BEST DAY TRIPS FROM GENEVA IN JANUARY 2019
by Alexandra Belz
If you’re not keen on joining the weekly exodus to the mountains to hit the slopes, you may well be tempted to spend a day away from Geneva by attending one of the great events happening near us this month. Whether you’re into nature, culture or adventure – you’ll find something tempting to see and do.
INTERNATIONAL HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL
CHATEAU d’OEX
26 January to 3 February 2019-
Every year for nine days, the small village of Chateau d’Oex in the Vaudois Alps with its special winter climate, is host to pilots from over 20 countries with nearly a hundred hot air balloons. Spend the day watching the colourful hot air balloons being prepped before going up into the sky. There is a good choice of restaurants and cafés to warm up as it’s pretty chilly up there. It takes about two hours to get there and there are plenty payable parking areas.
WHERE
Place du Village 6
1660 Chateau d` Oex- CH
MORE INFO
0041 (0)26 924 2533
MEGÈVE JAZZ FESTIVAL
MEGÈVE
28th – 30st March 2019
This amazing festival has been taking place every year since 2016 and tickets are quickly sold out so act fast. This year we’re excited about seeing American Jazz artist Dee Dee Bridgewater perform on Friday, 29th March at 20:30.
Megève is a good hour’s drive away from Geneva so you could come back in a day but this beautiful village is definitely worth a visit for a weekend as it offers great skiing and cosy mountain style restaurants.
WHERE
247 Route du Palais des Sports
F- 74120 Megève
MORE INFO
OTHER FUN DAY TRIPS FROM GENEVA
SAINT-CERGUE: SLEDDING, SNOW SHOEING AND LUNCH
The popular village of Saint-Cergue (1.047meters high) is only 50 minutes away from Geneva and offers everything from alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and snow shoeing to sledding and iceskating.
TOP TIP: Book a snow shoe & fondue package.This includes hiring the snow shoes and batons, a map with the paths and recommendations and a fondue in one of the partner restaurants. Our favourite restaurant: Refuge La Trélasse (T 0041-(0)22 360 1289) with its cosy fire place and great fondues (plus they have amazing fresh cakes in the afternoon).
If you do not fancy snow shoeing, you can take a sled and have fun at La Trélasse or have your little children try out skiing on the two baby lifts ( you will need to bring your own skis).
It’s obvious where top park as you approach the area on the main road: find the only big house on the left, park along the left and right side of the road and walk towards the building, which is the restaurant La Trélasse.
Just make sure there is enough snow (www.swisswebcams.ch Saint-Cergue: La Trélasse).
WHERE
ESS Saint-Cergue – La Trélasse
La Trélasse
CH- 1264 St- Cergue
MORE INFO
For booking the package and learn about the whole area :
Office du Tourisme de St-Cergue
Place Sy-Vieuxville 3
CH-1264 St-Cergue
CHAPLIN’S WORLD, CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY
This is a great get-away for a day as it takes only one hour to get to Corsier-sur-Vevey and you can spend a good two and a half hours in the museum that used to be the home of Charlie Chaplin and his family for over 20 years of his later life. We went recently and were very impressed. We took a nice stroll through the extensive gardens behind the house. You can explore the area on your own or book a guided tour.
TOP TIP: Book your tickets 5 days before the visit date online and safe up to 20%.
There is a restaurant with a snack bar downstairs and hot meals on the first floor, but note that the prices are a bit on the steep side.
WHERE
Route de Fenil 2
CH- 1804 Corsier-sur-Vevey
MORE INFO
Opening hours:
Ticket prices when booking five days before your visiting date:
MALIN TICKET` – Adults CHF20, children up to 15 yrs old CHF16 and below 4 yrs old free
You can buy tickets until one hour before your intended visit at the ticket office at full price.
GLACIER 3000
This is no recommended for the the faint-hearted…
Glacier 3000 offers a lot of activities from alpine skiing to sledding but one of the attraction is the world’s first 107 meter- long suspension bridge linking the peak of Scex- Rouge with another peak in the Bernese Alps. PEAK WALK is 3000 meter above sea level, the walkway 80 cm wide and on a clear day you can see the MONT BLANC (the Alps highest point) as well as the Matterhorn, Jungfrau, Eiger and Mönch.
The bridge has a partial glass floor that allow views down through it and we can assure you that the air is thinner and it will be very cold up there but… it is absolutely worth the stunning views.
WHERE
Route du Pillon 253
CH- 1865 Les Diablerets
? 0041 (0)24 492 0923
MORE INFO
