Category Archives: Daytrips from Geneva

Alpine views in Zweisimmen and Château D’Oex

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As mentioned in the previous post about our trip on The Golden Pass, we stopped in two towns on the journey back.

The first of the towns was Zweisimmen.   I’ll be honest that I had no idea what to expect (not listed in my tour books) but I suggested to E-dawg that we hop off the train and spend an hour there until the next train would pass.

We found an adorable German speaking village, full of cows.   We wandered around its quiet streets enjoying the fresh air.

This is Zweisimmen!

We caught the train an hour later and hopped off again at Château D’Oex.  Readers might find this town familiar as we stopped there twice for the Hot Air Balloon Festival.  After the Friday night “Night Glow” show  failed to produce any balloon pictures, I begged Gabe to go back the following Sunday for more.  And that is when I fell in love with this little village known to be the Swiss capital of ballooning.

 

Welcome to Château D'Oex (pronounced Shat-oh Day)

It was really neat for me to see the difference in winter vs. spring.  The town is totally different.      Originally, I was going to sit at a café and rest my feet while E-dawg explored.   But I couldn’t help myself wanting to climb up to the top of the chapel with her for the views!

Streets of Château D'Oex

Climbing up the steps of the chapel, greeted by amazing spring flowers

After reaching the top, E-dawg relaxed near the chapel walls.

 

On the way back down, we decided it was an opportune time to open the mini bottle of Swiss wine we had brought to picnic on the train.   We popped our shoes off, sat in the grass, and enjoyed the magnificent panorama in front of us.

After experiencing it in multiple seasons, this little village quickly lept up to one of my top Swiss places to visit.

Back on the train. Goodbye Chateau D'Oex...until next time!

The Golden Pass

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On E-dawg’s last day, we took a panoramic train.   I am a big fan of these trains – you get to see a lot of the beautiful Swiss landscape.   It also provides a nice relaxing day if you have been busy.

As you may have read on the blog, there are are four scenic trains:  The Golden Pass, The Bernina Express, The William Tell Express, and The Glacier Express.  Gabe and I have taken the Glacier Express twice, with The Captain and Swiss Miss, as well as with The Fam.

This time, we took The Golden Pass.   We chose it because of its proximity to Geneva, as we wanted to do the entire thing in a day.    We bought tickets to ride just until Zweisimmen in the German speaking part.

Cool map courtesy of goldenpass.ch

 

So, we took an hour train from Geneva to Montreux in order to catch the Golden Pass.   One interesting thing about Swiss trains is that they are beautifully timed.   For instance, as our train from Geneva rolled into Montreux, the Golden Pass sat awaiting any passengers.  Moments later, it departed.   This isn’t by coincidence.  The entire system is designed for efficiency and there are rarely wait times or “layovers”.

After boarding, The Golden Pass ascended above Montreux.   I had not been this way yet so thoroughly enjoyed being a tourist as it winded around, giving glimpses of the lake below.

Leaving Montreux on The Golden Pass

 

E-dawg enjoying the ride

 

Passing gorgeous pastures and rolling green fields

 

Passing Château D'Oex, home of the hot air balloon festival.

 

Fields of dandelions

 

Typical Swiss backyard.

 

Keep that delicious milk, cheese, and yogurt coming, cows!

Passing Gstaad and The Palace.

 

An enticing road

Descending into Zweisimann

 

This view never gets old to me.

 

Back to Lake Geneva....

 

God shining light through the clouds onto Lake Geneva

 

This entire route took six hours of travel time from Geneva.   We did stop twice on the way home to explore Zweisimmen and Château D’Oex so it took us a bit longer – about nine hours.   I’d recommend doing that to break up the trip.  If you don’t have reservations*, you can hop on and off wherever you like.

