Laurie

We will be staying in Montreux 5/18 - 5/25. 1) We would like to explore Geneva before taking the train to Montreux. Any suggestions on what to do with our luggage and what sites to see?<BR>2) Our hosts have scheduled tours of the imediate Montreux area, Lausanne, and Zermatt. Any suggestions on what to do with our free time? We love to be outdoors, museums are good, wine is great.<BR>Thanks, Laurie

s

Laurie,<BR><BR>Congratulations on your holiday at Lake Geneva!<BR><BR>You can send your luggage onto Montreux by train, and it will be waiting for you when you arrive. Cost is about 10 chf per bag.<BR><BR>Major sites in Geneva are the Flower Clock in the English Gardens on the south bank, the Jet d'eau in the lake itself, and the St Peter Cathedral in the Old Town (continuing south).<BR><BR>For your Montreux days, you can look at my travel journal with photos at:<BR>http://www.igougo.com/planning/journ...JournalID=7825. My favorits are the vineyards of the Corniche Lavaux between Lausanne & Vevey, including the villages of Rivaz, Chexbres, & St Saphorin. Many of the caves offer wine tastings. I'd also recommend the antiques shops of the old town of Vevey, the views from the old town of Montreux, and the historical markers on the medieval buildings at Lutry (also wine tastings in Lutry). You can also take a culinary ferry ride one evening (ferry service info at www.cgn.ch).<BR><BR>E-mail me if you want more info.<BR><BR>s

en suisse

Don't miss Chateau de Chillon near Montreux. It's a fabulous OLD OLD OLD castle on the lake. And if it can work with you schedule, the outdoor market in Vevey early (8-noon) on Saturday mornings (Vevey is between Lausanne and Montreux).

Florence

Bonjour Laurie,<BR><BR>5/18 being a Saturday, Geneva has its twice weekly fleamarket on Plaine de Plainpalais (take tramway nr 13 in front of Hotel Cornavin at the main station). The same tramway will take you in about 15 minutes to Carouge, an area full of antique and craft shops with a different atmosphere than the old town.<BR><BR>A nice way to see the city is from the water: take one of the small "Mouette" boat to cross the lake from the Quai Wilson (in front of Hotel de la Paix where princess Sissi was assasinated), then walk along the lake to the Parc de la Grange, a beautiful garden boasting a rose exhibition. <BR><BR>In the Old Town, have a drink at a terrasse at Place du Bourg de Four, then stroll through the Grand Rue. You can enter the courtyard of some of the local government buildings on the way.<BR><BR>If you have time(count 1/2 day), the best point of view of the whole area is on the top of Mt Saleve, where you can enjoy an overview of Geneva and the lake on one side, the MtBlanc massif in the French Alps on the other. You can go there by bus then cable car.<BR><BR>Welcome to my city.<BR><BR>Here's the link to Geneva tourism office http://www.geneve-tourisme.ch/eng/in...g&edTemp=vivre

laurie

Thanks for the suggestions.<BR>Laurie

Gaia

there is a national exhibition in Switzerland:http://www.expo.02.ch/e/home.html - ask your hosts about it.