Hello Fodorites!

It has come to my attention that a friend of a friend will be living in Geneva for a year (by herself in a sweet 3-bedroom apartment, in which we could stay for free) while I'm visiting our mutual friend in France.

Initial talks of a 3 to 4-day trip to the area have been discussed, but I'd love your input.

Switzerland in February is, dare I say, not the ideal time for non-skiers. From what I've seen here (there's a 10.5 year-old thread on the forum!) and elsewhere is that they are some lovely older towns, nice for some walking, eating, a museum here and there. But not sure if it's necessarily worth much exploration if it's going to be only slighter warmer average temps than I'm used to during that month.

From your experience, what are the merits of places like Lausanne, Lutry, Vevey, and Montreux at this time of year? If you had a solid 3 days, which would you prioritize and why?

Or would you say scrap the idea altogether and hope to visit the area on a future trip in warmer temps?

Many thanks!

Hi ducinaltum,

I've visited Montreux in November a number of times and in March as well. The best thing is that you have the town practically to yourself, of course! In Montreux, the town gardeners create sculptures to decorate the flowered promenades, and of course the views across the lake remain stunning.

I always enjoy spending a few hours getting lost in the tangled streets of the old town of Vevey, which sits right next to the lake. Try to get there on a Saturday morning so you can visit the market in the square by the lake.

If there's snow (there won't be more than a dusting at the lake), the vineyards of the Lavaux can be very pretty -- so bundle up and take a walk from Lutry to Epesses, Cully, or Rivaz (about 1h30 to 2h). A visit to the Lavaux is nicely combined with a visit to Vevey.

If you don't mind longer excursions, a trip to Gstaad would be worthwhile -- take a cable car up to the Wispile and enjoy some fondue and wine looking at the incredible mountain views. Or visit Chateau d'Oex and see its cheese demonstration and see if there are any hot-air balloonists around (there is a big hot-air balloon festival in January, but you may still see some activity in Feb). Or, you could visit the medieval town of Gruyeres and explore its castle and, again, enjoy some fondue.

Ok, so, in February, my priorities would be (well, they're the same no matter when I'm there):

Lakeside promenade, Chillon castle
Vevey
Lavaux vineyards
Gstaad/Chateau d'Oex
Gruyeres

Have fun as you plan!

s

I hesitate to suggest that you looked at my trip report, because I thoroughly embarrassed myself more than once in that report!, but even so (be kind!) you might find some useful info: About half-way through (scroll down to a LONG entry dated 2/4/14), I began some detailed comments about things I saw/did in Geneva, Lausanne, and Montreux (including Lutry and Vevey). I was there in early June, but many of my comments are about museums and other places that are likely open year-round, so you might find something of value in what I wrote.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...any-thanks.cfm

Hope you find something useful in there!

I agree with those who have said there won't be as many folks visiting which can be nice. I suspect it will be damp as it often is and the sun will disappear sooner than you'd prefer, but I doubt it will be bone-chilling, especially along the lake.

There is something very peaceful and quiet about it. I've done the spectacular trip up to Rochers de Naye from Montreux at that time of year but it is best done on a clear day for viewing purposes. Chillon "castle" might interest you; just a ride on one of the lake boats would be pleasant for me.

I hope you decide to go and if nothing else, simply take a boat or the train east from Geneva to somewhere, anywhere.

Dukey1,

The lake boats don't run in the winter. Well, there is a " boat bus" between Nyon and Yvoire, but I think that's it.

s

swanda - whoo! That sounds like an excellent plan. Thanks for the feedback and the ideas - I've never ridden in a cable car so that would be half fascinating/half terrifying

Cheese demonstration...oh you're speaking my language. Visiting Gruyeres and enjoying some of the fine Swiss cheeses in general is something this Wisconsin girl (and the two WI natives I'll be with) will certainly enjoy. Thanks for listing out your priorities - so good to hear from someone who is well-versed in the area.

kja - thank you for the link! I look forward to reading the TR and the recommendations therein after work today and I must admit, you've got my interest piqued as to your embarrassing stories. Don't we all have those?! I know I do

Dukey - thanks also for your thoughts! I'll look into Rochers de Naye and yes, I agree with your encouragement to take a train somewhere, anywhere out of Geneva to see the terrain.

