Switzerland Guide
Lausanne and Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva
The croissant-shaped Lake Geneva (Lac Léman in French), largest freshwater lake in Western Europe and bluest of the Swiss lakes, is ringed with villages, castles and gorgeous walks that demand attention. This is wine country, with vineyards spread around the full sweep of the lakeshore and carpeting the first slopes of the hills which rise behind. Genteel small towns such as Nyon and Vevey, either side of Lausanne, have made a living recharging the batteries of frazzled urbanites for generations. Over the decades, the lake has also attracted the world's wealthiest people, and the shores around the jet-set playground of Montreux in particular are lined with opulent villas – although a lakeside stroll can still let you taste the unspoilt beauty which drew Byron and the Romantic poets in a former age. Relaxing on one of the boats which crisscross the lake beneath the looming presence of the Savoy Alps and the Dents-du-Midi mountains on the French side helps bring home the full grandeur of the setting.
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