 

*For our trip, we did buy reservations from Montreux to Zweisimmen not knowing if they were required.   We were the only ones with reservations and could’ve saved the $$ by not doing it since it was a low tourist season.   It also made it handy not to have them on the way back as it encouraged us to live in the moment and hop off at whatever towns looked neat.   However, on the way home, we didn’t get to sit in choice seats when hopping back on.

Thus, if you are in a big group or sitting together is important, its a nice benefit to purchase the reservation.

 

 

Gratitude Friday: Spring has Sprung!

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A little delayed in my posting….but Spring has sprung in Geneva.  I admit I am late in this post.  But mainly since I have had mobility, all it has done here is rain, rain, rain so I wasn’t in the spring spirit yet.

However, we had our first day of non-rain yesterday and I am hoping that more sunshine and spring weather is on the horizon  (fingers crossed).  Although they do say that “April showers bring May flowers”, so I suppose there should be gratitude in the rain as well.

Speaking of flowers, E-dawg and I got to take advantage of Spring’s beauty yesterday on the AIWC photo group outing to Morges, Switzerland.  There we enjoyed lunch alfresco and explored the annual Fêtes de la Tulipe.

So, this Friday, I am grateful for the flowers and beauty of spring.  Finally!!!  But, better late than never!

Bon weekend, everyone!

Tulips against an Alpine background

Wispy tulips in contrast to the Alps

Having fun at the Fêtes de la Tulipe

E-dawg amongst her Georgia Bulldog colors

Lazy waterfall

Caught her in action!

My favorite section – multicolored

A day with the butterflies

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Recently, I visited Papiliorama to take a Digital Light photo workshop.  Papiliorama is a butterfly haven in Swizterland, north of Murten.   It is about a 90 minute drive from Geneva and even has a train stop at Kerzers / Papiliorama for those who prefer public transport.  Luckily, I was able to catch a ride with a friend who was assisting the class.

The class was meant for us to focus on a certain area that we wanted to develop.  During the day, I worked on my understanding of depth of field.   We continually brought our memory cards back to the workshop instructor for critiquing and guidance.  At first my butterflies are too shallow depth of field (I adore blurry backgrounds) which unfortunately kept my entire butterfly bodies from being sharp, depending on the focal plane.  However, then I learned how to expand the depth of field by closing the aperture and increasing ISO, still achieving the background result I wanted.

Unfortunately, my propensity for standing wore out before my desire to stop taking photos and improve on my technique.  However, here are a few of my favorite images:

Waiting to turn into a butterfly maybe

He likes to color coordinate

Taking in the view

Spreading out

Delicately hanging on

Patchwork colors

Climbing into the light

Geneva folks, you’ll have to add this to your rainy day to-do list!

It’s Raining. I guess we HAVE to go to the Chocolate Factory

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We were excited to have Gabe’s cousin, Couch Surfer, staying with us for four days in Geneva.  She has been traveling all over Europe for 6 weeks.  Unfortunately, the weather this April has been rain, rain and more rain.   To no surprise, we woke up on her second day to gloomy skies and downpours.

Which begs the question….what in the heck do you do with a guest in Geneva in the rain?  Especially….on a Sunday?

Basically, our conclusion was to taste our way through Switzerland.    And thank goodness that while all cultural attractions in Switzerland are closed on Sundays and Mondays, the culinary attractions are still a possibility.

The Cailler Chocolate Factory is about an hour and a half drive from Geneva, in Broc.   It is located right next to Gruyeres and the Cheese Factory making it convenient to hit both in the same trip, time allowing.   We had been to Gruyeres before with Andres, but not to Broc.  As we drove and got closer and closer to Cailler, we realized we were in the middle of nowhere.  Where I grew up, we would call this BFE.

Our GPS showed we were one mile away from the famous chocolate factory. Really?

Questioning what we would do if we met a tractor trailer of chocolate coming the opposite direction on what appeared to be a one-lane road to the chocolate factory

Our GPS didn’t fail us – we were in the right spot.    Later in our tour, we learned why Cailler is in the middle of nowhere.   Basically, they wanted access to great milk (cows) and a water supply (Alps).   They also say the chocolate tastes better because of the fresh air of the alpine landscape.  Thus, the undisturbed panorama in Broc could provide both.

