Sights and sounds from the Lausanne region.
Written: Mar 05 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Charming cities and towns, scenic area, friendly people, not a mass touristic destination.
Cons: The weather can be humid and cold but without snow in the winter.
The Bottom Line: If you happen to be along the Geneva lake someday you may want to spend a few days exploring quaint towns and enjoy spectacular sightseeing.
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| tongareva's Full Review: Switzerland |
On a recent business trip to Southern Europe, I went to Switzerland before going to Italy the following week (check also my opinion on Venice). Here is a short opinion on the area and the hotel I was staying in in Switzerland.
My business meetings were held in Lausanne on the shore of the Geneva Lake. Lausanne is not a big city but it hosts some of the world’s biggest organizations such as the International Olympic Comitee and many other non governmental organizations. The city is located right on the Geneva Lake overlooking the Alps halfway between Geneva and Montreux. Actually, the whole Swiss shore from Geneva to Montreux offers a spectacular view on Europe’s tallest mountains among which the’Mont Blanc’ in France. The border crosses the lake, the Southern shore is in France.
For lunch I regularly went to a restaurant called ‘L’Abordage’ right on the lake on Avenue du Léman in Lausanne. The view is spectacular and food is exceptional. Try the magic trout: a Swiss must! Lunches vary on a daily basis and are in a price range of $15.00 to $30.00. It may look expensive for a lunch but actually it is well worth it.
I was staying at the ‘Hotel du Mont Blanc’ in the town of Morges at about 10 minutes by car from downtown Lausanne. The hotel is located at a priviledged site on the shore of the lake facing the majestic Mont Blanc (Europe’s highest peak) and one of the most picturesque ports on the lake. The hotel is part of the American Best Western chain but has kept its authentic Swiss-type identity. I stayed there several days and loved the food. Swiss people know how to eat and their cheese specialties along with a nice local white or red wine are something one cannot miss.
Morges is a typical quaint little Swiss town set in the middle of vineyards in the canton (county) of Vaud at about 30 miles from Geneva’s airport. Among its points of interests the city has developed a program to put unemployed people back to work. For 9 years now they have been building a wooden antique roman ship that will be put to the waters in June 2001. The program has raised funds and is now fully self sustaining and employs some 50 full-time workers. Most workers have already found a new job for the end of the construction. I thought this was a nice enough initiative to be mentioned. The ship will be used on the Geneva lake for a touristic purpose. The whole construction area can be visited. It is very interesting to see how such a boat is built, what are the materials involved in the construction, and discuss with the workers. The construction is taking place in a wharehouse along the lake not too far from the casino.
Next to the port lies a medieval castle. It is from the 13th century and was used to protect the town from invasions. No invasion ever took place but at those times preventing was better than healing! Today the castle can be visited every day and it will take about 2 hours to tour with a guide.
There is a very extensive water public transportation network on the lake. Boats link all the big cities to smaller towns and even to some French cities on the other side of the lake such as the termal town of Evian. It takes about 2 hours from Lausanne to Geneva and a ride to Montreux at the opposite side will take around an hour and a half. Going to France is shorter and will take you about 30 minutes. On long journeys you can enjoy a meal on the boat while watching one of the most beautiful landscape in Europe go by!
Next to the town of Morges is a little village named Denens. As funny as it may sound, Denens calls itself the ‘World Capital of Scarecrows’. Indeed, every house, even public buildings, have scarecrows in their gardens. Some are traditional, others are very original. If you happen to be in that region one day, do not miss visiting Denens.
It is a region that is not very touristic compared to other areas of Switzerland but it’s a region well worth visiting if you like to sneak off the beaten tracks, discover genuinely preserved places and meet friendly people.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Jun - Aug
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Epinions.com ID:
tongareva
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Location: Born and raised in Europe, but citizen of the world.
Reviews written: 13
Trusted by: 9 members
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