One of the cities I have most frequented is Geneva, Switzerland. At first it seems that the town has pretty much nothing exciting to do... Whiiiiiich may be true for some if you don't look that hard.
But believe me, the city and its surroundings have plenty to offer if you make the effort.
WINTER:
Let's tackle the worst season of the year...
For starters, there is always going to be skiing. We tried out the beginner slopes at Verbier. The weather was surprisingly nice.
You might want to try Chamonix, if you're looking for a different experience in France instead of CH; plus you can visit the famous Mont Blanc!
When the cold finally gets to you, stop by a shop for some hot chocolate, French style, at any cafe or bakery along the street. Then pop into Chez Ma Cousine for a hearty meal of salad, half a chicken, and house-made potatoes (this is one of my favorites!). The family-oriented atmosphere and really good food makes for the perfect combination.
Palais des Nations makes for a good indoor activity for a half-day. I'm not sure about the tour booking process since my mom got us in easily, but make sure to look that up online before you go. And... make sure to visit the Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum while you're in that neighborhood.
And if you're willing to brave the wind, you can stop at Jet d' Eau, Europe's tallest fountain.
OR, you can just come back in the summer:
We took advantage of the snowy weather to take a small trip to Gruyeres to sample some of their world famous cheese and see how it's made. I mean, who doesn't absolutely ADORE aged, smelly cheeses?
***A little tip. Try not to get off at the wrong train stop, a random tiny village, for example, because it is very cold in the winter and you will be stuck for hours because there is only one train. NOT THAT THIS HAPPENED TO ME OR ANYTHING...
After our little mishap with the train, we finally made it to our second stop, the Cailler chocolate factory and tour.
But believe me, the city and its surroundings have plenty to offer if you make the effort.
WINTER:
Let's tackle the worst season of the year...
For starters, there is always going to be skiing. We tried out the beginner slopes at Verbier. The weather was surprisingly nice.
You might want to try Chamonix, if you're looking for a different experience in France instead of CH; plus you can visit the famous Mont Blanc!
When the cold finally gets to you, stop by a shop for some hot chocolate, French style, at any cafe or bakery along the street. Then pop into Chez Ma Cousine for a hearty meal of salad, half a chicken, and house-made potatoes (this is one of my favorites!). The family-oriented atmosphere and really good food makes for the perfect combination.
Palais des Nations makes for a good indoor activity for a half-day. I'm not sure about the tour booking process since my mom got us in easily, but make sure to look that up online before you go. And... make sure to visit the Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum while you're in that neighborhood.
And if you're willing to brave the wind, you can stop at Jet d' Eau, Europe's tallest fountain.
OR, you can just come back in the summer:
Winter day trips:
We took advantage of the snowy weather to take a small trip to Gruyeres to sample some of their world famous cheese and see how it's made. I mean, who doesn't absolutely ADORE aged, smelly cheeses?
***A little tip. Try not to get off at the wrong train stop, a random tiny village, for example, because it is very cold in the winter and you will be stuck for hours because there is only one train. NOT THAT THIS HAPPENED TO ME OR ANYTHING...
After our little mishap with the train, we finally made it to our second stop, the Cailler chocolate factory and tour.
We enjoyed sights such as a cow made entirely of chocolate.
And we got to sample some chocolate, of course. Here are the Cailler logs.
If you visit during the holidays, they might have a sale on chocolate at the gift shop!
More day trips and seasonal tips to come......
Feels like we were there with you. Nice post!
ReplyDeleteFeels like we were there with you. Nice post!
ReplyDelete