Week End in Switzerland
 

Will be travelling to Geneva for two weeks for business , Mid November. Any ideas for a weekend ?

Hugely depends on the weather, which could be anything from fine and sunny and just chilly to wet and lousy and cold.

How energetic do you want it to be? If it's a good day, and if the weather and snow reports are good at that time, here are just a few ideas involving mountain paradise locations - there could be others course. Google the names below and you'll see why I'm suggesting them.:

It takes four hours by train and bus to get to Chamonix-Mont Blanc via Martigny, and you can come back the next day via the other route, via St. Gervais-les-Bains-le-Fayet in France, also takes about four hours.

It takes just under four hours to get to Zermatt where you want to take the local train up to Gornergrat for some of the best views of the famous Matterhorn. Stay the night, come back on Sunday.

In about 2 1/2 hours you can be i the ski resort of Verbier, ditto Montana-Crans.

In about two hours you can be in the ski resort of Villars-sur-Ollion.

It takes about two hours to get up to Les Rochers de Naye, train to Montreux and the moutain-goat of a train up to Les Rochers. Nearby is the Chillon castle, you're on the Swiss Riviera with usually mild weather even if it's nasty elsewhere.

Instead of mountains, you can go enjoy the nearby Burgundy region and taste the new wine of the season. By train you can be in historic Beaune in 3:13 hrs.

If the Olympics interest you, the nearby city of Lausanne has the Olympic museum www.olympic.org/museum

In just under two hours you can be in the historic city of Bern (the federal capital) with its city center tht has been well preserved - see www.bern.com/en/index.cfm

If world-class classical music does it for you (especially if the weather is not cooperating for outdoor pleasures), look at the schedule of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande at http://www.osr.ch/programme-billette...ison/2013-2014
and overall info at www.leprogramme.ch/musique

Or go for the tour that takes you to the Gruyères region where they show you how they make the world-class cheese and chocolate: www.la-gruyere.ch/en/cheese-and-chocolate.html

"It takes four hours by train and bus to get to Chamonix-Mont Blanc via Martigny, and you can come back the next day via the other route, via St. Gervais-les-Bains-le-Fayet in France, also takes about four hours".

And it takes about 1 1/2 hrs to get to Chamonix Mont Blanc by direct bus
http://www.sat-montblanc.com/fr/lign...Automne_02.pdf
And it takes about 3 hrs to get to Chamonix Mont Blanc by SNCF bus and train
http://telechargement.ter-sncf.com/I...m-31-19884.pdf

True, but it's more fun via Martigny.

Take the train to Vevey for the Saturday morning farmer's market (about 1 hour from Geneva). Go to Chateau de Chillon outside Montreux. Walk along the quai (lakeside promonade, both towns). Have a meal in Vevey somewhere along the lake. Much less ambitious than others have proposed, but I love this area of the country. Throw in Lausanne if Vevey/Montreux don't offer enough choices. Gruyere if you've got a car. See the castle there.

Hi rachel007,

I'm another one who wouldn't want to travel long distances for just a weekend; I think I would go for Bern (if you like cities) or Gstaad if you want to be in the countryside. Gstaad lies a little lower than other mountainous areas in Switzerland, so it will be milder. There are some wonderful walks you can take along the valleys to nearby towns, or some great walks along the mountain ridges and peaks.

But it would be great to stay in Montreux, too. Their Christmas markets are gaining popularity, and they are fun and are usually packed! They open on 22 November.

http://www.montreuxnoel.ch/en-1-info-presentation.html

BTW, you certainly do NOT need a car to visit Gruyeres. It is just a quick detour off the wonderful Golden Pass route between Montreux and Gstaad, a lovely train ride.

s

"Walk along the quai (lakeside promonade, both towns). Have a meal in Vevey somewhere along the lake"
But be aware that it might be cold, rainy and foggy along the lake.

The train ride to both, Berne and Gstaad takes longer than the bus ride to Chamonix.

The climate of Gstaad is less mild than along Lake Geneva or along the sunny Northern slopes of the Swiss Rhone Valley (Valais)