nd Saturday of March → 3rd Sunday of September
  • Grayling3rd Saturday of May → 3rd Sunday of September

    France national rule: grayling opens 3rd Saturday of May in all waters. In 1st category (salmonid) rivers, grayling closes with the trout season on the 3rd Sunday of September. Departmental regulations may impose additional restrictions. Always check the relevant département's 2026 arrêté préfectoral.

Related guides
Grayling Playbookgrayling tacticsPyrenees PlaybookFrench riversEuro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts