Laila Rodriguez
SWITZERLAND – Here’s another resource for those of you who love to eat and make new friends; Colunching. According to their French creators, this is simply “social networking during the lunch break.”
The idea is for “foodies” of all levels, to get together over lunch, weekend brunch or after-work meals, make new connections, or just keep up with old ones.
You can “Colunch” in Geneva, Lausanne, Basel, Bern and other Swiss cities. Also, check the activities section of Glocals for lunch and meet groups.
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Laila Rodriguez
Swimming instructor at the Bains de Paquis
Geneva, Switzerland – It is hot! Perfect time to swim outdoors, but, where? Well, when it comes to finding a “beach” in Geneva, Paquis seems to come first to mind, but of course there are plenty more options.
In fact, there are officially 14 public beaches in Canton Geneva, several with picnic areas and a few with camping areas, and 116 beaches around the Lake including France.
How to find them?
Here’s our list which includes points of access for boats to the Lake.
Laila Rodriguez
Geneva, Switzerland – Some solemn but colorful processions around Switzerland take place on Good Friday, here are two worth highlighting:
- The mourners of Romont (Les Pleureuses) in the small medieval town of Romont, located in canton Fribourg, about 1:30 from the Lake Geneva area. A cross bearer and 20 women, all veiled in black, pray at the fourteen stations of the cross placed throughout town. It begins at 15:00 with a Good Friday mass.
- Canton Ticino is well known because most towns host Good Friday processions, none bigger than the one in Mendrisio which involves over 600 hundred participants carrying lanterns, dressed in historic costumes, with small bands playing dirges. Thousands of people show up for the procession (hundreds come from the Lombardy region in Italy alone). After the procession attendees and participants remain in town for late dinners and impromptu get-togethers in the streets of the medieval town. The procession begins at 20:45. (Tip: most restaurants serve until past midnight so save your appetite).
- Lausanne holds one of the most traditional masses on Good Friday at 15:00. The choir of the Basilica majestically performs Bach’s “St. John’s Passion”.
Other resources:
- Geneva catholic churches (must call for Good Friday services)
- Neighboring France list of Good Friday services
- Vaud catholic churches
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Laila Rodriguez
Carnival in Switzerland is all about the brass - Photo Ellen Wallace
Geneva, Switzerland – Swiss cities are no Rio de Janeiro, and while the Samba schools may not be parading in the Alps, the Guggen and the brass bands will be making noise throughout Switzerland.
Carnival, Carnevale, Carnaval, Karneval or Fasnacht season is upon us and although dates vary from canton to canton and from one town to the next, marching bands (fanfares) and costumes are the rule.
Most people associate carnival with the festive time preceding the somber period of Lent ending on Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. However, this is not necessarily the case in Switzerland.
In Ticino for example, carnivals begin in late January and run through 31 March, way past Ash Wednesday. Although the largest carnevale in the Ticino takes place in Bellinzona (before Ash Wednesday), almost every town holds some sort of celebration lasting one to five days.
Neighboring France also throws major parties, the most popular is the Venetian Carnival in Annecy which this year takes place 18-20 March during the period of Lent.
The Basel Fasnacht is billed as the largest carnival in Switzerland, starting at 04:00 the Monday after Ash Wednesday. Over 15,000 costumed participants take to the streets. “The parade route is 7km long, but the city’s population joins in so enthusiastically that there are 14km of people,” reported GenevaLunch from Basel in 2010. (If going to Basel read GenevaLunch’s list of do’s and don’ts), check below for the link to the official website.
We have assembled a list of upcoming carnivals throughout Switzerland listed by date. Geneva is not on the list as the city lost its carnival in 2008 after 14 years, however, you can still see some of their photographs and read about it online.
Listed by date:
Laila Rodriguez
Geneva, Switzerland – This is our list of useful, non-emergency phone numbers in Geneva and Switzerland. For a list of Geneva and Swiss emergency phone numbers see our Resources Page or read an earlier post of Geneva Living.
If you dial from an-outside-of-Switzerland phone, or from Skype, you may still access some of these numbers by previously adding +41 848 800 to the three digit numbers: Read more…
Laila Rodriguez
Free movies under the stars in Geneva - Photo Didier Jordan
Geneva, Switzerland – My quest for bargains, cheaper prices, and free, fun events in Geneva, finds me again by Lake Geneva’s shores. Today’s key word: Ciné Transat.
Ciné Transat is a city-sponsored nocturnal hangout that offers free movies under the stars and by the lake, near the Perle du Lac restaurant. An incredible setting for a fun summer activity for all.
While the movies are not new blockbusters, they are a collection of classic films that take on new meaning when watching them under the stars – and over a picnic blanket – with friends and family.
Some movies are for adults only, but most are suitable for all.
The only necessary item is you, and sometimes, a costume.
Laila Rodriguez
What’s free, where to park, where to stay, what to see, and how to get there!
Rock, jazz, R&B, hip-hop and more at Montreux
Montreux, Switzerland - English singer/songwriter and seven-time Grammy-award-winner Phil Collins sang Motown, and unofficially kicked off the 44th Montreux Jazz Festival.
The MJF officially begins tonight 2 July with an array of performers and activities proper of one of the largest, best-known music festivals in the world.
Let’s just say that it is huge, and there’s so much to see and do, one might need a quick survival guide. Here’s mine.
Free at Montreux
Laila Rodriguez
Watching movies at the theatre for less - Photo Jared Bloch
Geneva, Switzerland – Here’s a deal for any Orange telephone customer or anyone who has a friend who’s an Orange phone customer: Two people watch a movie on any given Tuesday for the price of one. Now, that’s a deal!
The concept is simple: Pick a movie, send a text message and get one free ticket. Only one person needs to be an Orange customer.
See other great deals to save money at the movies in Geneva.
Let’s go to the movies!
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Laila Rodriguez
The time of the year to buy and sell to your heart's content
Geneva, Switzerland – The incredible Sotheby’s sale this past week took most of my shopping attention, but after seeing up close those 6- to 52-carat diamonds and rare watches going for millions of dollars, I decided to turn my short attention span to another kind of more affordable vintage shopping: flea markets.
This weekend 15-16 May, the City of Geneva begins its neighborhood parties and flea-markets labeled under the city-is-yours slogan or la ville est a vous. Anyone who is not a professional seller can go early, throw down a blanket or set up a stall, and sell his/her “own vintage collection” and I mean, anything in your vintage collection. The space is free.
Grottes, first fair:
Laila Rodriguez
Website revamped, more information available
Lisa Cirieco-Ohlman's passport to knowing-it-all
Geneva, Switzerland – Being an expat who knows a lot about Geneva is one thing, being a know-it-all is a whole ‘nother one. For Lisa Cirieco-Ohlman, knowing it – almost – all and putting it in a book came serendipitously around 10pm one night in 1999 while trying to breastfeed her newborn baby.
“I was at home, when someone who I didn’t know called me. He got my phone number from someone else who I didn’t know, and was demanding an answer right there and then to his question . . . demanding me to help him! I hung up and knew I had to do something.”
While most people would simply change their phone number, this American-born, Geneva-raised expat decided to write a resource book instead. And with it, a new Geneva institution was born.