And no worries about a collision with a tractor trailer on the one lane road – every piece of chocolate is shipped out via rail.   That is except what goes out in tourists pockets!

Arriving at Cailler.

We were grouped into a small cluster of other English speakers for our tour.    The tour was “self-guided” and started by shuffling us through a series of rooms/exhibits to tell the story of chocolate.

It started with the Aztecs and the story of their discovery of the cocoa bean.   They mainly used it to make Chocolati, a cocoa-based drink, which they considered a drink of “the gods”.   Trouble soon arose when Cortez conquered the land and the Aztec people and took the cocoa beans and recipe for Chocolati with him back to Europe.    There, the beans became used as a currency and grew in popularity amongst the nobility (poor people couldn’t afford it).

The controversial drink raised question with the Dominicans, as they suspected that it was a drink of sin and could provide a way for evil to enter the body.  Luckily, Pope Pius V declared it okay and also indicated that drinking the yummy substance didn’t constitute a break in fast during Easter.   It’s popularity continued to grow throughout Europe, particularly in Paris, and it was marketed as an aphrodisiac.

The Belgians and Germans contributed a great deal to the Chocolate Movement.  However, it wasn’t until the 19th Century that the chocolate movement moved to Switzerland.  And, they caught up fast.

1n 1819, Cailler opened the first chocolate factory in Switzerland.  In 1875, Peter “invented” milk chocolate by figuring out how to fuse the chocolate with a valued Swiss resource: dairy.  Nestlé who had invented baby formula from milk, helped add to this new delicacy with his know-how around milk and manufacturing.   During the Great Depression, Nestlé and Cailler actually merged for survival.

Swiss chocolate is said to be the best because they were the inventors of milk chocolate.   However, don’t discredit the dark so fast….it is also a specialty because of the specialized conching (the process in which chocolate gets smooth and shiny) and aging that is unique to Switzelrand.

After learning the history, we got to touch the beans and ingredients, learn about why chocolate is good for us, and watch Branches being made.   If we have brought you chocolate from Switzerland, there is a good chance you tried a Branche bar.

Got a flashback to I Love Lucy watching the chocolate on the assembly line

We got mini branches to taste and then we got to go the tasting room, with 15 types of chocolate.   They were smart and had a chocolatier on guard so that guests couldn’t scarf up all the chocolates.

Also, we had heard to “hold out” in tasting as the ones at the end are the best and you don’t want to burn out, so we did so.  The tip was accurate.  The nicer ones were at the end.  I adored the dark Ambassador ones with coffee and hazelnut filling.

Me & Couch Surfer, getting ready to taste!

We wrapped up around 4pm and decided to skip the cheese factory in lieu of more time in the Lavaux wine region.   Lavaux is an easy stop to add to any trip on the other side of the lake.   We drove through the adorable wine village of Chexbres before parking at Vinorama, known to be open on Sundays and a place that hosts a variety of Lavaux types.

Vinorama is a nice spot to take visitors, you may remember it from when The Captain and Swiss Miss were visiting.

Gabe and Couch Surfer in Lavaux. The last time I came, the waterfall was frozen solid.

Last time I came, we did a formal tasting.   However, this time, we opted to each select two half glasses.    Our selections rounded out the chocolate and the afternoon with a nice taste of another Swiss product.

Related Links:

The Swiss Watch Blog: Famous Swiss Foods – Chocolate

Schwingen in Switzerland: Chocoholics Anonymous

Monaco and Monte Carlo

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Post by Lauren

Gabe has wanted to go to Monaco and Monte Carlo since we have moved to Europe.  Being a fan of James Bond, I think he wanted to see the winding roads and glitzy casino up close.

