scheraulei

Swandav - Thanks for the suggestion about printing out the train schedules. I did do 10:00 AM leaving Lausanne for all the places I want to go, but didn't do it for night. We think alike. I, too, am nervous about train clocks running different than your watch. The very first thing I plan to do after Customs is walk from the airport to the Cointrin train station and set my watch to their time!

scheraulei

Suze - Absolutely I'll do a mini-review of everything. I've heard nothing but good things so far and they are recommended in several travel guides. I talked to the owner and another guy on the phone and they were very nice. You reminded me - I have to e-mail them and remind them I'm comng!

kappa

Scheraulei, I missed that you wrote : <b>OFF</b> Rue du Petit Chene. I thought of Alpha-Palmier because it's the one ON Rue Petit-Ch&ecirc;ne that can be already see from the railway station.

Enjoy your stay.

swandav2000

scheraulei,

You must certainly win the prize for the most gracious Fodorite poster! I can't recall anyone taking the time to post individual thank-you notes, and not to leave anyone out. You're a jewel!

But now I want to ask you for something -- please? Can you remember the name of the place in Chateau d'Oex with the to-die-for fraises aux creme? I'll be back in the area in Dec and will make a special excursion! I know you're busy getting ready for your trip now, but when you return, I'll be pestering you for a trip report &amp; the name of this place!!

Have a wonderful time! Looks like you have a great plan!

s

baldrick

swandav,
your fraises &agrave; la cr&egrave;me de gruy&egrave;re is made of 2 things; cream, which is available all year long, and strawberries, which are a trifle out-of-season in december...
but this shouldn't prevent you from coming to Chateau-d'Oex!!!

swandav2000

baldrick,

Oops. Sometimes I get soooo excited . . .

In May, I cycled to Chateau d'Oex from Saanen and really enjoyed the area. Those beautiful, endless rolling hills really won over my heart! So I'm looking forward to spending more time there in Dec, even if I have to forgo the berries!

s

scheraulei

Kappa - Thanks for the good wishes! I got a better deal pricewise at Hotel Elite - 132 CHF/night for staying for 8 nights straight. But I read Alpha-Palmiers is really fabulous since their big renovation. I am bigtime into modern architecture and will definitely drop by to check it out.

scheraulei

Aw, Swandav, you are so sweet ! If people take the time to answer, it's only polite to thank them. I met a guy in the Starbucks I hang out in who had lived in Berne and Neuchatel for a year and I picked his brain as much as I could in that encounter, but I haven't seen him since, and I don't know anyone else around here who knows anything about Switzerland, so...you guys are a tremendous help. By the way, to all planners reading this, he begged me to make Neuchatel my base. He insists Neuchatel has it all and if you are really into wine, to visit nearby Cordaillaud (? - I'll have to look it up and post it later). As far as the little Chateau d'Oex caf&eacute;, I can't remember the name but I will try to do a little research and see if I can figure it out. All I can remember is that we were upstairs and sat by a window overlooking the town square, which was full of flower- bedecked chalets, and I took a picture of some Swiss girl scouts who were so cute. It was all so sunny and beautiful. Definitely, I will try to find that caf&eacute; again and I'll be sure and write it down. Anyway, thanks much for the good wishes. I may as well share my tentative itinerary:
Fri 9/3 eve. - arrive at GVA and check into the Moevenpick. Try to stay awake long enough to lose money in their slot machines.
Sat - explore Cointrin area, Pal&eacute;o Exhibit Hall, grocery shop at Carrefours, train to Lausanne and Hotel Elite, explore and hang out in Old Town.
Sun AM - maybe church in Cressiers if I can figure out how to get there. Then train to La Chaux de Fonds to see the clock museum, then to Neuchatel to see the museum (Mus&eacute;e des Beaux Arts?)where the lifesize automata do their little show. Back to Lausanne/Ouchy/St. Sapphorin.
Mon - Berne
Tues - Villeneuve/Lausanne/Flon/Ouchy
Wed - Geneva and Carouge
Thurs - Lucerne or Geneva/Lausanne
Fri - Chateau d'Oex/Broc/Les Diablerets
Sat - Carouge/Yvoire/Vevey/Ouchy

Hey I need another week! Alas, no
moo-lah.

suze

WOW that's quite the itinerary. I won't try to talk you out of it because we all travel different, but my 10 days spent only in Vevey &amp; Montreux was fabulous. Any day with 4 cities seems a bit on the crazy side to me, you'll be rushing up and down the lake instead of sitting in a cafe or strolling the quai.

scheraulei

Swandav - Cortaillod is the name of the winelovers' paradise on Lake Neuchatel, not Cordaillaud. I did some checking on the Chateau d'Oex site to try to determine the restaurant I visited but I couldn't be sure. Au Montagnard does resemble it a bit. I'll check when I get there.

