Hi

End of March, I have the opportunity to spend 2 days in Switzerland, with Geneva as a start and finish point. I would like to invite my mother to join. She loves hinking in the mountains and has never been to Switzerland.
Any idea where we could go from geneva for the week end that would give us the impression to be in the mountains, without taking more than 2 or 3 hours one way to travel ?

We would leave on the saturday morning and return on the sunday evening.

THanks a lot for your help !

In March, there will be (or should be) snow in the high mountains, but many villages have winter walking paths (Winterwanderwegs). Try Les Diablerets, which is only 2 hours from Geneve by train:

http://www.diablerets.ch/web/article.php?sid=219

Search internet for The Lavaux - a recognised sign posted route from Lausanne to Montreux around side of Lake Geneva. It is known as the vinyard walk and follows the lake side and up into the hills overlooking the lake. It is 20 miles or two easy days walking. Train from Geneva to Lausanne continues to Montreux. Very good service and not dear - a return from Geneva to Lausanne (home of the Olympics with v.good museum)is £16.
we are planning to do the walk followed by a few days of train travel through the mountains.

Thanks a lot for your answers.
Stumblebum, I am curious how your trip goes, it sounds really good. Keep us updated !
Please keep your answers coming, they are really useful.
Marie

I don't know anything about mountains, but there are small hikes/easy walks in the vineyards, along the lakeside, like that in the areas around the towns of Vevey and Montreux (about 1hr. from Geneva by train).

Hi marieparis,

I love Montreux and am a frequent visitor there. Let me tell you that "the mountains" are not really close to Geneva; you will have to travel every minute of the two hours to get to them.

The Lavaux (www.lavaux.ch), of course, is not a mountain destination as it is only the hillside next to the lake. It is gorgeous, though (though less so in March). Here's a link to my "review" of the Lavaux:

Lavaux
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...reux_Vaud.html

I think you should strongly consider staying in the Pays d'Enhaut or the Saanenland, where French Switzerland meets German Switzerland; this includes the towns of Chateau d'Oex (www.chateau-doex.ch), Gstaad (www.gstaad.ch), and Saanen. This is a mountainous area, but it is more characterized by beautiful, green rolling hills. I love it here. Here are links to more of my "reviews":

Saanen
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...wiss_Alps.html

Gstaad
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...wiss_Alps.html

The Swiss train website is at www.rail.ch.

Have fun!

s