GVA / Geneva - Any good views from either side of the plane?
 

I'll be traveling LHR-GVA for the first time next week and am wondering if there is any preference for one side of the plane or the other vis-a-vis views of the lake or mountains? I know the runway runs NE/SW (05/23), but can't seem to figure out if there are prevailing winds blowing one way or the other.

Thanks!

For landing, the left side (A seats) will have a good view (Alps, fountain) approaching from the North. The right side will have a middling view even in the best case.
For takeoffs, right side with northerly wind, not much to see either way taking off to the South.

For a LHR-GVA-LHR routing, the best view would definitely be prior to landing from the North, as the approach path is over the lake, whereas outbound flights quickly veer away from the Alps.

Prevailing winds are:
- cold dry wind from the North -> clear skies
- moist wind from the West -> low cloud cover unable to get past the Alps. As those clouds usually top out around 1500m, the aerial view of the Alps is unobstructed even in bad weather.
- warm wind from the South -> pink skies at sunset, usually rain the next day

I get my weather forecasts here :)

Thanks for the great info, monahos! I'm booked on the left side both ways, so I'll change GVA-LHR to the right and hope for a departure to the North.

Currently very strong NE winds (bise), so landing from the SW. Probably best views are starboard (right), though LHR flights tend to bank pretty late and you'll be quite low down. For take-off same applies.
If the winds change direction (the ratio between West/East winds is about 60/40), swap sides. This is the most favourable configuration as the previous poster has indicated as you come in over the lake with view of the Mont Blanc (if it isn't in the clouds).

Is your LHR-GVA flight operated by a narrow-bodied aircraft? If so, just get an aisle seat and turn your head both ways - no need to worry about wind conditions and which runway etc...

Yes, we came in on runway 5 on Sunday, but I still got a nice view of the valley off the left side (then good views of the lake from the train :). Hoping to takeoff in the same direction later this week, when I'm seated on the right.

sfvoyage, good idea, but it's tough to take good photos from the aisle ;)