LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND – A 62-year-old man died Monday afternoon following an accident at the Montreux exit of the A1 autoroute in the direction of Villeneuve. The driver lost control of his car for reasons that are not yet clear, say Vaud police. The car hit the exit sign after swerving on the road and the motor was thrown 50m as a result of the impact.
Rescue workers spent nearly 1.5 hours freeing the man from the car, during which time an emergency doctor treated him, before he was taken to a local hospital, then to the Chuv, where he later died.
The autoroute exit was closed until 13.40.
Earlier in the day a serious accident involving three vehicles created a traffic jam of several km in the other direction, shortly after the Blecherette exit.
The snow is gone, the weather is warm - time to repair the road surface! Photo: Montreux-Roche rest stop on the A9, with beautiful views of the Alps
BERN, SWITZERLAND – The spring season for roadworks is about to open, with the Swiss federal government spending CHF2.1 billion this year on national roads, CHF1.3b of which goes for road maintenance.
An additional CHF90 million is being spent to reduce traffic jams in two areas, Zoug (Blegi-Rütihof) and the Härkingen-Wiggertal stretch in eastern Switzerland (A1/A2).
The A9 Montreux-Roche area will be one of those afffected by maintenance, with the Chillon viaducts under repair (details on GenevaLunch once the highway department posts them).
The others are:
- A1 Zurich Est-Effretikon (ZH)
- A5 Colombier-Cornaux (NE)
- A13, replacement of the surface, Thusis Sud-Isla Bella (GR).
Drunk driver left scene of Montreux-Vevey accident; 78-year-old woman killed
LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND – A 78-year-old woman died in hospital Saturday night 21 January shortly after an accident at 22:00 on the A9 autoroute between Vevey and Montreux, in the direction of Vileneuve. The lake side of the road was closed to traffic until 07:15 Sunday for the investigation.
The driver of the second car noticed the car ahead of him too late and despite braking hard he rear-ended the car violently, say canton Vaud police. The two cars ended up crosswise on the highway.
The victim, who lived in north Vaud, was driving a gray Toyota wagon, and police are looking for witnesses or anyone with information, in particular drivers who may have passed her car. She was taken to the Chuv university hospitals, where she died.
The man who crashed into her car is 26 years old, Portuguese and his driver’s license was already suspended. He fled the scene of the accident but turned himself in later. His alcohol level was measured at 1.08.
Anyone with information is asked to go to the nearest police station or to phone +41 21 644 4444.
MONTREUX, SWITZERLAND – Police Monday evening issued their full report on security and crimes during the Montreux Jazz Festival, following an earlier report on the last weekend of the hugely popular Festival which ended on a sour note, with 21 people detained by police in separate incidents between Friday evening and Sunday morning, 15-17 July.
The report calls the security situation “worrying”, despite a well-coordinated policing and safety effort that included cantonal police, the Riviera city police group, criminal police responsible for arresting those caught committing a crime, highway patrol teams from the region, firefighters, emergency crews and private security firms. The festival was faced with a level of violence not seen before.
Security forces and local retailers noted a trend towards younger people buying hard alcohol and taking it into the festival, where they got very drunk, say police, “and where the mob mentality [went] to work, with a bump or a look taken amiss and used as the excuse for a fight”, with police and security guards often the first target.
Police registered some 100 complaints during the festival and they arrested 100 people, 52 of them for drug abuse. They seized 292.5 gr of marijuana, 9 gr of hash, 5.5 gr of cocaine, 0.5 gr of crack, 3.5 gr of amphetamines, 112 Ecstasy pills and 20 ml of GHB.
Security staff parked 47, 600 cars, 1,400 more than in 2010. Firefighterse, who put in 1,000 hours of service during the festival, notably put out the fire from a stand near the Miles Davis Hall, caused by a faulty gas cannister installation.
Fights and violence most worrisome aspect
The most serious early sign of violence came at about 02:00 Saturday 9 July when two groups got into a fight and a man who was not involved in the fight was knifed in the stomach. He was taken to Montreux Hospital where he had eight stitches. He filed charges and the person who attacked him was identified and turned over to to the public attorney after a hearing.
