A5–B5 ⌂ 90 km (56 miles) SW of Bern n Lausanne, 60 Avenue d’Ouchy; www.lake-geneva-region.ch
Lying in an arc bordered by the Jura mountains to the west, the French Alps to the south and the Mittelland to the northeast, Lake Geneva, known as Lac Léman in French, is the largest lake in the Alps.
t The enchanting Château de Chillon, nestled on the lakeside
While most of the lake’s southern shore is French territory, the greater part of the lake lies within Switzerland. With the mountains reflected in its still blue waters, it is one of Switzerland’s most spellbinding sights. Its shores are dotted with towns and villages, including the cosmopolitan resort Montreux, the romantic winemaking village of St-Saphorin and, of course, the city of Geneva. Many of these are the departure points of boat trips on the lake, an ideal way to take in its serene sights; alternatively take to the shore path, a 1,142-km- (26-mile-) long trail that weaves its way around the water.
Experience Western Switzerland
t The enchanting Château de Chillon, nestled on the lakeside, which is best viewed from aboard a cruise
THE Vineyards OF LAKE GENEVA
Switzerland isn’t known for its wine – but that’s only because the Swiss drink the vast majority of it themselves, exporting only around 1 per cent. One of its main winegrowing regions (of which there is a good handful) is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lavaux, where vines grow on the sunny slopes above Lake Geneva in terraces, some of which date back as far as the 12th century. The grapes benefit from what winegrowers call the three suns – the sun itself, its reflection off Lake Geneva and the heat from the stone terrace walls. Once a year, the cellar doors in local vineyards are thrown open for tasting weekends.
Did You Know?
The bottled water brand Evian is sourced from Évian-les-Bains, on Lake Geneva.