scheraulei

Hi, Suze-- LOL - I am a bit on the crazy side, huh. But actually, the day with 4 stops is just to pick up a Bally's outlet wallet for a friend real fast in Villeneuve, spend the rest of the day in Vevey, then go back to Lausanne via the infamous sunset cruise. Ouchy and Flon are just &quot;districts&quot; in Lausanne. Ouchy is the beach, hang out place; Flon - the club/coffeehouse scene. Carouge is a suburb of Geneva, so it is right there. Yvoire is a quick trip across the lake to France, maybe stay an hour, tops. So a lot of my multiple places aren't much distance between at all. Lucerne in one day sounds insane, but I only want to catch a free concert at the festival, mebbe, get on a boat for awhile, then walk under that covered bridge. The one that ends in Les Diablerets, now that will be a workout! On that one, I am truly nuts. I am very energetic, but, believe you me, I promise I will relax plenty. I work very hard and boy do I need it!

scheraulei

Suze - Whoops! I mixed Tuesday with Saturday. LOL! Well it should all work out. If not I'll just have to sleep when I get home.

swandav2000

Hi Folks,

Well this is turning into a nice chat!

I took a loot at Au Montagnard, and it does look sweet! I must admit I also looked at the Chalet-Fromagerie and I may spend an afternoon there in Dec. Wow, I am really getting to like this region of Switzerland -- the Pays d'Enhaut and the Saanenland.

scheraulei, I didn't much care for Neuchatel when I whizzed through it in May when I went to the museum/exhibition Latenium. I was underwhelmed -- primarily because the mountains are more distant and not as majestic as around Lac Leman. Also, I found the lakeside not well developed for strolling; while there is a nice lakeside path, it is not enhanced with cafes, flowers, etc. The main port is developed with some restaurants and cafes and a large central plaza that seems to draw street performers, etc, but it wasn't enough to make me want to go back. The city itself seems to be cool -- a real city, not a made-for-tourists resort like one gets at Montreux's lakeside (which I love!!!).

I have some friends who continue to encourage me to spend more time getting to know the subtle beauties of the Jura, and I probably will. Eventually.

Thanks also for the hint on Cortaillod, which I'll keep for my return visit! I've heard of the vineyards around Lake Biel (www.bielerseewein.ch) and Lake Morat (www.levully.ch), but not Neuchatel.

I can't wait for your trip report -- and photos! I've been debating an excursion to Carouge for about a year now, but because I don't like big cities, I usually decide not to go. So maybe you'll change my mind!

Are you packing yet!

s

jmw44

This is the most enthusiastic thread I've read in months! I'm sorry I have to miss out during the week. Scheraulei, your plans sound great and the input you've received is terrific. When I read your daily plans, though, it sure seems like your days will be very busy.

What can I add? Not much, except there is wonderful folk art museum in Chateau d'Oex and a small restaurant where you can watch the owner make cheese just feet away from where you are eating raclette and drinking beer.

Do find the time to walk the vineyard trails of the lavaux. It's a treat. St. Saphorin (if you're talking about the village between Rivaz and Vevey?) is more than three miles from Ouchy (at least on my map). It's a quick train ride from Lausanne, though. Later, y'all. J.

scheraulei

Swandav - From what I've read Carouge sounds cool. I like mellow, artsy villages with great caf&eacute;s with serious peoplewatching, reasonably priced restaurants and interesting shops. That is the picture I've been given of Carouge. I am very fortunate to live near Ventura Boulevard in the LA area and that's what it's like, that's what I'm used to and I'll probably get homesick. LOL. But I will be in another country, so it should add that extra spice. Yes I am packed, just a couple more things to buy. One is a plug adaptor, which I am terrified to buy. I just know I'll get the wrong thing and blow up my hotel...

scheraulei

JMW -
Thank you so much for your kind words!
This time next Saturday I'll be gone so it is nice to have &quot;caught&quot; you before I left! I, too, marvel at how nice everyone is. I only frequent one other forum (24 -the TV show)and it can get a little intense at times. This is nice and light and very informative. Re: the raclette restaurant - raclette is a little too rich for my tastes, but watching someone make cheese directly in front of you sounds awfully interesting. If they serve a nice glass of Riesling, perhaps I'll take a peek. If St. Saphorin is not that much farther, I'll still walk it. I need the workout after all the chocolate I plan to eat...

jmw44

re St. Saphorin, you could compromise and take the train or boat to Cully and walk the vineyard trail from there. Do you have a map of the trails? (rather than the highway route along the lakeside) The tourist office in the Lausanne train station will have one for you, I'm sure. Bon Voyage. J.

swandav2000

Hi all,

I couldn't resist. I mapped out Ouchy-St Saphorin at mappy.com, and it shows that it's 14 km and will take 3h39 on foot. Here's the link to the page:

http://www9.mappy.com/sid2mFr5W0kJ7b...&amp;image.y=9

wow, that's a loong one! But cut &amp; paste &amp; it should work. Or just go to mappy.com and enter &quot;Ouchy&quot; and &quot;St Saphorin&quot; and then select &quot;pedestian&quot; as the route.

Anyway, hope this helps -- not sure I'd want to walk all of it. Maybe bike it? Rent a bike in Lausaane, bike to St Saphorin, then take the ferry back. It'll cost 5 chf to take the bike on the ferry.

Anyway, for what it's worth . . .!

s