Lovely villages on Lake Geneva - request help with itinerary
 

Dear All, I am staying in Geneva and would like to spend the weekend visiting lovely villages around the Lake. I have done enough train travel in Switzerland, and I want to do the trisp entirely by boat. I have already seen your recommendations for Montreaux, Vevey, and Yvoire. A local friend has recommended Diovanne (though it doesn't seem to be right on the lake). Could you please advise on what to see each day. Again, I have 2 full days (I wake up super early), and I would like to see some sites, but the main reason to do this trip is to relax - my nice farewell to Switzerland (for now). I am not even sure yet where to get the boat in Geneva. I also thought I'd ask about events (I know there are wine festivals, etc) going on, and I love Audrey Hepburn, so maybe Morges/Tolochenaz would be nice? Thanks!!

Hi SairaK,

I think going to Montreux/Vevey by lake boat will be too far -- it'll take about 5h of travel.

Yes, Morges is a great idea, though I've never gone to Tolechenaz to see the pavillon for Ms. Hepburn. But Morges itself is lovely -- a cobbled pedestrian streed lined with cafes and boutiques, then the lakeside and a flowered promenade, and a beautiful park with stately trees also down by the lake. The castle there by the park houses an artillery museum, if you're interested.

Yvoire is also a good idea, though there's not much to do or see there. The village itself is just beautiful, so old, with hanging flowers just everywhere.

It may be too far to go, but Lutry is an idea; it sits just on the other side of Lausanne. Lutry is in the vineyards of the Lavaux and is a lovely town; it has a signposted walk of its ancient buildings.

Have fun as you plan!

s

Thanks, Swandav!

Evian-les-Bains over in France makes a sweet boat ride from Lausanne or Montreux or Vevey - take a short train ride there from Geneva. Evian is a spa town known of course for its Evian mineral water - a swank town with a famous casino and just pleasant lakeside venue.

Thank you, PalenQ :) This is my little farewell to Switzerland (for now), and a spa town sounds nice.

The boat takes an awful long time, what is a 1 hour train ride (liek out to Vevey and Montreux) is a 5 hour boat ride. Do you have enough time for that?

My favorite things to do in Vevey and Montreux include the weekly open air farmers street markets (Vevey Tues & Sat, Montreux Fri mornings). The Rocher de Nayes up the mountain side, the Old Town, and Chateaux de Chillon are my favorite things in Montreux. Besides simply strolling the quai (lakeside promonade) in both places.

Thanks Suze

I know you want to do it entirely by boat and if you go from Ouchy (Lausanne) over to Evian and back you pretty much have to but to maximize your time have you at least considered going out by boat and then back by rail?

The boat takes an awful long time, what is a 1 hour train ride (liek out to Vevey and Montreux) is a 5 hour boat ride>

no need to take the long boat ride from Geneva but take the train to Lausanne or Montreux then it is a short hour or so boat ride to Evian-les-Bains. For more on boats and trains in this area check out these IMO great sites - www.ricksteves.com; www.swisstravelsystem.com and http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html.

A great journey also sans boat is to hop the Chocolate train up to both Gruyeres and the Broc Nestle chocolate factory where you get a Willy Wonka type tour.

Some info :
http://www.cgn.ch/eng