The violence the last two nights took place mainly in the Montreux Jazz Café, where several groups, clearly under the influence of alcohol, went after private security guards and then the police who brought reinforcements. At one point Saturday police were faced with 300 rioters throwing stones, bottles, chairs, parts broken off cars. Several members of the security forces were injured, with the most serious a police officer who was hospitalized and who received 13 stitches to the forehead and head.
Bicycles and motorcycles parked in the area were heavily damaged, and other property was damaged.
Eleven people, including two minors, were detained between Friday and Saturday morning, Ten more people were held by police between Saturday evening and Sunday.
Police are asking witnesses to phone +41 (0) 21 644 4444.
Organizers say the festival drew in excess of 230,000 people this year.
Lausanne at dusk, viewed from Lake Geneva: growing number of foreigners live in the city, its suburbs
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Geneva, with its international organizations and United Nations European seat is not likely to lose its reputation as Switzerland’s international city, but Lausanne has been creeping up on it as an international centre. From 2008 to 2010 the resident foreigners’ share of the total population in the capital of Vaud was higher than that in Geneva, and growing faster.
Figures published Monday 30 May by Badac, the Swiss cantons and cities database, show that Lausanne has had a larger percentage of foreigners than Geneva in recent years, although the two are close: Lausanne’s population in 2010 was 39.24 percent foreigners while Geneva’s was 38.58 percent, but while the increase in the foreign population in Geneva was .95 percent, Lausanne’s was 1.22 percent.
The figures take into account only the cities themselves, not their larger urban areas. Geneva’s population in 2010 was 185,958 and Lausanne’s was 125,885.
Smaller cities in the Lake Geneva region, such as some suburbs of Lausanne and Geneva, have even higher percentages of foreigners, including some of the highest rates in Switzerland: Montreux, 44.33 percent foreigners, Meyrin 33.99, Carouge 36.97, Renens 50.85, Nyon 36.39, Vevey 43.38, Morges 33.17, Versoix 33.20, Grand-Saconnex 28.40, Ecublens 43.03, Chêne-Bougeries 29.68.
Spreitenbach (50.74 percent), northwest of Zurich, and Renens (50.85), west of Lausanne, have a majority of foreigners; they are the only two Swiss cities over 10,000 where resident foreigners make up more than 50 percent of the population.
Missing: Gilles Cavin, Montreux, age 26
Lausanne, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Police in Vaud are asking for the public to help locate a 26-year-old man who has been missing since 5 April from his home in Montreux.
He is 172 cm tall, of average build, with short blond hair and blue eyes.
Anyone who has seen him or who has information is asked to contact the police by telephone at 021 644 4444 or go to the nearest police station.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Let is snow, let it snow, preferably on our turf! Frankfurt and Paris were snowed in, but the sad news for skiers in Switzerland 10 December is that the snow that fell last week in the Jura has turned to mud, and the Alpine ski resorts are still waiting for the big snowfalls to arrive. You have a few more days to continue your pre-season warmup exercises and to reflect on safety on the slopes.
Weather forecast
Sun today! The first village house to get warm rays, canton Vaud 9 December
Temperatures are expected to go no higher than 2C throughout the Lake Geneva region this weekend, with sunshine alternating with partly cloudy skies. Expect resorts in Valais to have the same weather, but if you are longing to get warm, head for Ticino, where temperatures will reach 15C.
Alpine and Jura resorts updates
Shirley Curran writes from the Jura resorts area that “sadly, after last Saturday’s memorable start to our ski season where we were skiing with feather-light powder up to our knees, not a cloud in the sky and no crowds, this week’s torrential downpours and high winds have blown or washed away most of the Jura snow. The lifts will not be operating this weekend. However, they will be running every day from 18 December. You can keep up to date with information and webcams at montsjura.com.”
Several resorts in the Alps are offering reduced fares and special family offers. Sierre-Anniviers, which groups together several medium-sized resorts above the lakeside town of Sierre, including family-friendly Zinal and Vercorin, has a new special deal for parents. It allows a couple to share one ski-pass, for parents who are alternating taking care of children. It’s valid only in low season, basically January and March, but offers a good practical solution for many couples with small children or babies.
