A weekend drive around Geneva

If you have the chance to spend your holidays in Geneva, don’t hesitate to take the wheel and venture beyond the city’s borders! The Geneva countryside and the Lake Geneva region are definitely worth a visit for all the curious travelers.

What to do around Geneva?

First, to visit Switzerland, you can drive up the north shore of Lake Geneva near the canton of Vaud. Just half an hour along the A1 motorway will take you to the charming town of Nyon, on the shores of the lake. Don’t miss the Roman museum and the Iulia Equestris column!

Continuing on the A1 motorway for another half hour, you will arrive in Lausanne, an iconic city of French-speaking Switzerland. Visiting the Notre-Dame Cathedral will allow you to discover the largest Gothic monument in all of Switzerland. You will then enjoy strolling through the Place de la Palud, under the arcades of the town hall.

If you choose the south shore of the lake, take the RN5: you can return to France and enter Thonon-les-Bains in less than fifty minutes. This spa town immediately charms with its tranquility, and a walk on the Rives port at sunset is a more than pleasant experience.

To go a little further

If a good hour’s drive around Geneva doesn’t scare you, and you are thirsty for nature: take the A1 to Aubonne and get closer to the Jura Vaudois Regional Nature Park. Known for its green and rolling landscapes, this vast park of 530 km² is an excellent introduction to visiting Switzerland.

To reach Lake Neuchâtel from Geneva, allow at least 1h30 of driving as you will need to leave the A1 at Yverdon-les-Bains and then take the A5. At the border between the French-speaking and German-speaking areas, the lake region combines the advantages of an authentic culture and preserved nature.

You don’t necessarily want to visit Switzerland around Geneva, but just broaden your horizons? In that case, head to the French valley of Samoëns, an hour’s drive from Geneva. The village is known for housing some of the deepest chasms in the world, including the Jean-Bernard and the dizzying Mirolda!

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