You've all given some great things to continue researching - thank you again and I'll be back if that research yields new questions!

Lake Geneva boats in winter:
daily:
Lausanne - Evian
Monday to Friday resp Saturday:
Lausanne - Thonon
Sunday:
Geneva - Nyon
Lausanne - Vevey - Montreux - Chillon - Bouveret - St-Gingolph

Places to visit all the year round:
castles around the Lake (more than a dozen)
medieval town centers
many local museums (among them the Swiss National Museum at Prangins or the Olympic Museum at Lausanne)
Viewpoints (over Lake and Alps) which can be reached by train or cableway:
Saleve, St-Cergue, Mont Pelerin, Pleyades, Rochers de Naye, Berneuse.....

I've never been in February, but my very first trip to Vevey was in November, definitely was winter-time. No reason to even think about skiing (which doesn't happen down at the lake-level anyways). If I had 3 days to spend from Geneva I'd check out Lausanne, Vevey, and Montreux. Maybe Gruyere.

neckervd,

I just checked the schedules at the CGN site (www.cgn.ch).

There aren't any winter schedules available at all. The schedules stop in Oct. Whenever I'm there in November or March, I never, ever see the boats around Montreux or Villeneuve or Chillon.

Please let me know where you have your information that these boats run in the winter.

s

s, check out MySwitzerland.com e.g.

"In winter, the schedule is reduced, but join us for a fondue on our boats."

And in German:
"Im Sommer verkehren die Schiffe täglich auf verschiedenen Routen, im Winter besteht ein reduzierter Fahrplan, wir laden Sie jedoch auf unseren Schiffen zum Fondue-Plausch ein. Es werden auch Spezial- und Themenfahrten angeboten."

I wonder if that's new, Ingo. I know there are regular routes between Lausanne & Evianin the winter, but having even Sunday ferries around Montreux/Territet/Chillon is something I've never seen. And I've been there for a number of winter Sundays.

s

OK, so the OP could take a boat from Lausanne over to Evian and back. Regardless, it is a great time to be at the lake even if the flowers aren't in bloom yet, right?

Thanks for the discussion about the boats - a boat ride in that environment would certainly be toward the top of my list of things to do, winter or otherwise. [Also loved the German you included, my college German comes in handy yet ]

Already looked into myswitzerland.com and am putting it in my file for future reference for the most updated schedule as the trip gets closer and we determine the what and where of our travels.

Vielen Dank!

Hi again,

I would also keep up with the website of the company that runs the ferries --

www.cgn.ch

While they apparently aren't posting the winter schedules online now, I would keep checking!

s

I only included the German because it has more info than the English version. Glad you like it

S is right - keep an eye on the cgn.ch website, they might post their winter schedule later this year. I guess they might decide on that in fall.

Swandaw/Ingo:
Do you really think that the thousands of people from Evian and Thonon who work in and around Lausanne don't cross the Lake in winter?
Official timetable:
http://www.fahrplanfelder.ch/fileadm.../2014/3150.pdf
In this timetable, you will find the Sunday boats between
Geneva and Nyon
Lausanne and Chillon
Vevey and the Canton of Valais
too.

Re your German: unless you are planning on going half way into the canton of Valais you can start brushing up on your French. Actually, I have found it pretty easy to get around and along in Geneva, Vaud and Valais with my high school French and my English.

Well, I was wondering about that, too, and could not understand why CGN doesn't list it on their website. Very user unfriendly.

But thanks for the link.

necker - thanks so much for sharing the timetable - very helpful!

Dukey - already ahead of you! A Fodorite (annhig) recommended a series of cds (Michel Thomas) to begin learning French. Between Spanish in high school, German in college and Italian in the months after college, I'm finding French fairly easy to pick up.

I have some written materials to work on from a friend who lived in Paris last summer to learn French for his position, so I'm hoping by the time I get there I'll have a working knowledge of the language.

neckervd, please note above when I say:

"I know there are regular routes between Lausanne & Evianin the winter . . . "

Of course, that typo should be "Evian in the winter . . "

So, yes, I did know that the thousands of people who work/live in Evian, Thonon and Lausannne cross the lake in winter.

s