GENEVA
Geneva - Luxury Travel Magazine
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One Perfect Day Geneva | |||||
| By: Beatrice Spence, Issue 44 – Spring 2010 | |||||
| (Geneva, Switzerland) | |||||
| THERE ARE PERFECT DAYS AND NOT-SO-PERFECT DAYS WHEN TRAVELLING. A PERFECT DAY IN GENEVA FOR THE CULTURAL TRAVELLER MIGHT LOOK SOMETHING LIKE THIS, ACCORDING TO BEATRICE SPENCE. | |||||
| FOUR SEASONS HÔTEL DES BERGUES | |||||
| Courtesy of the Four Seasons Hôtel de Bergues car at the airport I am, within half an hour of landing, in my suite enjoying coffee and croissants, looking across the lake to snow capped alps. Like Geneva, Hotel des Bergues is all understated elegance and is intimate in scale and design. Despite this being my first visit to the hotel, I feel like I am on a return stay at a dear old friend’s town apartment (with staff) that has been in the family for years. The hotel was the first palace in Switzerland and has been entirely restored by Pierre Yves Rochon. Before heading out for the day I take a quick peek at the Salon des Nations within the hotel and admire the high ceilings and chandeliers. The room was specially created for the first meeting of the League of Nations in 1920. It has extra significance to me having spent many afternoons daydreaming that I was Edith Berry, the Australian représentative in the League of Nations, the main protaganist in novelist Frank Moorehouse’s Grand Days. Room rate: from A$670 per night including breakfast for two. | |||||
| PALAIS DES NATIONS AND THE RED CROSS MUSEUM | |||||
| Next stop is the United Nations, located on the right bank of the city, a 15 minute drive from the hotel. The Palais des Nations was built in 1927 for the league of nations. As pointed out on its website it is “the embodiment of the collective aspirations of the international community for a more peaceful, more prosperous and more just world”. Tours run frequently throughout the day and take in the Council Chambers where many important negotiations have taken place. Across the park is the Red Cross museum, which documents the history of the world’s oldest humanitarian organisation. | |||||
| LA PERLE DU LAC | |||||
| For lunch, where else than La Perle de Lac, a dining institution among Geneva locals. The restaurant features heavily in what is considered to be Albert Cohen’s masterpiece Belle du Seigneur set in Geneva in the 1930s (the novel is worth a read before visiting). Located along the lake in the Moynier Gardens, La Perle du Lac still has the ambience of la belle époque, complete with a Lord Byron dining room, and even a gilded cage of parrots hanging in the centre of L’Orangerie dining room. Set menus are available at lunch. | |||||
| QUARTIER DES BAINS | |||||
| After a morning in old world Geneva it is time to go to where it is all happening now: the Quartier des Bains area is in the centre of town and is a revitalized old industrial quarter. It has an association dedicated to promoting and exhibiting contemporary art (website in both French and English: www.quartierdesbains.ch). Along with hip and happening contemporary galleries such as Evergreene and Blancpain you will find the Centre for Contemporary Art and the Museum for Contemporay Art (MAMCO). Opened in 1994, MAMCO is housed in a former factory space. Director Christian Bernard’s unorthodox presentation of exhibitions has met with critical acclaim. Quartier des bains is also home to the fine Patek Phillipe watch museum on four levels and has examples of watches from the 16th century to contemporary. | |||||
| OLD TOWN AND RUE DE RHÔNE | |||||
| A brisk 15-minute walk takes you back through the old town which dates from medieval times. Wander along the narrow cobble stone streets through Place du Bourg-de-Four and Place de la Taconnerie, which is dominated by the cathedral built in 1160; that descends from the old town head to Rue de Rhône. Despite being a small city Geneva seems to have more designer shops than any other European city, and they are all located on this street. Fortunately when you are laden down with bags you need merely cross the bridge to be back at the Four Seasons for drinks in the Bar des Bergues before dinner at the hotel’s restaurant Il Lago. Situated with views of the jet d’eau and the lively Place des Bergues, the northern Italian menu is divine with lobster risotto among the dishes. Watch the world go by and enjoy the sommelier’s excellent suggestions to match the degustation menu. | |||||
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