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.
Prime · Brown Trout
Small Perdigón · 16-20
New ruleReported 1 Aug 2026

Severe drought restrictions (crise) in force

The Dranses zone (Dept 74) is at crise — the second-highest French drought tier — under a préfectoral arrêté. Fishing itself is not named as prohibited, but water is severely restricted and flows are likely very low; fish with care and check locally.

Arrêté préfectoral n°37507 ↗

Temporary notices from official orders and recent fishery reports — they clear automatically once out of date. Always confirm locally before travelling.

Primelive now
About as good as it gets
River dropping into shape after a lift. The kind of afternoon you remember — a weighted nymph through the clearing seams, the dry as it settles.
90% confidence
What moved it
  • Level0.24 mDropping after lift
  • Water temp11.7°C
  • ClarityClear
Today's fly
Small Perdigón
Small Perdigón16-20
Euro-nymph
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
0.24 m
Dropping after lift
Water temp11.7°C
ClarityClear
Weather13°C
WindE 4 km/h
Pressure1020 hPa
Rain · recent0.1 mm
Rain · ahead4.2 mm

The nearest gauge doesn't record temperatures, so we've estimated it — defer to the river keeper's advice.

Water temperature for Brown Trout
Ideal
12°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
Excellent — water temperature is right today, though time of day could be better.
Likely species
Mayflies
  • Blue-winged oliveMost likely
    #16–18 · Dun
    Duns are up; a sherry spinner fall may follow.
  • Anglers curse mayfliesAlso possibleLower confidence
    #20–22 · Spinner
    Go tiny: 20-22 spent spinner, single fly, long tippet.
  • Green drakeAlso possibleLower confidence
    #8–10 · Dun
    Duns are up — the Spent Gnat spinners fall at dusk.
Hatch timeline · todayQuiet day

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 9 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.

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Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 4 guilds 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 · August 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.
  • Alpine AAPPMA permits
  • Catch-and-release encouraged.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
Pisciculture des Meuniers
4.0 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout · Char
Arve
15 km
Brown trout
Lac Léman (French side)
31 km
Brown trout · Char
Nom
33 km
30
Brown trout
Arly
41 km
30
Brown trout
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
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Good
  • Chemical: Unknown

WFD classification · FRDR564A

The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 90%
How the 83 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature100 × 28%28.0
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time55 × 13%7.2
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity66 × 12%7.9
Conditions total= 83
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
  • Trout 2nd Saturday of March → 3rd Sunday of September
  • Grayling 3rd 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
Clubs & associations