I am planning a 2-3 hour visit to Chexbres and St Sapphorin in the morning, using Swiss Pass.

Can anyone advise where I can find scenic lookout points (of the vineyards and Lake Geneva) in Chexbres and St Sapphorin within short easy walks from Chexbres railway station.

Bonjour CHYY,

I'm sorry I can't help you much with finding locations, but I advise you to never, ever, refer to "Lake Geneva" outside the city of Geneva itself. Its correct name is "Lake Léman" and most inhabitants of the cities around it are quite a bit fed up with "Genevois" claiming the lake to themselves alone ;-)

Hi CHYY,

I've done this walk a few times and once on bicycle, but I can't recall a specific place as a vantage point. ALL your views will be terrific.

When you leave the Chexbres train station, just go *downhill* and you'll soon find yourself in the vineyards, which have signposts directing walkers to the villages along the vineyard paths. The village of Rivaz is at the lake, and it's only about a 15-minute walk from Chexbres; it's where I usually go. From Rivaz you can head to St Sapphorin on foot (a further 20 minutes) or by train.

But to answer your question, I would guess the vineyards are only about a 5-minute walk from the train station. Just wander about until you get the view you like --

s

Hi Again,

In case you haven't found it, here's a link to the Lavaux tourism website: http://www.lavaux.com/navigation.asp?page=balades.asp

The specific page I pasted is the one for the walks -- click on #7, Chexbres - Rivaz or #8, Chexbres - St Sapphorin for maps & photos (for photos, click on the links at the "eye" pictogram). This site says the walk from Chexbres to Rivaz is 55 minutes and from Chexbres directly to St Sapphorin is 30 minutes.

s

Thanks for the link to the Lavaux tourism website, swandav2000.

I believe there is a wealth of information in there and unfortunately, I am not able to understand the language. Is there a English version?

The last time we visited vineyards, it was after the harvest and we did not get to see much. Are there fruits on the vine in early June?

Hi CHYY,

No, I don't think that website is in English -- to try for an approximate translation, go to google & at their languages page, enter the website and ask for a translation, either from French or from German. It may help --

And as for June, I've never been there then. I've been in May, when the vines were still pretty brown & bare, and in August, when they were bursting and green, and in the fall and winter. I think it's still a very pretty spot even without the fruit. If you want to try the trip in reverse, take the ferry to Rivaz -- then if the vineyards look unappealing, just stay on the ferry and go on to Lutry (a charming midieval village with a posted historical walk), Lausanne, or Morges.

s