Everything starts with a bridge built to span the Rhône which gurgle and narrows leaving the Lake Geneva, having been together for seventy-two kilometres. It was there that the only bridge of this region, which was used to avoid the lake or going down to Lyons. The merchant and the travellers discovered Geneva thanks to a bridge. I suggest that you do the same. You can do it in May, in April and during your holidays. why stint yourselves of a refined week-end ? There’s a look for any different occasion, a hotel for a particular escapade, every town has got its hallmark. Geneva won’t adapt to a common hotel, it won’t welcome you with open arms if you don’t know how to be taken with it. Let’s be happy, let’s be happy few.
The chic Geneva gets carried away at the Hotel du Rhône, golden link of the chain of the Oriental Mandarin palaces. It is in the centre of the city, by the Rhône, about ten metres from the station, the Lake, the shopping centre and the Old Town. The hotel is quite expensive but, on the other hand, the TGV is always on special offer: you’ll find return tickets at a price of 500 F. from Paris. Low fares in summer and during the week-end.
The trip lasts 3 hours and 40 minutes, just the time to forget your own worries left on the platform.
The Hôtel du Rhône is a five-star hotel and it really deserves them. Everything is studied in order to satisfy its clients, the service is impeccable, it’s sparkling clean, comfortable, it gives free access to a fitness centre, a sauna and sessions on sunbeds. There is the Hollywood-style bedroom, marble bathrooms, warm bathrobes and towels, cosy beds… It’s true, they're not exactly giving it away, but the luxury will help you to enjoy the stay. At the Hotel’s ground floor, you can find a bar and two restaurants, the gastronomic Neptune to have dinner and the more modest, but it’s all relative, Rafael to have lunch. Their menus are substantial and original, the dishes are prettily presented, the service is perfect, efficient, efficient and discreet. The first surprise will come from the sommelier of the Neptune who presents a menu of great Swiss wines. Moreover, I suggest that you start with the aperitif, asking for a perfectly spicy Gewurztraminer of Dardagny, Geneva, which will leave you gaping.
The baba of Geneva is quite known, it’s a good bottles’ connoisseur, it is possible to find it next to the hotel, at the Emmanuel Heydens, a young and talented sommelier who is going to open La Cité des Vins, heady oenological shop which seems a museum. More than 220 whiskies, around 100 Swiss wines, mainly from Geneva and the Valais, cellar containing great vineyards and organic wines, without forgetting the brandies of the Metté’s distillery of Ribeauvillé (tasting of garlic, pepper, arabica, elder, basil… it’s not worth the sorb of Angélique’s father, but you don’t have the right!). Eight hundred names of wines in 400 square metres able to delight the most expert eyes and taste buds! Are Swiss wines little known? Emmanuel Heydens and its team of sommeliers organise courses and wine tasting in their taste’s school, some guests around a table of hosts, a product or a culinary topic, or an aperitif with a light meal (six different wines, dried meat and some cheese), a complete meal (eight wines) or a country-style buffet (about 20 wines for a three hour evening). That’s a good way of pleasantly spending the week-end!
What shall one do in Geneva, apart from eating and drinking? Lots of things!
Geneva is a rich city, also as far as the heritage is concerned, it’s a city where it is pleasant to have a walk and at the tourist information office, they will be pleased to give information to you.
First of all, obviously, you have to go for a walk in the Old Town, have a drink in place Bourg de Four, at the table outside the Clémence, the name of which derives from the oldest bell of the Saint-Pierre Cathedral, go down to Place Neuve until the bastions’ walk, play a game of chess or draughts with enormous pawns which spend their night outdoors and that are never picked. It is also possible to sit outside and watch the players. You have to buy some cigars at the Rhein, Mont-blanc street, on the other side of the lake, at the edge of one of the main commercial streets. Very close, there is a nice brasserie, the Grand Lac (37-39 rue Plantamour
1201 GENÈVE / (022) 732.37.87), characterised by a terrace and Swiss wines where you can taste delicious perch fillets, a speciality of this region (from 15 to 25 € per person).
Going back to the hotel there is Bergues place, Geneva’s zero kilometre, the transportation table (507 kilometres from Paris to Dijon) and the altitude table. On Saturday afternoon, you should go for a walk at the foot of the old town to go shopping in Rhône, Marché and Croix d’Or streets. You’ll dream in front of the watchmakers and jewellers’ windows. Coloured paving stones form beautiful drawings on the pavement, and they aren’t there only to decorate: some old maps found in some arcane texts allow to remind the ancient houses and ramparts’ outlines, that had disappeared for a long time. In Place Mollard it is possible to eat at the Café du Centre, a typical meeting of the people living in Geneva. Are you afraid to get bored in the evening? There are about thirty nightclubs and discotheques. You may also have a drink at the Chez Arthur, in Rhône street, or at the Sous Marin, in Guillaume Tell street. On Sunday, listen to a bells concert in the Cathedral and attend to the classical music concert at 5 p.m. in the Saint-Germain church.
