There are two aspects to Geneva to investigate in a day or two – the “historica” Geneva and the “international” Geneva. For more than a day of sightseeing, Geneva also has wonderful museums, some 40 of them, and of course it sits at the head of the lake called “Lake Genva by the people in Geneva and the English and “Lac Léman” by everyone else around the lake. You can take boat rides for an hour, half a day or a day..
Take an imaginary tour with me, your tour guide. Let’s start by visiting the Tourist Office at rue du Mt Blanc, 18. This is just down the street leading to the lake from the station. You will be able to get maps and other information there.
If you want to visit their site it is: www.geneve-tourism.ch
Then carry on walking down the rue du Mt Blanc from the station to the Pont du Mt Blanc. This will give you a nice view of the harbor. As you cross the bridge you will see a little island on your right. This is the Ile Rousseau and you can see a statute of one of Geneva ’s most prominent former citizens, the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
If you are there in summer there is a little café on the island which is not a bad place for an ice cream. In the harbor you will undoubtedly see the famous “Jet d’Eau.” This is a jet of water that rises 140m into the air. It draws water from the lake, and runs from 10am to 11pm in summer, from about 3pm to 8pm in winter and is illuminated at night. If the wind is blowing more than 25 km/hr it stops – otherwise it would possibly wet the people on the Mt Blanc bridge. It is also stopped if the temperature of the air goes below 2C- or it would turn into an enormous snow-making machine. The original jet d’eau dates back to the end of the 19th century.
Cross the bridge and walk through the Place Molard to the “rues basses,” which is really one street with many names, (rue de la Confédération, rue du Marché, rue de la Croix d’Or) that runs parallel to the lakefront. Walk along this to your left (you will be on the part called “rue du Marché”) for a short few metres and you will see a flight of stairs going up to your right. Walk up this and you are in the “vieille ville,” the old town. Follow signs which indicate the Cathedral of St Pierre and you will come to the square in front of the cathedral.
First, visit the 12th century cathedral. It is most interesting and you can see the chair from which (they say!) Calvin preached. If you don’t mind heights or stairs climb up to the tower for a great view of Geneva. Remember that Geneva was one of the centers of the Reformation and St Pierre was built as a Catholic church before becoming Protestant.
Then walk to the Maison Tavel, very close by. Its website is: http://www.ville-ge.ch/mah/. (Again there will be signs to point you on your way.) This is a museum of “old Geneva, “ 13th to 19th century. It is also the oldest house in Geneva. After visiting this, stop in at the Hotel de Ville. You can see a staircase there designed (so they say) so that men could ride their horses upstairs. You will also see a sign “Salle Alabama. ” This is where negotiations were held during the American Civil War over a ship called the Alabama which was running the North’s blockade of the South.
Now walk along the rue des Granges which has beautiful old houses which in French are called “hotels particuliers.” From there onto the Promenade de la Treille from which you get a nice view of the “back side” of the old town down to the University and the Parc des Bastions. You will notice a long green bench next to the railing. This bench was put there in 1767. Even in those days people loved the view from la Treille. You will also see a large chestnut tree. This tree is closely watched each spring for its first leaf to show. The date of this is recorded, and spring has officially arrived when it comes out.
It is around here that a lady called Mère Royaume threw down her soup pot in the middle of the night to warn the Geneva guard that Savoyards were trying to assault the city. This event is called “L’Escalade” and took place in 1602. It is remembered every year around December 12th with a torch lit parade and a special meal, as well as a chocolate soup pot or “marmite” which you can buy at that time of year in the confiseries. It is also from this Promenade that a cannon is shot off every December 31st to mark the restoration of the Republic of Geneva following the removal of the Napoleonic occupiers in 1813. Walk through the Bourg de Four square, down the hill past the lovely neo-classical Palais Eynard and see the beautiful and very simple Reformation Monument in the Parc des Bastions.
Walk through the Parc de Bastions with the University buildings on your left to the Place Neuve. The Opera, very grand and the Conservatory of Music are on this square. You can now hop on the bus No. 5 for the 20 minute trip across the lake to the Place des Nations. (The bus will say “Aéroport” on the front panel.) The Place des Nations is where the European Office of the UN has its headquarters which was originally built for the League of Nations which had its headquarter in Geneva during the inter-war period. For tour times etc.: http://www.unog.ch/
It is important to realize that there are more than 160 international organizations that are headquartered in Geneva, and many of these are centered around the Palais des Nations. For example: the World Meteorological Organisation, the International Telecommunications Union, the European Broadcasting Union and so on. Once you have finished your visit to the UN, continue on to the International Red Cross, which is just behind it. You will see a sign “CICR –ICRC,” International Committee of the Red Cross. The Red Cross has a fascinating museum which should not be missed. For information on opening hours etc: http://www.micr.org/index_e.html That will do it for your day in Geneva and you will have seen and learnt a lot.
Should you have two or more days at your disposal it is suggested to spend more time in the old town on one day and saving “international Geneva ” for the second day. There are also quite a few interesting museums in Geneva: Art Museums: Art and History Museum, Rath Museum, Ariana Museum (porcelain). You can obtain information from: www.ville-ge.ch/mah, Modern Art: Mamco, www.mamco.ch, Primitive Art: Collection Barbier-Müller, www.barbier-muller.ch. Other Museums: Natural History Museum, www.ville-ge.ch/mhng, Museum of the Reformation, www.musee-reforme.ch. In total there are some 40 museums for you to visit. There is also a lovely Botanical Garden, near the UN, www.ville-ge.ch/cjb.
You might also want to know where you can eat. For a moderately priced, simple meal the cafeterias at the following stores will do nicely: Manor, Globus and Coop City. Manor and Globus both have Food Halls where you can buy excellent takeaway food and drinks.
There are a lot of restaurants around the station area, including the famous “Café de Paris” on the rue du Mt Blanc, which originated the sauce of the same name. Sadly it is not as good as it used to be, but the sauce is still delicious, (022)732 8450. L’Entrecôte, on the rue du Rhône on the other side of the lake offers a more “up-market” steak with sauce. There are queues of people waiting to be seated here every day. But they do take reservations, (022) 310 6004. The Cave Valaisanne, on the Plainpalais, Blvd Georges Favon not far from the Musée Rath and the Opera offers cheese dishes – fondue, raclette etc. (022) 328 1236. The Café de l’Hôtel de Ville, in the old town on the rue des Granges, offers a “bistro” type menu, and is very popular at lunchtime, (022) 311 7030 .
If you have more time in Geneva and you are there in Spring, Summer or Autumn you might want to take a trip on a lake boat. You can see a lot from the lake that you do not see from the shore. If you wish to visit a medieval village near Geneva, take the boat to Yvoire, in France, and get off there. You can walk around this lovely walled village, visit the “Jardin de Cinq Sens,” a garden which offers you the chance to smell, see, touch, and taste the flowers and to hear birds singing. The village is full of small boutiques and galleries and should you wish to eat there it has a really good restaurant just outside the walls called “Le Pré de la Cure.” Their speciality is Filets de Perches, the famous local lake fish, which they serve in a lemon-butter sauce with home made pommes frites. Wonderful. For great value choose one of the “menus” at the back of the menu offerings. Reservations are recommended on the weekends, +33 04 5072 8358.