Having pre-booked skiing in St Anton Austria, I needed to make my way from Paris. I decided on Geneva as a waypoint, intending to catch trains through Switzerland to Austria; and while determining the route, an additional week of skiing before St Anton appealed.
Grindelwald
Looking for ease of transfers, Grindelwald, just outside of Interlaken took the prize, a beautiful village at the foot of The Eiger.
So a couple of nights in Geneva, a week in Grindelwald, and then a couple of nights in Lucerne to break up the long train journey to Austria.
You can read about skiing in Grindelwald here.
Geneva, home to some of the worlds most famous watchmakers, is a bright city, very walkable; but as my first Swiss city, it was a bit of a shock to discover the costs of everything being so significantly more than elsewhere, rivelling Norway & Iceland. I did love the fact the trains are not only on time, but also consistent. Journeys have a designated platform they come or go from, and stick to that, unlike France, Belgium, Italy and others who let you know the platform a few minutes before departure.
Lucerne, the other waypoint, was an utter delight. Wandering across the Chapel Bridge and the lakefront are as attractive as anywhere you can desire. Drinks in the Montana at the Hemmingway Rum Lounge, enjoying live Jazz, was equally delightful.
My particular favourite, was the (free to visit) Lion Monument (pictured below), a dedication to the fallen. Beautifully presented, poignant, touching, well worth the short walk from the city centre.