Anzere has a very good deal for this weekend, 11-12 December: CHF10 for kids and CHF20 for adults for a day pass, or CHF15/20 for two days, well below the season day pass price of CHF47. Slopes open for the season 17 December. Children up to age six are free and families of four get a 10 percent discount.
Verbier has put together an information page on parking and public transport, with useful emergency numbers, part of the effort to encourage skiers to be a bit greener.
On the lakefront, Geneva remembers a glorious moment from its past, and eats chocolate
Morocco's pavillion at the Francophonie summit is serving tea, part of efforts to share the cultural richness of French-speaking countries
Montreux, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Early reports in the 1990s that the number of French speakers in the world was falling have proved wrong, the world summit on Francophonie is hearing, as the event, which officially meets 22-24 October, gets underway with pre-summit sessions starting Wednesday 20 October, in Montreux. The number of French speakers has grown from 200 to 220 million since 2007, a measure of those who speak, read and write the language. If only speakers are measured, the number would appear to be considerably higher, but precise figures are difficult to obtain.
A major concern at the summit, is the sharp fall in the number of students learning French in countries where it is not the first language, for example in Italy and in Algeria, a former colony, reports Le Temps.
Based on the legends of devils and demons from medieval times. Come in disguises or medieval costumes.
From 17:00 to 23:00.
Location: Montreux, Vaud
Link out: http://www.chillon.ch/fr/index-news-1-208%2B~%2…
Date: 15 Oct 2010
Montreux, Switzerland (GenevaLunch.com) – The Montreux Jazz Festival closed its doors Saturday night 17 July with 85 percent of all tickets sold and 23 of 33 main concerts sold out. Film-maker Roman Polanski made his first public appearance since he was freed from house arrest July, to watch his wife perform, Emmanuelle Seigner.
The 2011 jazz festival will run from 1-16 July.
The view from Caux. Photo Caux Forum
Caux, canton Vaud, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The Caux Forum on Human Security brought together three people who each gave their own perspective on the theme of human security in a panel discussion, Saturday 10 July in Caux.
The panellists were Luc Gnacadja, executive secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, Simonetta Sommaruga, a Swiss member of Switzerland’s upper house, and Rahmojan Gandhi, a professor of Asian studies at the University of Illinois, and biographer of his grandfather, Mahatma Gandhi.
Neuchatel, Switzerland (GenevaLunch.com) – A second young man has drowned this week, a 20-year-old, Thursday afternoon 9 July, at the Hauterive port in Neuchatel. He was with a friend, who immediately raised the alert but by the time emergency services arrived it was too late to save the youth, who was from Gampelen in canton Bern.
His is the second accidental death by drowning this week. Monday, Daniel Cho, a cellist with the Regina Spektor band, in town to perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival, died after taking a swim with a friend near the Chateau de Chillon.
The Swiss Safety Council warned at the start of summer that young men are statistically more at risk of drowning than the rest of the population. Forty-six people die from drowning, on average, every year in Switzerland.
Tourists at Montreux this week: Lake Geneva is a popular attraction, in addition to the jazz festival
Montreux, Switzerland (GenevaLunch.com) - An American in his thirties drowned while swimming in Lake Geneva, near the Chillon beach in Montreux Tuesday afternoon 6 July, Vaud police say.
He and a fellow American were swimming together near the Chateau de Chillon, but the friend lost sight of him around 14:00 and an alarm was quickly raised. A 14-man rescue operation recovered his body, 15 metres from the beach, in three metres of water.
An investigation into the death is underway.
The area around Montreux is filled with tourists this week, with the Montreux Jazz Festival running until 17 July.
UPDATE: Regina Spektor announces the death of Daniel Cho during her performance in Switzerland.
Three lanes: now two again, for a month, on the A1 near Morges-Lausanne
Morges, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Prepare for summer traffic jams: the A1 autoroute between Morges Ouest (west) and Lausanne is about to undergo surgery that will last until 25 June. The facelift reduces traffic to two lanes in each direction fom 06:00-20:00 and one lane each way during the night.
