A Few Hours in Geneva
Geneva feels very different from Zurich. More urban I would say, a bit nobler, too. Yet it is in fact much smaller in terms of size and population. I spent most of the day just walking. The sun was out, so I did not visit any museums or exhibitions, I also missed out on the Botanical Garden. I roughly followed some tips from the Monocle Travel Guide and some tips from friends in terms of areas to see. Finding a place to eat was a bit of a struggle, due to restaurants having only opened their outdoor areas and those being scarce and crowded if available. So, part of my trip was overshadowed by me being first hungry and then a bit “hangry”. Yet, I enjoyed roaming the streets of Geneva, standing by the lake under the spray of the Jet d’Eau, watching the Arle and the Rhône meet, and hearing the singsong of a different language – and eventually having lunch on Geneva’s oldest square. I also visited Carouge while I was there, but there will be an individual post for that.
Around Plainpalais
On Rue des Bains I spotted quite a few nice looking cafés, as well as the Centre d’Art Contemporaine. Victoria Hall is a stately building that was gifted to the city of Geneva by a British consul. The Parc des Bastions offers a wonderful promenade lined with chestnut trees. The status of David was marked as “Child Overlord” on Google Maps, which made me laugh
The Old Town
The cobbled and curved streets of Geneva’s old town were very endearing – and almost empty apart from people on their lunch breaks. The Cathédrale Saint-Pierre Genève is omnipresent, it appears again and again as you turn corners, but seems to offer a different architectural style every time. You will also be able to spot the infamous Jet d’Eau from one of the pictures.
Lac de Genève
The Phare des Pâquis is Switzerland’s biggest lighthouse, at 16 meters. It is a little bit eclipsed by the Jet d’Eau that reaches 140 meters.
Immeuble Clarté
Designed by Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret and built from 1931-32, Immeuble Clarté is one of the projects where Le Corbusier explored the principles of modernist architecture for apartment buildings, which led to the design principle of the Unité d’Habitation.
La Jonction
La Jonction is where the muddy waters of the Arve and the clear green waters of the Rhône meet. It’s a beautiful spot in nature that probably gets super crowded in the summer.
May 2021