We arrived into Monaco in the morning, making it a perfect time to enjoy coffee and croissants at the famous Café de Paris adjacent to the Casino Monte Carlo.  The Gladiator, Mama Mia, Gabe and I soaked in the rising Monaco sun as we watched Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Bentley’s roll by.

Gabe and The Gladiator enjoying Café de Paris

Our immediate takeaway is how pristine everything in Monaco was.  To me, it felt like we were walking through an alternative universe, almost like a Barbie village, too immaculate to be real.

Monaco is a sovereign state, ruled by a royal family.   It is currently ruled by Prince Albert II.  His parents were Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly.  Princess Grace, previously a Hollywood actress, died when she had a stoke and resulting automobile crash over one of the notorious corniches.

Monaco is the second smallest sovereign state in the world, after Vatican City.  It is also the second most densely populated, only occupying one square mile of land.   It is the same size as Central Park in New York City!  It takes about an hour to walk across the entire country (not counting me with my bum feet).

We took a little train tour, and learned a number of things about Monaco’s history.   For one, they have a police officer for every 60 citizens.  Thus, crime is virtually nonexistent.

Monaco doesn’t have taxes, making it a desirable place to live.   The casino was started as an effort to start bringing income to the principality.  There is also no border patrol. They speak French and take euros in addition to their currency, the monegasque franc.

 

And how can we forget the F1 races?  Monaco’s notoriety has soared because of these infamous races that take place in its winding streets.  We think these would be neat to see one day.

 

Image courtesy of F1 4 Kids

 

However, for now, “Goodbye, Monaco”.  Back to reality for us….

 

A drive through Cannes and Nice

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Post by Lauren

As we continued down the Cote d’Azur, I wanted to stop in Cannes.  I have always been intrigued by the film festival and this interest was accentuated by the HBO show Entourage.  I know, silly reason.

Luckily, Mama Mia & Gladiator were also game for seeing the coastal village.  So, we did just that – took a little detour and drove down the streets of this town in the South of France.

It was busy, bustling with a lot of folks getting photos ops by the grand theatre where the film festival is done.

Downtown Cannes, France

After our glimpse into Cannes, we continued driving onto Nice.  This time, we took a longer stop, strolling & rolling along the Promenade d’Anglais for about an hour.  The sky had grown considerably darker since our 30 min drive from Cannes.  However, people were out enjoying the breeze and beginning to start the nightlife on its stone beaches.

Both towns were interesting to see.   We weren’t blown away by either but have had several people who have lived in both say that we didn’t give them much of a chance.  I’d agree that a quick stop probably isn’t enough to form a judgement.

However, we can conclusively say that we adored the little sea village of Villefranche where we spent the night.  More on that later…

Pont du Gard

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Post by Lauren

Part of our group left after a week, leaving behind Mama Mia and The Gladiator.  The Gladiator had said he wanted to see the South of France so we took a road trip: SOF style.

This is the route we took; a big loop through 4 countries...if you count Monaco as its own country

Gabe and I tried to tailor the trip to:

-see a variety of geography

-see what was most interesting to all of us personally

-stay in financially efficient hotels. The South of France ain’t cheap.

Our first stop was at the Pont du Gard, an ancient Roman aqueduct  near Nîmes.  We knew that The Gladiator would like it because he enjoys history, particularly of ancient cultures.

The Pont du Gard was built in 19 B.C.    It is 50 km long and has three tiers.  It is remarkable site to witness and thus is designated a UNESCO world heritage site.  By the way, we hit 5 UNESCO sites during the family’s time here.  Gabe and I increased our total number by 3 during the family visit!  Woo hoo.

The Pont du Gard was designed to carry water to the fountains and baths of Nîmes, estimated 44 million gallons/day.  It is noted that Augustus’s son-in-law, Agrippa, was likely in charge of the design and execution as his aide and magistrate of water supply.

