13th-century Château de Chillon is worth seeing. Even if you’re completely castled-out (understandable while touring this region), Chillon warrants a stop if, for nothing else, than to see what Byron was so enraptured by. Chillon is a well-preserved medieval castle that majestically perches over the lake amidst thick trees and snow-covered, craggy mountains. The château…
Though much of Nyon is appealing sloping vineyards, fields and forests, the small town center on Lake Geneva is even more lovely. Nyon has been around since at least the 300’s. Excavations have turned up artifacts from the times of the Celtic Helvetians and the Romans. In the 13th century, the Counts of Savoy built…
Saint-Saphorin is a treasure of a stop in the Lavaux region. When we visited, the town’s sole restaurant wasn’t open, but we enjoyed an hour of wandering. The entire municipality is 0.89 square km, of which over 65% is used for agricultural purposes and forest. This waterside hamlet climbs the slopes amidst the vines. There’s…
The Lavaux wine region stretches from Lausanne to Vevey. This very special region is a UNESCO World Heritage Sight. One look and it’s easy to see why: Lavaux’s vineyards cover steep hillsides and every point offers views of Lake Geneva and the Savoy Alps. Picture-perfect villages with winding cobblestone streets dot the vine-filled hills. There…
Hotel Angleterre is perfectly situated near the waterfront, down the hill from the main part of Lausanne in Ouchy, Lausanne’s flat, lakeside neighbor. Ouchy’s promenade offers a front-seat view of sprawling Lake Geneva and the snow-capped Savoy Alps. Since the 12th century, Ouchy has been an important fishing and trading port and tourists began flocking…
Towers, spires, turrets – Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Lausanne has it all. It is considered the most beautiful Gothic building in Switzerland. And, it is the largest. The foundation was laid in the 12th century and construction continued through the 13th century. A colorful 13th century 105-panel rose window adorns the south side and flying buttresses…
This is the last vestige of Lausanne’s old city walls. It dates to the 14th century and is 20 meters high. After the city no longer needed protecting, it was used as a pig slaughterhouse.