Geneva

We left Lourdes early in the morning on the 22^nd September 2013. It was a long train ride to Geneva , via Toulose Matabiau and Lyon Part Dieu, reaching Geneva around 6.30 pm.

The Cornavin station at Geneva (and the surrounding areas, also known as Cornavin) is an enormous place and is the nerve centre of Geneva. We took a taxi from the station and straight away went to our hotel, the Stars Geneve Aeroport , which was technically, across the border, in France. The friendly cab-driver who was at first slightly confused about the location of the hotel, finally found it, and even agreed to take our Euros, though the currency in Geneva is the Swiss Franc.

Surveying the boats (many are on sale) on Lake Geneva

Over the next four days, we were constantly in and out of Cornavin, taking a bus from the hotel, crossing the border check-post (no formalities whatsoever) and gliding into Geneva. The Rue Mont Blanc from Cornavin soon became our daily route, leading straight to Lake Geneva, offering a distant view of the famous peak of the same name. Invariably it so happened that each time we caught a bus, it would be driven by one particularly friendly Moroccan driver, who would cheerily wave to us, talk to us and once even gave us a free ride from Cornavin to the hotel, when we had run out of Swiss Francs!

Geneva is truly a beautiful place, and of course, Lake Geneva is the pivot around which everything in the city moves. In many ways it was fortunate that our hotel was in France, though at first I was quite unhappy, and even tried to have it changed. However the booking had already been done much earlier over the internet and it was not possible to change it later. As things turned out, our hotel in the village of Ferney-Voltaire, just across the border in France, was much much cheaper than any similar accommodation in Geneva proper. Also, the staff were very cordial (mostly from Lebanon and other parts of the Middle East), the room very comfortable, and the breakfast, substantial.  

View from our hotel room

The Flower Clock near the Lake 

The Jet d'Au from our boat

The 'Broken Chair' outside the UN office

Ace driver Simmy Vallikappen with her BMW

Where Lake Geneva becomes the Rhone River

While in Geneva we went for a boat ride, walked along the lake, ate and drank out a lot, took in the sights of Geneva, including the famous ‘Broken Chair’ outside the UN offices, and even shopped a bit, though Geneva is probably one of the most expensive cities in Europe. Our shopping however, was mostly restricted to trinkets and a few clothes for the children and Nevan (our grandson).  We both fell in love with Geneva, undoubtedly one of Europe's cleanest and most beautiful cities.