Arching around most of southern end of Switzerland鈥檚 most southwest corner, Lake Geneva laps against the French border with a serene beauty. A collage of castles, museums, resort towns, and vineyards, this region merits a few days of exploration 鈥� though you can enjoy a swift overview of its highlights even in just one day.
Last summer, I took time to relax and enjoy the tranquil and elegant city of Lausanne (the area鈥檚 best home base). With a characteristic old town, towering cathedral, and delightful lakeside promenade, it has the energy and cultural sophistication of a larger city, but is home to only about 140,000 people.
The Romans founded Lausanne on the lakefront 鈥� but with the fall of Rome and the rise of the barbarians, the first Lausanners fled for the hills, establishing today鈥檚 tangled old town a safe distance uphill from the lake.
The steep city feels like a life-size game of Chutes and Ladders. Two-dimensional maps don鈥檛 do justice to the city鈥檚 bridges, underpasses, stairways, hills and valleys. Even the M茅tro trains and platforms are on an incline.
Wandering the pedestrianized Rue de Bourg in the old town, I could see the multiethnic makeup of today鈥檚 Switzerland on parade. Though the region鈥檚 official language is French, the language situation is potluck, with German and Italian also prevalent. (Be careful to pronounce Lausanne correctly 鈥� 鈥渓oh-zahn鈥� 鈥� and don鈥檛 confuse it with Luzern.)
One of Lausanne鈥檚 highlights, the Collection de l鈥橝rt Brut, is like nothing else you鈥檒l see in Europe: a museum filled with art produced by untaught artists 鈥� many of them imprisoned or legally insane, and all of them as free-spirited as artists could possibly be.
Down by the lake is another tourist district, Ouchy (pronounced 鈥渙o-shee鈥�). It鈥檚 the happy domain of commoners, office workers, and roller skaters strutting their stuff 鈥� a fun zone with fountains, parks, promenades, and restaurants. The Ouchy lakefront is also where you鈥檒l find the top-notch Olympic Museum, set in a beautiful lakeside park where the Olympic flame flickers between editions of the games. This is your chance to see Jesse Owens鈥� spiked jumping shoes, Katarina Witt鈥檚 red skating dress, a basketball signed by the 1992 American 鈥淒ream Team,鈥� and Cathy Freeman鈥檚 running shoes.
The most picturesque way to see Lake Geneva is by a two-hour boat cruise from Lausanne to the region鈥檚 best sight: the island-castle of Ch芒teau de Chillon.
Elegant French-style villas with pastel colours, frilly balconies, and mansard roofs grace the lakeshore and instil an air of gentility.
On my last visit, I sailed past the dreamy terraced banks of Lavaux vineyards and on toward Montreux 鈥� a relaxed resort famous for its jazz festival each July.
Though not heavy on sights, Montreux offers sublime views of misty Lake Geneva and the cut-glass peaks in the distance. For an easy side-trip from Montreux, hop on the Chocolate Train. It stops at a chocolate factory and at the foot of Gruy猫res, the ultra-touristy town that鈥檚 justifiably famous for its cheese 鈥� which you can see being made in a cheese production house.
The French-speaking Swiss countryside to the north is worth exploring, especially if you鈥檙e driving. Along with tasty chocolates and fragrant cheese, it鈥檚 sprinkled with crystal-clear lakes and sleepy cows.
My favourite destination in the area, Ch芒teau de Chillon, is set wistfully at the edge of Lake Geneva, about 30 kilometres southeast of Lausanne. Because it鈥檚 built on a rocky island, this medieval castle has a higgledy-piggledy shape that combines a stout fortress (on the land side) and a residence (on the lake side). Remarkably well-preserved, the ch芒teau has never been damaged or destroyed 鈥� always inhabited, always maintained.
Over the centuries it has been used as an armoury, warehouse, prison, hospital, and tourist attraction. The Romantics loved this place: Rousseau, Lord Byron, Victor Hugo, and Goethe were all inspired here, and even Dickens and Hemingway dropped by. Chillon is still Switzerland鈥檚 best castle experience, with a dank prison, battle-scarred weapons, simple Swiss-style mobile furniture, and 800-year-old toilets. Make like a sentry and patrol the ramparts, then (if the coast is clear) curl up on a windowsill to enjoy the tingly lake views.
There鈥檚 plenty of gorgeous scenery in Switzerland, but Lake Geneva is one of its real charms. Whether enjoyed on a stroll through a shoreline park, from the deck chair on a boat cruise, over the wrought iron of your hotel-room balcony, or through the window of a medieval castle, Lake Geneva sparkles with romantic ambience. Its laid-back vibe makes it the perfect place to just be on vacation.
Rick Steves (ricksteves.com) writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at [email protected] and follow his blog on Facebook.
