For our first weekend in Geneva, we decided to stick close to the city and explore Lac Leman (Lake Geneva) by taking a boat up it’s North-South shores to Yvoire, France, an adorable medieval town 25km North of Geneva. Ferries leave every hour or two from port Geneve-Mont-Blanc, just a few blocks from the main train station, and drop you off in Yvoire a little under 2 hours later. The views along the way are stunning. The lake’s water is turquoise-blue and crystal clear, sparkling with “diamonds on the water” in the sun. The coast along the Switzerland side is dotted with perfectly manicured swiss villages and vineyards:
while on the French side you can see the alps, many still covered in snow:
Yvoire was as perfect as promised. The old city is set on a hilltop and filled with pedestrian-only winding cobblestone roads lined with wooden-beam and stone houses covered in brilliantly colored flowerboxes and small restaurants selling crepes and ice cream. The old town is surrounded by huge old stone walls, and all of this is set against the backdrop of the lake and the alps. The beauty is almost surreal.
On the way home, we took a quick 20-minute ferry directly across the lake to Nyon, Switzerland, and then a 15 minute train back to Geneva. Nyon is a bigger town with a little less charm but some nice shops and a great view of the lake and the mountains.
This was just a small taste of the wonders that Switzerland has in store, and a first of many trips to come.
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