Outside the City
Starting from the residential Tours du Lignon and stretching out to the border with France, Geneva is ringed with small wine-producing villages. Besides being adorable, the villages make very good wine. Some of the larger ones to check out include Dardagny and Satigny. If you fancy some fields, stone villages, chatting up some Swiss winemakers, and tippling some of the local product, take the local train out to the "Mandement", as the wine-producing region is called. If you're less hearing the beckoning of the hills, but rather the lapping of the lake water, two very fine towns just outside the outskirts of Geneva are Hermance (along the lake towards Evian ... that is, direction southeast) and Nyon (along the lake towards Lausanne, following the lake's shoreline northeast.) On the road to Nyon you will pass Bellevue, which is mentioned in the "Nations" neighborhood. Both Hermance and Nyon offer charming lakeside cafés and some nice swimming beaches. Nyon also has a most attractive Château and is a major port on the Lake Geneva boat itineraries.It's only an hour away from the large lake of Annecy which is a delightful day trip to a medieval village on the lake with canals lined with delightful cafés. You can also take a boat trip on the lake.
Just 40-50 minutes away is the city of Lausanne with its 12th century Vielle Ville and cathedral, Our Lady of Notre Dame. It is buildt on steep hills so you will be well exercised but there are also strategically postioned elevators near metro stations to change levels in the city. Lausanne is the cultural heart of the Lake Geneva region and has it's own chanber orchestra, ballet, many theatre groups and opera as well as museums and galleries.
Nightlife
Attractions
Gruyeres and the famous Golden Express (from Geneva)