Geneva wouldn’t be anything without the lake friendly called Geneva’s Lake. The Old Town is between two rivers: the Swiss border is 4 kilometres long and the French one is 120 kilometres long. So, Geneva doesn’t really know if it is Swiss, French or just Geneva, what it has actually been since 1815. That’s what gives to Geneva its style, its character and its identity. Then, you must see the lake, if possible on a boat, something like the bateau-mouche (large river boat for sightseeing). Several display their notices on the quay. If you want to move, you can visit both France and Switzerland. For example, you may go to Yvoire, a medieval village or the town of Montreux. Geneva is a sophisticated, luxurious and beautiful place, three hours and a half away from Paris. Do you have any doubt ?
Go on, quickly, but without hurrying up: there’s no fire in the lake! Enjoy fishing perches !
Rural tourism in the vineyards of Geneva
Geneva’s canton is the Swiss Alsace! 41 winegrowers grow 20 different grape varieties, a record for such a small territory ! Calvin’s salary was already partly composed by wine, while other got angry of working in vain: to be paid by Rosé des Riceys, Fleurie or Gewurztraminer de Dardagny is a good way of being paid! The wines of Geneva have been the first in Switzerland which received the certificate of high-quality origin and now there are 32. Buy the Guide Genevois des Vignerons et Encaveurs Indépendants (022/754.17.04), to go exploring the vineyards around the town, for example on the ramblers' route of Bernex. Have lunch at the Ferme de Jussy’s restaurant (022/759.14.66) to taste a great foie gras fried with cocoa beans. The less intrepid will be pleased reading the menu! You can also stay in the vineyards; ask to the Tourism Office which will send you the guide of rural tourism in Geneva, lodging and farmhouses, with or without meals (from 20 € per person per night with breakfast to 30 € for a cottage from one to six people), with or without tasting, visit…
Published on 21/02/2002 on Gazoline number 77, March 2002
Pierre-Brice LEBRUN & Gazoline
Geneva suffers from its severe image of sad city dedicated to old bankers. Swiss wines are unknown or mocked, two injustice I want to make up for taking you, in February, on the Lake Geneva’s banks … I suggest that you follow me for a little sophisticated flying visit. I’ll wait for your answers! We will stay in a luxury five-star hotel in the centre of the city, the Hôtel du Rhône, which belongs to the excellent chain Oriental Mandarin. We will have dinner in its restaurants, the gastronomic Neptune and the nice pub Rafael, a great pub, before striding along the old town and swooning with pleasure in front of jewellers, and other watchmakers. You can spend here the week-end with your wife: almost all the shops are closed on Saturday afternoon. We’ll go tasting some perch fillets at an outside table of the Grand Lac of Plantamour place and savouring these unknown Swiss wines, next to the hotel, at the best Geneva’s cellarman’s place, La Cité des Vins d’Emmanuel Heydens, who displays his bottles around a table d'hôte! Take your diary, make a long week-end in May, you won't regret it! You can’t go to a hostel in Geneva: to any place its discovery’s standard and Geneva will be luxury. We are probably mad, but we’re happy.
Genève Tourisme
In frenchLe Lac Leman
La région du Leman vue par les Français
Leman sans frontière
Office des baigneurs - 74500 EVIAN
La région du Leman vue par les Suisses
de France : 004121 / 613.26.26
La région du Léman en montagne du côté suisse (ce sont les Alpes Vaudoises !)
Le "regional pass" est un titre de transport qui permet de voyager en bateau, autobus et télécabine pendant trois jours, pour environ 225 euros et 30 pour les moins de seize ans
valable dans tous les cantons suisses riverains du LacLes p'tits bateaux qui vont sur le Lac ont-ils des jambes ?
Visitez la Cité Médiévale d'Yvoire en Haute-Savoie
On peut aller à Yvoire en bateau en une heure
Office de Tourisme 74140 YVOIRE
04.50.72.80.21, info@ot.yvoire.frEscapades ferroviaires au départ de Montreux
On peut aller à Montreux en bateau en trois heures et demi et trouver un hôtel sympa à Montreux
Le Montreux Palace (5 étoiles)
L'Hôtel des Alpes Vaudoises
(3 étoiles), qui possède son propre arrêt du train à crémaillère qui relie Montreux aux Rochers-de-NayeMontreux vue du Ciel
La Suisse vue du ciel
Les Châteaux Suisses vus du ciel