suze

www.montreux.ch is the website i use for the area
www.vevey.ch but it's only in french i think
www.swiss-riviera.com has all the smaller towns listed

In Vevey there are antique stores, bookstores and other wonderful local shops of all variety. Go on the 'pedestrian streets' is where they are concentrated. Train station is very close to the town square, lakeside, and shopping area. Just a few blocks walking.

Geveva was interesting for me the one day we went into the city, but it was the surrounding countryside and smaller towns that really impress me.

Bree

Thanks, spaarne, PalenQ, swandav2000, and suze. Suze, I was going to ask you whether the sights you mentioned in Vevey were within walking distance of the train station, so you anticipated my question!

suze

The train station is fairly central in both Montreux and Vevey.

But Vevey even more so. 5-10 mins from the train station (on the flat) gets you to the area of shops, pedestrian streets, the town square, or down to the lakeside promonade. The Sat AM farmers market is my very favorite thing I've done in Vevey. Just love it. I've sent other Fodor's folks there and everyone always enjoys. There's also a Tues morning but it's smaller and different location. Both are interesting and fun, and the real thing (not made for tourists, it really is where locals shop).

In Montreux the station sits up on the hill, so not a far distance but a tiny bit less convenient. In Montreux the Old Town is very pretty. Overall Montreux has a less convenient/central layout that Vevey. There's the big hill and it's more stretched out along the main road rather than around a central square (if that makes sense).

Tentek

Hi Bree, for detailed information and answers to your questions, you may want to post on Frommers.com. For Switzerland, there are more people responding and a more vibrant discussion:
http://www.frommers.com/community/fo...pe/switzerland

suze

Tentek, That's interesting to hear about Switzerland. I stopped posting on Frommers because the locations I usually travel to (Mexico, Hawaii, Caribbean) are completely dead forums. I'd get a dozen replies here on Fodor's for the same question, when I only get 0 or 1 over there.

I think my suggestions are plenty "vibrant" (just kidding).

Bree

Thanks for the suggestion, Tentek. Suze, your suggestions are definitely vibrant!

Pvoyageuse

"CERN - anyone know is there is anything there for a tourist to see?"

There are both exhibitions and guided visits.
http://public.web.cern.ch/public/

PalenQ

Pvovageuse - as always Merci bien! I'll be heading there next time in Switzerland.

Grassshopper

For a weekend trip, consider taking the train to Domodossola and then the Centovalli (100 valleys) train to Locarno. It's an absolutely stunning ride.

I also second the recommendation to take a day trip to Lyon. It's only a 2 hour train ride and Lyon's old town is really fun to explore.

Take a boat from Geneva to Vevey or Montreaux, and then train back (or vice versa). The boat ride takes about 5 hours and the train ride 1. It's a beautiful way to spend the day.