Title: Historical hike
Location: Franches-Montagnes
Link out: Click here
Description: A 3-hour easy guided hike, followed by a slide presentation.
Date: 2010-02-07
Title: Castle hopping/hike
Location: Nyon, Prangins and more
Link out: Click here
Description: Spend the day seeing the castles in beautiful Vaud. An 8-km hike and tour that takes approximately 4.5 hours.
Date: 2010-02-27
Swiss Alps: a fine day ahead
Swiss sheep, canton Valais, May 2009, before a summer on top of the mountain
Update 09:00 Saturday 10 October Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The warmest October day since 1910 was a treat earlier this week, with temperatures staying above 10C even at night and rising to 30C (Meteoswiss explains why, in French).
Good weather ahead in the Lake Geneva region
A day of rain in the Lake Geneva area Thursday cooled things down and the leaves have begun to fall, but the weekend promises a good dose of fine weather, mixed with occasional showers. At 09:00 Saturday morning it is raining everywhere in Switzerland, it appears, but the forecasters are still promising it will mostly disappear and we’ll have sunshine: have faith!
It’s relatively warm, with temperatures rising to 18C, perfect for outdoor markets, planting new wild grasses, just reading a suspenseful novel in a sunny spot, cooking up a storm with seasonal foods, or hiking through the vineyards.
What’s on in Geneva and Lausanne, the rest of the region
Sunday is Expat Expo in Geneva, the second of the region’s two big fairs with exhibitors and more, for the English-speaking population. Head out of town, under two hours from Geneva, to watch the sheep come down from the high alps, in Champéry Saturday morning. Head for the circus Saturday night: the famous Swiss Knie circus has started its 2009 programme on the lakefront in Lausanne.
Be sure to check the GenevaLunch events pages for what’s on throughout the region (click on a date on the calendar to see full display).
Title: Hiking under the lights of the vineyard
Location: Corcelles-pres-Concise (foot of the Jura, near Yverdon)
Link out: Click here
Description: A guided tour of vineyards near Yverdon, accompanied by tales of legends of the region and wine tasting. CHF15
Date: 08 Oct 2009
Title: Guided tour through the Salt valley
Location: Bex, Vaud
Link out: Click here
Description: A 3.5-hour guided hike to discover the “salt of life” trail in Canton Vaud.
Date: 26 Sep 2009
Title: Lausanne walking day
Location: Lausanne, Vaud
Link out: Click here
Description: A day dedicated to the art of walking and Nordic walking for everyone in the family.
Date: 13 Sep 2009
Title: Historical hike around Lake Geneva
Location: Nyon-Prangins, Vaud
Link out: Click here
Description: Discover how Lake Geneva has helped develop the Nyons and Prangins region. A guided historical hike for all!
For more info: +41 (0) 22 365 66 00.
Start Date: 12 Sep 2009
End Date: 13 Sep 2009
Title: Guided tour through the Salt valley
Location: Bex, Vaud
Link out: Click here
Description: A 3.5-hour guided hike to discover the “salt of life” in Canton Vaud.
Date: 29 Aug 2009
Title: Historical hike (songs included)
Location: Yverdon, Vaud
Link out: Click here
Description: A historical hike of Yverdon, with a guide dressed in costume and… singing. (German singing available by request).
Sponsored by the Association of Swiss-Patrimony Guides and Interpreters (Asgip).
Date: 30 Aug 2009
Title: Evening hike: searching for Alpine rocks in the Jura
Location: Burtigny, Vaud
Link out: Click here
Description: Evening hike searching for Burtigny rocks -Alpine rocks- in the Jura.
Date: 05 Aug 2009
Title: Moonlight hikes around Switzerland
Location: various venues
Link out: Click here
Description: Suisse Rando, the Swiss hikers association is organizing a series of hikes by moonlight with different levels of difficulty.
Date: 4-5 July 2009 (several during the year)
Title: Hiking under the moon
Location: Corcelles-pres-Concise (foot of the Jura, near Yverdon)
Link out: Click here
Description: A guided tour of vineyards near Yverdon, accompanied by tales of legends of the region and wine tasting. CHF15
Date: 09 Jul 2009
Title: Hiking under the lights of the vineyard
Location: Corcelles-pres-Concise (foot of the Jura, near Yverdon)
Description: A guided tour of vineyards near Yverdon, accompanied by tales of legends of the region and wine tasting. CHF15
Date: 04 Jun 2009
Title: Historical hike (songs included)
Location: Yverdon, Vaud
Link out: Click here
Description: A historical hike of Yverdon, with a guide dressed in costume and… singing. (German singing available by request).
Sponsored by the Association of Swiss-Patrimony Guides and Interpreters (Asgip).
Date: 31 May 2009
Title: Hiking expo
Location: Villars, Vaud
Link out: Click here
Description: A day to find out all about hiking in Switzerland, and in particular, in Canton Vaud. In-site registration for family hikes. In addition there will be films, conferences and exhibitors – all in one place-.
Start Date: 29 May 2009
End Date: 31 May 2009
Title: Historical hike (songs included)
Location: Yverdon, Vaud
Link out: Click here
Description: A historical hike of Yverdon, with a guide dressed in costume and… singing. (German singing available by request).
Sponsored by the Association of Swiss-Patrimony Guides and Interpreters (Asgip).