We had a sunny day.  However, it was incredibly windy.   We had brought a picnic to enjoy in view of Pont du Gard and had a hard time tying everything down while we ate.  Being the only one without sunglasses, I accumulated lots of Roman dust in my eyes which I had to flush out in the restroom of the tourist office.

My french tutor attributed the wind to “le mistral” the wind current along the Rhone river.

If you are touring Provence, this is a worthwhile stop.  Just be prepared for le mistral!

Enjoying Hermance

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Post by Lauren

Geneva has a lot of lovely villages that surround it.  During the women’s club hikes, I have been able to experience a few of these little towns.  Since we walk fast through them, I just note which ones I should re-visit.

One such settlement is Hermance (pronounced Err-mance, with a silent H).   Hermance is about a half hour bus ride or car ride north of Geneva.   It is a lovely little village with a beautiful church and bell tower.

While the family was here, we decided to take a day trip up to it so that part of the crew could walk over the border to France. We took the bus which dropped us in the middle of town.

Hermance is on the border of Switzerland and France

 

Dunkel kindly pushed me around as I still wasn’t up for much walking.  We took a stroll down the streets of Hermance, noting it was like stepping back in time.  We only saw a few pieces of evidence of technology in bikes that had been left in the street — otherwise, just a peaceful quintessential Swiss village.

During our few hours, we ventured on the stone beach.  While walking near the shore, we noticed scuba gear.   Apparently the town is great for diving. They even have restrooms with showers for divers.

After the walk on the beach,  Dunkel, SweetWine, and The French Cougar took a quick walk over the border to France, which Mama Mia, The Gladiator and I just relaxed on the Swiss side.  Their passports weren’t checked as there is no border patrol at this quiet passing, but confirmed they were in France by some gentleman walking home from Hermance.

After the border crossing adventure, the group recharged with ice cream from the local epicerie (the only grocery store in Hermance) followed by some pastries and coffee at the lone patisserie in town.

Enjoying Hermance. In the photo of The Gladiator and Dunkel by the "creek", they are on the Swiss side, but the trees are in France.

The town is quite nice for guests to experience a quaint Swiss village.  And a plus for those wanting to add another country to their list.

Springtime ride on the Glacier Express

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Post by Lauren

You may recall from the blog we took the Glacier Express to St. Moritz this winter.   When we took it while Gabe’s family was here, it was equally as beautiful only half covered in snow.

This time, instead of St. Moritz, we headed to winter sports capital, Davos.  We passed through in route to Klosters, which was the choice vacation getaway for Princess Di and family.  You see, I figured I’d class up the selection and provide us the lodging of royalty.  Just kidding, it was the only hotel in the entire region left since it was still ski season.  And I can promise you that they didn’t stay in the Swiss Sport Lodge, although it was fine for our tastes 🙂

You can see a pictorial recap of our journey below:

Starting out in Zermatt and heading to Brig. Not much snow at all this time!  We love watching the wonder on everyone’s faces!

Continuing on through Fiesch, Reckingen, Muster, Fulka and the canton of Ori.
Everyone in awe in Andermatt. It’s my favorite on the ride, too!

Cutting through the Rhine Gorge, passing through Davos and reaching our destination of Klosters.

Enjoying their first Swiss fondue and raclette in Klosters. Since the raclette was Type 2 and served without meat, the group favorite was the mushroom fondue. We were the only ones in the restaurant with an exclusively German-speaking owner.   It was a really awkward fun experience!

We stayed at the Swiss Sport hotel in Klosters. We found Klosters to be small and tranquil – not a place for late night action.  We had to create our own!  The evening was fun of laughter and fun.  Don’t let The French Cougar tell you that is water in her hand – we believe its wine!   Also don’t even ask why Dunkel and Sweet Wine have those amused looks on their faces.  What happens in Klosters stays in Klosters!

A bonus is that The Gladiator and Mama Mia celebrated their wedding anniversary on this stint of the trip.   We are so glad we got to spend it with them!