Please Critique our 12 day Geneva Trip.....
 

We will be in Geneva as our base for a 12 day trip (probably first & last trip) to Switzerland. We will have a 6.5 month old baby too.

In addition to the 5-6 days worth of attractions in Geneva, I am trying to finalize about 5-6 day trips to take as well.

What do you think of the folloiwng places? Remember we'll have a baby with us (we can bring a stroller or a baby backpack)

1) Boat ride of Lake Geneva
2) Train to Gruyere (visting the castle, & touring a cheese & chocolate making factory)
3) Train to Vevey, tourinv Vevey & then going to Montreux (Chateaue de Chillon)
4) Train to Interlaken-from there, getting to Murren & walking from Murren to Grimmelwald
5) Taking a train to Zermatt or Gstaad? Any thoughts on this?
6) Going to Annecy, France?
7) Morges?
8) Coppet?
9) Mt. Saleve?

Hi joaniejd,

I wonder why you picked Geneva as your base -- is it because of free hotel from points? I personally don't like cities so didn't care much for Geneva; I really really prefer the smaller towns (Vevey, Montreux, etc) around the lake.

But as for your questions --

I hope you spend a day in the vineyards above Vevey. Take the train to Vevey, then switch to a train to Chexbres, then just walk downhill toward the lake. You'll soon find yourself in the vineyards with trails signposted to Rivax & St Saphorin. Here's a link to a site with a map of this area: http://www.lavaux.com/navigation.asp?page=balades.asp

I think your day around Interlaken will involve too much travel. The train from Geneva to Interlaken Ost will take 2h54, then it's another whole hour to get up to Muerren. So that's eight hours just with transportation for that day. So I suggest you either pick some other mountains closer to Geneva (French alps, Leysin, Les Diablerets) or move your base.

Gstaad is actually quite a nice spot as a base. You can either be in Montreux or in Interlaken in under two hours. Gstaad has fabulous shopping (of course), world-class restaurants, and literally dozens of gentle walking or cycling paths through some incredible terrain. It's a great spot to explore Saanen, Chateau d'Oex, Gruyeres, Rougemont, etc.

Or if you want to stay on a lake, consider either Spiez, Thun, or Brienz. Again, you can be on Lake Geneva in about two hours, and you'll only be about 30 minutes from Interlaken.

So enough about that. For other trips from Geneva, I heartily concur that Annecy is worthwhile though I've never been there -- I'm planning my first visit (from Montreux) this Sept. I found a bus route from Geneva to Annecy (http://212.203.98.98/WW70AWP/WW70AWP...967?DRAPEAU_EN or just type in www.gareroutiere.ch and then click on the British flag; once at the site, click on "schedules -- choose a schedule" and under that click on "Regular Lines Region Bordercross" to get the route to Annecy).

I also loved Morges and think a baby would enjoy it -- cobbled main street lined with shops & bakeries, a flowered lakeside promenade, and a beautiful lakeside park filled with huge, stately trees and a wide lawn.

I also think Gstaad is well worth a day, and take the pleasant walk over to Saanen (about 40 minutes). Gstaad's website is www.gstaad.ch.

Let me know if you'd like more info!

s

Topping so I can find this later. S', your suggestions are torture! I'm supposed to be writing lesson plans, but I'm playing with my laptop instead! Joan, what time of the year will you travel? The season will be a factor in the look and feel of the vineyard trails of the lavaux. The only places I can add to S' list are a possible visit to Bern from Lac Leman, a suggestion to visit lovely Lausanne, and if you like very small (but already discovered), the French village of Yvoire. Bon Voyage, J.

Re your possible trip to Zermatt. Don't forget that if you are going to visit Lausanne, Montreux, Chillon, Vevey, etc., and then take another day to go to Zermatt you'll be covering the same territory in order to get there.

The scenery is spectacular between Visp and Zermatt and if you continue up the Gornergratt or up to Kleine Matterhorn you'll be able to view the highest peaks of all.

BUT...the Matterhorn peak and others in the Monte Rosa Massif can easily be obscured by weather at all time of the year.

For your purposes since you are going to the Berner O. anyway...consider, while you are in Montreux taking the rack railway up to Glion and Rochers de Naye. This offers spectacular views of the lake, France, etc., and the ride up in and of itself is worth the time IMO.

You might also consider going to Lausanne as someone mentioned and taking a boat from there over to Chillon or from Vevey. Approaching the "castle" by water can be quite memorable.

i could have sworn i answered this post, but don't see my reply. hmmm.

#1- The Saturday early AM open air farmers market in the Vevey town square is fantastic. Vevey is only ~1 hour by train from Geneva. You might continue on to Montreux and see either Chateux de Chillon (old castle) or take a tram from the train station up to the lookout (Roche de Nayes) if the weather is clear. In either town you can stroll along the quai (lakeside promonade and find a nice place for lunch).

#2- The village and castle at Gruyere is very beautiful. Have a meat and cheese board lunch at one of the quaint local restaurants.

#3- A boat ride on the lake. There's a number of choices of ferries, etc. You could even use this for transportation between Geneva and one of the lakeside towns above but it takes a LONG time (like a 5 hr boat ride vs. a 1 hr train ride).

I agree with the Yvoire idea as there are flowers everywhere and it is very quaint. There are some good deals in the shops as well. It is a beauiful sail, using the CGN steamships on Lac Leman. Not to be indelicate, but the only public bathroom is in the castle and it is medieval in the EXTREME. Go before you leave the ship. Also, the train ride and bus between Les Diablerets and Montreux will knock your socks off. I can't even describe it and I don't want to ruin it. If you have the time to go to Lucerne, the cruises around Lake Lucerne are supposed to be quite beautiful and will afford a chance to go to Mt. Pilatus, a very scenic peak. I loved Berne. It was a great place to just hang out, especially late at night. Get a baby sitter and treat yourself one night. There is never a dull moment in Berne. Another beautiful, mellow place is the park next to the lake in Neuchatel. You must also see the Museum near there on the first Sunday of the month when they showcase the four famous lifelike automata, a miracle in engineering for the era. My base was Lausanne and I also liked hanging out by the lake in the suburb of Ouchy. There is a big park there with lots of families with strollers. I'm so jealous. I miss Switzerland so much.

How did your trip end up? Did you go and what did you do? What did you like and not like?

I actually live here, near Vevey and would like to participate when possible.

Rogoflap