The A1 has operated far more smoothly since the start of 2010 when months of roadworks were completed, giving it three lanes in each direction during rush hour. The combination of heavy equipment and a colder than usual winter damaged the surface of the existing lanes, however, and these now need to be removed and the roads re-covered. The highway department notes that even when it appears that there are no workers the lanes are closed for a good reason, as it can take several days for the surface to harden fully.
The new roadworks will add to the headaches of travellers between Morges and Villeneuve, given the heavy roadworks scheduled along the A9 between Lausanne and Villeneuve. Long stretches in each direction have been reduced to a single lane.
Title: Mother’s day brunch at a real castle!
Location: Montreux
Link out: Click here
Description: A hot and cold buffet is offered on Mother’s day at the castle. A children’s workshop will allow moms to take some time off and enjoy their day.
Date: 2010-05-09
Lausanne, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - A woman was killed when several cars hit her on the A9 autoroute Wednesday 10 March, shortly after midnight, near Villeneuve in the direction of Lausanne. Police are asking witnesses to phone them: +41 21 644 44 44.
The woman had a very high alcohol level of 2.40/1,000 when she was taken as a victim to the hospital in Montreux following a domestic incident. Police had been called at 21:30 on the emergency number 117 to an apartment block in Vevey, where a man and woman were fighting; she had slight injuries to one hand and was treated at the Montreux hospital, then released.
Lausanne, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – A major power outage caused by a malfunction at an electric station in Romanel affected much of the Lausanne area Monday evening: the M1, M2 and TL city public transport lines were down and 70 percent of the city is reported to have been without electricity, but details are sketchy at this point (22:00). Police are overwhelmed by phone calls from people trapped in elevators, according to TSR. The power cut appears to have affected Montreux and Neuchatel as well as Lausanne.
Links to other sites: TSR (Fre), 24 Heures (Fre), Lausanne’s electricity, provided by the Services Industriels (Fre)
Title: Montreux Christmas market
Location: Montreux
Link out: Click here
Description: One of the region’s largest, liveliest and most famous Christmas markets has a new feature in 2009: the village of Caux, high above the town of Montreux, is participating. Note that the market ends 24 December this year, rather than the day after Christmas. Consider public transport, as parking can be very tight.
Start Date: 2009-11-26
End Date: 2009-12-24
Title: New Year’s Eve lake cruises
Location: Lake Geneva
Link out: Click here
Description: New Year’s Eve lake cruises from Vevey, Montreux, Le Bouveret, Villeneuve (haut lac), Lausanne, and Geneva with on-board dinner and party. The haut lac cruises will see the Vevey fireworks display.
Adults CHF199, children 10-16 years, CHF99, children 6-9 CHF49, under 6 free. Cruise includes meal, wine, water, tea, coffee and midnight champagne.
Reservations absolutely recommended: Infoline +41 (0)848 811 848 – www.cgn.ch
Check individual ports for exact sailing times. Enjoy! Happy New Year!
Start Time: 19:30
Date: 2009-12-31
Montreux Jazz Festival 2010, by Britto
Montreux, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - The new Montreux Jazz Festival poster is out, with Romero Britto, Brazilian neo-pop artist providing the bright and lively artwork. This is not Britto’s first work for the Festival: some will remember that he did the poster work for the 33rd Montreux Festival in 1999.
His work is energetic, lively and fresh, defined by a harmonious use of colour and space. His style is on the edge between the directness of marketing and the subtlety of fine art. Think of Paul Klee with a spray can.
Update 18 November Zurich, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Anne-Sophie Pic, head chef at the Beau-Rivage Palace Hotel in Lausanne, has been given a prestigious second star by French-based Michelin Red Guides, whose new guide to Switzerland comes out 19 November. The Beau-Rivage is one of only thirteen 2-star restaurants in Switzerland. Pic leads the way for the Lake Geneva region, which continues to boast two of Switzerland’s three three-star restaurants, Philippe Rochat in Crissier, canton Vaud and Le Pont de Brent in Montreux, Vaud.
Swiss restaurants have a total of 101 stars, making it the country with the highest number of starred restaurants per inhabitant.
