THE MORNING LIST
There are of course the five-star hotels and luxury boutiques, but the Swiss city nestled on the shores of Lake Geneva is also full of surprises, from the invigorating Bains des Pâquis to the amazing Smurfs, passing by the colorful houses of the elegant Carouge or the discovery of the infinitely small at the European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN). A Geneva that can be explored on foot, by bike or by public transport.
Bath Fades
Weekend tunes in the middle of the week and a fondue in the middle of summer (in the cupboard, the summer bodysuit). On the right bank of the lake, at the foot of the luxury hotels, the very busy and popular Bains des Pâquis have been welcoming swimmers since the end of the 19th century.e century. First in wood, they will be rebuilt in reinforced concrete in 1932.
On one side, the beach covered with small pebbles, on the other, buildings which house, in the middle of four large pools, changing rooms, a huge terrace and a refreshment bar where you can enjoy a breakfast from 7 a.m. – the suit: 12 Swiss francs (12.27 euros) – while admiring the famous water jet, or tasting a crémant fondue (27 Swiss francs, with a “coupette of fresh fruit” anyway); there is also lighter, with the dish of the day (15 Swiss francs) which always has a vegetarian version.
It is still better to take the time to digest before diving among the ducks and swans… Or to take part in a yoga or tai-chi class, or even to get a massage. For the saunas and hammams, it will be necessary to wait for their reopening, in September.
To end this aquatic day in style, head for the Compagnie Générale de Navigation pier, a stone’s throw away, for a short one-hour cruise (a “Geneva Tour” accessible with the Geneva Transport Card, discounted for any stay in a hotel in the city, and which also allows free use of public transport). But be careful, except to take shelter in the boat, on the way back, the shower under the water jet is included!
From the Smurfs to Titeuf
These Smurfs are big and impressive. Not far from the Cornavin station – the main one in the city, where the TGV Lyria arrives –, at 23-29 rue Louis-Favre, in the Grottes district, one of the favorite places of the alternative milieu of Geneva, stands a group of buildings designed by architects Robert Frei, Christian Hunziker and Georges Berthoud.
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