Going to Geneva for a couple of days next month for work and Buster is going to tag-along. She'll explore the city on Thurs/Fri, but on Saturday we'd like to head out of town. I've read a little about Chillon and also thought about Chamonix. A scenic rail trip into the mountains would be nice, but I haven't found a lot of information on them so far.

Only catch is the 7:10am flight back to LGW on Sunday is a lot cheaper than any later flights. We could also potentially fly back from ZRH later on Sunday if we spend the night somewhere between the two.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Try Courchevel for good skiing and apres-ski.

I enjoyed the Charmonix area.

The town of Annecy, France is nice.

I also like Lausanne, Switz. The Olympic Museum is nice there.

I really like Montreaux.... the castle is interesting.

You'll enjoy the areas outside of Geneva.

It all depends if you are going to rent a car or use public transport.
The trip to Montreux and the Chillon castle may be nice but in February, well I am not so sure. This area is really nice in the spring.

A trip to the mountains would be nice but by car, otherwise too time consuming. I'd recommend Avoriaz in France, only one and a half hour away by car. On the return trip a stop at Evian for a typical Alpine dinner.

If you go by public transport, why not take the train to Z�rich, beautiful scenery on the three hour trip with maybe a stop at Bern for lunch?
Let me know, I'll give you more info.

Lausanne is definitely worth a stop, especially the port area (Ouchy) and the Olympic museum.

Bern has a beautiful old town (world heritage site) and good shopping.

Both cities can easily be reached by train.

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truly yours. airOli.
March 1st 2004: Morgestraich Do!

Is Chillon the castle just up from Montreux? If so, you also have Vevey nearby, on the same train line as Montreux, where Charlie Chaplin spent 25 years of his life. It's been a few years since I've been there, but I do recall a nice outdoor market on Saturday, and a nice walkway along the lakefront. I was fortunate to do it by lake steamer, but those would not be running this time of year. You'd certainly be able to pop around between towns in that area by rail.

I checked the Swiss rail timetable and it looks like both Zermatt and Chamonix are about 3- 3.5 hours from Geneva. If you're going to head for one of those, I'd pack a lunch and bring it along on the train. When I was in Chamonix (on a French rail pass) the weather was so bad (blizzard conditions) we could not go up in the tram off the valley floor. Zermatt, as the entire ride is by train, would not have that issue.

The last hour of the train ride, from Brig to Zermatt, is quite scenic, and Zermatt itself is a vehicle-free town, and you can hike up a trail at the top of the city in the direction of the Matterhorn. I did this about 3-4 years ago and stopped at a cafe along the trail for lunch, along with skiers coming by (a very small cafe). If your view is not blocked by clouds, the Matterhorn would be very visible.

You might take a look at the Swiss Rail timetable and see what options you have:
Swiss Rail

If you're looking to visit another city, Bern (are the bears still there?) and Lausanne are both good recommendations.

Sadly, you're too far away (5.5 hours) for the Jungfrau or Kleine Scheidegg, over in Rudi's territory.

Thanks for the advice!

Zermatt and Chamonix may be a bit far to go out and back in one day. We weren't planning on renting a car. I don't know that I would be comfortable on unfamiliar mountain roads in the winter. And if the weather is bad, it's a long way to go for no scenery...

Maybe the thing to do is a train to Lausanne or Bern (or both, time permitting).

I'd like to plan a later trip to see some of the mountains. The Jungfrau trip looks amazing.

I second that - but you definitely need a car to get there as there is no train line between the two towns.

Of course there's a train connection from Geneva to Annecy; you just have to change trains at La Roche sur Furon.

And the trip to Chamonix (via Martigny!) is great. It may take 3.5 - 4 hours, and you change trains at Martigny, but the views are stunning. I would recommend this trip. Trains leave Chamonix back to Martigny/Geneva hourly until 8 p.m.

[This message has been edited by Track (edited Jan 15, 2004).]

Lausanne. Ouchy is nice, great indoor pool at Parc de Mon Repos, good galleries and museums, nice saturday market near Cathedral, best restaurant according to Conde Nast is at the Palace Hotel, great chocolate and shopping all around, and of course very clean and very easy train from Geneve. Have fun.

I actually meant to say "direct train line" but omitted the word "direct".

Yes, it can be done, but...:

Average journey time two-and-a-half hours (but usually nearer three), and you need to change trains at least once but usually twice. We were talking about DAY TRIPS...

(Journey time by road is less than an hour)

[This message has been edited by Aviatrix (edited Jan 16, 2004).]

Lausanne is ok, but I would get off one stop earlier and visit Morges, instead. Nicer lakefront stroll and plenty of cafes to stop for hot cocoa/light lunch. Attractive pedestrian street with nice farmers' market on Saturday mornings (good for snacking, too!) All easy to walk from the train station. Lausanne is bigger and has more shops, but not more than Geneva, and there is a larger "not so nice" part, especially around the train station. If you do go to Lausanne (which has a large farmers' market on Saturday mornings, too), try fondue in the cute little place in Ouchy just by the Beau Rivage hotel (can't remember the name), or splurge on a fantastic lunch at the Beau Rivage Rotunda (or more casual in the Cafe). Nicer than the earlier-mentioned Palace.

If you want to go a bit further than Lausanne, consider Lutry, Cully or Vevey - all smaller and cuter than Lausanne or Montreaux.

The Jungfrau trip looks amazing.

live cameras in the Jungfrau-Region
http://www.jungfrauwinter.ch/pages/e...T_LiveCams.htm

live guide to the Jungfrau-Region
[email protected]

Try these homepages:

http://www.chillon.ch/us/index_us.htm?

http://www.chamonix.com/accueilEn.php3



Overview

Station/Stop Date Time


Gen�ve 07.02.04 dep 07:51 3:14 2 RX, D, REG
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc arr 11:05
Details - Connection 1

Station/Stop Date Time Platform Products Comments

Gen�ve 07.02.04 dep 07:51 4
RegioExpress
Martigny arr 09:30 2
Martigny dep 09:40 40
Le Ch�telard-Fronti�re arr 10:25
Le Ch�telard-Fronti�re dep 10:27
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc arr 11:05

Duration: 3:14; runs not every day, 19. Jan until 24. Apr Mo - Sa; not 9., 12. Apr

Return:

Station/Stop Date Time Duration Chg. Products
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc 07.02.04 dep 16:39 3:37 2 RX, REG, D, ICN
Gen�ve arr 20:16

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc 07.02.04 dep 16:39 4:03 1
Gen�ve arr 20:42

Details - Connection 1

Station/Stop Date Time Platform Products Comments
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc 07.02.04 dep 16:39 RX 18933 RegioExpress, KW
Martigny arr 18:23 40
Martigny dep 18:29 1 D 2132
Fast train
Lausanne arr 19:21
Lausanne dep 19:38 ICN 532
InterCity tilting t,
Gen�ve arr 20:16 3

Duration: 3:37; runs not every day, 19. Jan until 12. Jun daily; not 3. until 13. May

It is a long day but if the weather is nice, then it'll be worth it.

I would rather stop in Lausanne then Vevey, eat there and then take the bus directly to Chateau de Chillon and back to Montreux and train back to Geneva.

But only with nice weather. Otherwise: Geneva-Lausanne-Bern-Z�rich and fly from there.

Or how about taking the train to Montreux (1 hr.) and then the train to Gstaad (1 hr. 20 min.)? The mountains are wonderful, and the view of Lake Geneva from the train (narrow-gauge, rack railway) almost as stunning as from Martigny to Chamonix.