Will be there in a few weeks, and it looks like several years since there’s been any new threads.
Would love any input on restaurants and/or wineries to visit, as we’ll have time for a couple of dinners and a couple of wine visits sandwiched around a conference in Lausanne.
Thanks in advance for any insights!
Interested in what you think of Geneva when you return.
I’ve avoided it as a friend whose father lives there says “Geneva is so boring it made my teeth hurt”.
I’m sure the food is great and it’s close to burgundy!.
I don’t have any local competition to compare it to, but we quite enjoyed our meal at La Croix d’Ouchy in Lausanne, including a great bottle of 2016 Il Sodi di San Nicolo from their wine list.
The only local winery we tried to visit was Louis Bovard, and we were told he doesn’t take visitors. We were referred to a small shop a couple of blocks from the winery and right on the lake, where the wines are sold. Covid restrictions prevented her from doing normal tastings, so we had to buy anything we wanted to try, but she had some in half bottles so we bought a few and she came out to the lake shore with us and poured a couple, gave us the spiel, then went back to the shop, came back a few minutes later with the next couple of wines, and so on. It was nice, and I enjoyed the wines, but there’s nothing like an actual cellar visit with the winemaker, and this wasn’t that.
If you have the legs for the slope, and the time, you can actually walk pretty easily through the mostly grand cru vineyards along the lake between, for example, the ferry stop in Rivaz and the aforementioned wine shop in Cully. That was very cool but only recommended if you’re looking for a long hike.
Pretty much one of my favorite places on the planet. I don’t know Geneva well and know nothing of Laussane but I have been to Vevey to pick up some chocolate while staying in Montreux. Vevey is small. Nice but kinda boring. But you’re close to the Valais and Beudon and Marie-Therese Chappaz. Both would be memorable visits. Beudon especially because of the gondola ride and the location of the vineyard. Chappaz for the wines and the steepness of the vineyards. Both are incredible people. I don’t think either of them speak English if that matters.
Well, I haven’t spent much time in the city itself other than passing through the airport about a half a dozen times. I do love the mooing cows on the tram between terminals. I do know that the city is more than what people often think. It wasn’t long ago that many public restrooms had blue lights so junkies would have a hard time finding their veins. Not exactly the stereotype people have of Switzerland.
Best place in Geneva is actually 35 minutes away from Geneva. Take a day trip to Annecy, in France.
In and around Lausanne I would recommend the following:
Restaurants
Cafe de la Poste (Lutry . easily accessible by public transport) - Brasserie food know for their perch dish and great burgundy and local wine list. Try to book on the terrace as it’s right on the lake with great views of the alps.
Le Chat Noir (Lausanne)- SW French elevated Brasserie food and good wine list
Chez Jacques (Lausanne) - French food
La Pinte Besson (Lausanne) - Oldest restaurant in the city with great fondue and local fare
L’Eveche - Good Fondue and nice area by the old town and cathedral
Hotel de Ville de Crissier (Crissier) - 3 michelin star exceptional food
Wineries close to Lausanne:
Louis Bovard (Cully)
Henri Cruchon (Echichens)
Massy Vins (Epesses)
Pierre Luc Leyvraz (Chexbres)
Let me know should you need more information
I used to spend at least four weeks a year in Geneva. It can be boring unless you have friends in town to steer you to the right places. Avoid August - prices skyrocket when many come to escape the heat from other parts.
A few thoughts:
All of the restaurants at La Reserve are wonderful. I stayed there quite a bit and it’s owned by the same family that owns Cos - Reybier. Good wine lists. The Asian restaurant is very highly rated.
For kitsch and especially in winter - go for fondue and raclette. Les Armures in the Old Town is probably the most famous. More even more kitsch Edelweiss is Paquis even has a huge alpenhorn - which can get pretty funny with a large group that had one too many beers.
East West Hotel also had a very good restaurant - reasonable for Geneva.
There’s an Arabic restaurant in Hotel President Wilson that is very good - it’s a base in August for many from the Middle East. Pricey.
There are a number of hole in the wall Middle Eastern restaurants but I always went with others and if you can get a good lead on current ones I wouldn’t hesitate.
There are a number of very small restaurants in Carouge. We frequented Olivier de Provence, Cafe des Negociants, and a few others. Check with the concierge for the best current ones. There always seemed to be new trendy places popping up that were there one trip and gone the next.
Skip Windows at L’Angleterre - extremely pricey and meh and Hotel Cigogne’s restaurant I think has seen better days.
As some others may have mentioned, we really loved traveling over to Annecy. Much more suited to tourists than Geneva IMHO.
Thanks, everyone. This is all super helpful – looking forward to booking some meals and tastings!
Marius is a cool little wine bar in Genève, Place des Augustins.