Geneva 17 June 2013/ Family Travelogue

continued from Trip to Zermatt, Switzerland

Geneva is french-speaking and the second populous city of Switzerland.  The city is housed by numerous International Organizations and Worldwide Financial Centre.

Before we left the Zermatt, Switzerland, we had our luggage shipped to Geneva Airport, Switzerland. We were to go around the city of Geneva, it could had been troublesome carrying our big stuff.  Our flight was in the evening.

32 Swiss Railway Stations have the Luggage Express Service within Switzerland.  CHF12 per item not more than 25 kilos each.  Drop before 9am and collect at the next destination from 6pm.  For Airport destination, it could be pick up as early as 3pm.

Zermatt train station

Zermatt train station

Below were the details of our travel from Zermatt to Geneva.  Transfer train at Brig,  We departed at 8:39am and an estimate to arrive Geneva at 12:18pm. The next schedule with the same route was after an hour

We had 8 day Swiss Travel Pass, we did not pay a single cent in any of our train travels.

Check this SBB site for the route information and fares or
you can download the apps to your phone

We visited the first cathedral we saw when we arrived in Geneva.  Basilique Notre Dame.  Latter is the main Roman Catholic Church in Geneva.  It is five minutes walk from Gare Cornavin.

Gare Cornavin is the main railway station in Geneva.

Interior of Basilique Notre Dame in Genva

Basilique Notre-Dame in Geneva

Basilique Notre-Dame in Geneva

Rue de Cornavin, Geneva, Switzerland

Rue de Chantepoulet, Geneva, Switzerland

Rue de Chantepoulet, Geneva, Switzerland

La Bagatelle Restaurant, Geneva, Switzerland

The first restaurant we saw from the Notre-Dame, La Bagatelle.  we stopped by for lunch.  We just had burgers and steaks.

Rue du Mont Blanc, Geneva, Switzerland

After lunch, we walked around, we followed the path to the lake.  Above photo Rue du Mont Blanc continued to the Mont Blanc bridge

Crossing the Pont du mont blanc (Mont Blanc bridge), Geneva Swithzerland

We crossed the Mont Blanc bridge and turned left and walked around the Lake Promenade and Parks along the shore.

Pont Du Mont Blanc

Pont du Mont Blanc (Mont Blanc bridge) is located further upstream on the Rhone , directly at the end of the Lake Geneva.  The bridge connects the Quai Mont Blanc on the right bank to the Quai Gustave-Ador  on the left bank.

The National Monument, Geneva Switzerland

Robert Dorer's sculpture, two women in bronze attire each carrying a sword and shield,  symbolises the unification of Geneva with  Switzerland in 1814.  The one wearing hat represents the Republic of Geneva and the one with bay leaf crown represents the Helvetia.  Latter is the female national personification of Switzerland.  The women in the sculpture both look North in the direction of the rest of Switzerland.  The sculpture is located in the Jardin Anglas, facing the lake, inaugurated in 1869.

Jet D'eau, Geneva Lake, Switzerland

We walked around  the Geneva Lake enjoying the parks and promenade on the left bank and take photo of Geneva's symbol, the Jet D'eau.

Geneva's prominent iconic image is the Jet D'eau.  It is a fountain with a 140-metre high water jet at the surface of Lake Geneva.  You could see it from many places all over the city.  The fountain was just a safety valve at a hydraulic factory.  When it was transferred in 1891 to its current location now, it became a tourist attraction.

Many were in this park having  picnic and chilling out on the grass.  There were also some teens asking for survey which we had ignored.

Most of the establishments in Geneva such as large hotels, bars and restaurants are situated on the right-hand shore of Lake Geneva.

view of the Jet D'eau from Promenade Du Lac  (Geneva Lake Promanade on the left bank) 

Establishment on the right-hand shore of Lake Geneva

Establishment on the right-hand shore of Lake Geneva

view of the Jet D'eau from Promenade Du Lac  (Geneva Lake Promenade on the left bank) 

Lake Geneva and the establishments on the right-hand shore

Ferryboats and Pleasure Cruises from Lausanne on Lake Geneva

Lake Geneva ferries connect Lausanne with Evian and Thonon while  Pleasure cruise boats go to Montreux, Nyon, Yvoire, and Geneve.

We did not have time to cruise, we just posed for photo taking.  We were to fly to Paris in the evening.

Humongous Nutella

Geneva was our last stop in Switzerland.  At the airport, we collected our luggage at the service center and proceeded to check in.  Before we went inside the boarding area, we dropped the rented pocket wifi at the mail box inside the airport.

Our flight was delayed for two hours.  We flew with the domestic plane of Air France.  Nevertheless, the crew gave each of us 15euros worth of voucher that we could consume within the lounge of Air France at the Geneva Airport.

We arrived Paris at 11;30pm.  The transfer we hired had been waiting for us and took us to our hotel in Paris.

To continue Europe Trip June 2013, please click the link, first day in France at Versailles Palace, France.

See also:

Family World Travel