Date: 17 May 2009
Ski season has ended for most people and with it our Friday ski and snow reports have been put away until next winter. The great thing about the Lake Geneva region is that you can end winter and step straight into the next season (label it summer or spring, depending on what you’re used to back home) without missing a beat. The options are particularly wonderful this weekend:
Indoors
You can start by catching up on features and interviews or and cartoons (search, top right box, for “Chappatte”) you might have missed on GenevaLunch. We’ve added the start of an album of photos from Nyon, a beautiful town, to which we will be adding images during the year. Better yet, get outdoors and visit Nyon for the film festival (see below)!
New food blog
We have a new blogger, Jonell Galloway, who after three guest blog posts has been given her own space to write up a storm about the great food options in the region, from restaurants to her own (excellent) kitchen to markets. A cooking school teacher and food guide writer for many years in France before moving to Geneva, Jonell is a pro on many levels. Read her mouthwatering description of the Italian specials on offer at the Richemond hotel’s Sapori restaurant, and the beautiful wines to accompany your meal, on her Rambling Epicure blog.
We’ve just posted a thoughtful guest blog by international marketing specialist Ago Cluytens on the importance of being trustworthy and dependable, in business but also in the rest of our lives.
Editor Ellen Wallace has just written about primeur wines in Bordeaux on her Among the vines wine blog and a flurry of wine stories is coming up, about Beaujolais, Graubuenden and Ticino winemakers, among other subjects. We will be running a special feature Friday night or Saturday morning on the winemakers from Beaujolais who are the special guests at the Morges Arvinis wine fair, which runs until Monday night 27 April.
On the reading front, pay a visit to the Library in English booksale, on Friday and Saturday in Geneva.
Nyon film festival, Visions du Réel
Nyon lakefront park, below the Roman ruins, 24 April 2009
Usine a gaz, film festival centre, Nyon
This annual documentary festival is growing in popularity, with good reason: there are nearly 50 films in the international category this year, with dozens more films in other categories, including an interesting selection of new filmmaker offerings.
Morges, Arvinis wine fair
This spring wine season opener brings together well over 150 winemakers, some international, most Swiss, with a preponderance of local producers: an excellent way to learn about Swiss wine. For CHF20 you get a glass, sample the producer’s wines and talk to them about what they do. There is no shortage of English speakers.
Outdoors
An easy outing is the Morges tulip festival on the lakefront, a comfortable stroll and excellent destination if you have elderly visitors. The flowers are now blooming well. Combine this with Arvinis, but remember that the tulips like sunlight and the wine sampling is often better done later in the day.
Jura wildflowers, 24 April 2009 (photo, Shirley Curran)
wild daffodils, Jura
Lausanne’s Carnaval is a lively event, much of it happening in the streets: check out details and other events on our GenevaLunch events pages.
Your best bet might be to go up to the Jura, on foot, on bicycle or by car or bike. Shirley Curran, our book reviewer and ski reporter, says it was fantastic Friday afternoon. “The wild daffodils are in full bloom and superb. What’s more, there isn’t a soul up there – no chamois or wild boars or anything else yet!”
Her photos are the proof. Head for the hills!
Click on image to view larger
Title: Tastes of the Saleve
Link out: Click here
Description: A hike up the Saleve, lunch and a visit to the Maison de Saleve.
A good way to spend a Sunday working out and getting to know the area a bit better.
Date: 03 May 2009
Title: Hiking under the lights of the vineyard
Location: Corcelles-pres-Concise (foot of the Jura, near Yverdon)
Link out: Click here
Description: A guided tour of vineyards near Yverdon, accompanied by tales of legends of the region and wine tasting. CHF15
Date: 07 May 2009
Title: Intergenerational hike, Chenes Forest
Location: Vich, Vaud
Link out: Click here
Description: A 5-km hike geared towards grandparents (or uncles, ants, godparents, etc.) and children. A full afternoon of exploring and sharing. Sponsored by the Association of Swiss-Patrimony Guides and Interpreters.
Date: 13 May 2009
Title: Hike through the Vieille-Thielle natural reserve park
Location: Vieille-Thielle, NE
Link out: Click here
Description: A 5-km easy hike through the Vieille-Thielle natural reserve near Cressier in Canton Neuchatel.
Date: 04 Apr 2009
Swiss forest
Appenzell, Switzerland (Independent, UK and International Herald Tribune)- The popularity of hiking in the buff has caught on in the canton of Appenzell, if you believe international media, but not necessarily with support from the local population. Swiss and foreign hikers alike continue to take advantage of the fact that no law currently exists forbidding being naked in public, says the New York Times, whose story, also a feature in the International Herald Tribune, ran around the web like wildfire 17 March. Not so, according to a January report in Britain’s The Independent, which warns wannabe nude hikers that they now risk a CHF200 fine.
Title: Snowshoeing the Bassachaux-Chablais Pass
Location: Meeting point: Carouge
Link out: Click here
Description: Snowshoe, hike the Abondance Valley right to the Bassachaux-Chablais Pass a 4-hour long activity for those who seek the last of the snow.
Date: 05 Apr 2009
Title: Hike and bird watching, Chenes natural reserve park
Location: Meeting point: Morges, Vaud
Link out: Click here
Description: The Ornithological society invites those interested in the outdoors and in wildlife to hike and find a “Huppe”, a bird found in the Lake Geneva region.
Date: 19 Apr 2009
Title: Evening hike: searching for Alpine rocks in the Jura
Location: Burtigny, Vaud
Link out: Click here
Description: A three hour evening hike searching for Alpine rocks, known as Burtigny rocks, in the Jura.
Date: 11 Mar 2009