Michelin’s new guide to Tokyo is also out (it goes on sale in Europe only in February 2010). The city now has the highest number of 3-star restaurants in the world, with three. It also has more stars than any other city, 261, and Michelin refers to it as “world leader in gourmet dining.”
Two other restaurants which currently have one star are in line to receive a second star: Auberge de Floris in Anières, canton Geneva and Homann’s Restaurant in Samnaun, canton Graubuenden.
Michelin gave new single stars to three restaurants in Geneva, awarding them to chefs:
Title: Medieval Feast at the Chateau de Chillon
Location: Chateau de Chillon, Blonay
Link out: Click here
Description: An authentic 8-course medieval meal after a recipe from Guillaume Tirel, who cooked for the 14th century French royal family. With roast wild boar and sage wine. Special menu for under 14s. CHF100/person, CHF20 for kids
Start Time: 11:30
Date: 15 Nov 2009
More information, reservations on 076 491 47 03; or info@amisdechillon.ch
Montreux, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Coordinated international response to a bioterrorist attack was simulated in Montreux 7 and 8 September in an exercise code-named Black Ice II, according to the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs. The exercise simulated an attack resulting in a pneumonic plague epidemic, and tested the institutional response to such an attack in order to better prepare for the real thing.
Title: Gastronomical walk in Lake Geneva
Location: Vevey and Montreux, Vaud
Link out: Click here
Description: The “Gourmande route” is a 5km walk through some of the most popular vineyards in Vevey-Montreux and a taste of the region.
Date: 13 Sep 2009
Title: Swiss National Day
Location: Switzerland
Link out: Click here
Description: Celebrations of the Swiss National Day are usually organized at the municipal or village level.
The most complete listing of celebrations across Switzerland can be found at the official website of the Swiss National Tourist Office. Many events are posted in English but you’ll find more events if you search in French or German.
Find out how the Swiss celebrate it and why in GenevaLunch’s news section.
Enjoy the holiday.
Date: 01 Aug 2009
Paleo Music Festival, near Nyon, Switzerland, a sea of music-lovers
Montreux, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The Lake Geneva region’s musical summer is well underway, good for music-lovers, a bit less so for drivers. If you’re on the road between Geneva and Lausanne in the coming week, check the news for traffic jams around Nyon. Festival-goers are urged to use public transport, made easy for them: the CFF rail company is putting on extra trains and reducing ticket prices. The last train for Geneva leaves at 03:00 and for Lausanne-Montreux at 03:30. Shuttles and extra trains between the Nyon train station and the festival operate at 10-minute intervals.
The festival sold out, all 200,000 tickets, in two hours when sales opened in April. An additional 1,000 tickets a day go on sale online at the festival site, to discourage black market ticket sales.
GenevaLunch will be covering the festival daily, bringing you news and reviews.
Montreux closes on a happy note, offers listeners online treats
Read more…
Title: Swimming in Montreux
Location: Montreux, Vaud
Link out: Click here
Description: Celebrate the Swiss national holiday swimming in the sixth edition of the Montreux à la nage.
Date: 01 Aug 2009
- Melody Gardot, cool incarnate – Photo courtesy of Montreux Jazz Festival
Montreux, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Melody Gardot is either an old soul hiding out in a young woman’s body, or an incredibly aloof, and self-assured performer, or both.
The party's over for this year - Photo ©Jared and Gabriela Bloch
Montreux, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Seventeen July, the final day for GenevaLunch at the Montreux Jazz Festival, and I think I finally figured it out.
Having driven to Montreux from Geneva three days, and taken the train a fourth day, I would opt for public transportation next year. Festival parking was well organized (as previously noted) but really by the time you negotiate Lausanne traffic, find parking, walk or bus it to the Convention Center, and then do the same in reverse, a good nap on the train looks mighty appealing.
Title: King Lear in Montreux
Location: Montreux, Vaud
Link out: Click here
Description: We could call this Shakespeare at the Castle! A Francophone presentation by young actors in Canton Vaud.
Start Date: 24 Jul 2009
Start Time: 21:00
End Date: 25 Jul 2009
