Gourmet World

Gourmet worldsA feast for your five senses

Lavaux

UNESCO World Heritage

The Lake Geneva Region offers an infinite diversity of sceneries, breathtaking views and inexhaustible

possibilities for gourmets. Did you know that this part of Switzerland was among the world’s most

reputed gastronomic regions? Be it in the Jura or in the Alps, in the countryside or in town, be it refined

cuisine in large restaurants or specialties in charming inns, its gastronomic diversity is unequalled.

One of the most typical dishes is “papet vaudois” (a must!). Thisleek and potato stew is the ideal accompaniment of the famous“saucisse aux choux” (cabbage-filled sausage). But there is also“saucisson vaudois”, “taillé aux greubons” (puff pastry garnishedwith small bacon cubes), “Tomme” (soft cheese) and savory“bouchon vaudois”, a melting cookie that will entice gourmands andgourmets alike!

The vineyards planted on terraces or steep slopes and their everchanging hues are the pride of the local inhabitants. With twenty-eight AOCs, four wine-producing areas and countless grape varieties,this wine-growing area distinguishes itself by its great authenticity

and the quality of the wines produced: subtle and distinct Chasselas,fruity Gamay or full-bodied, but delicate Pinot.

Our mineral waters contribute to your well-being too: Henniez,a centenary brand, and Arkina, whose sulphur properties were alreadyknown to the Romans.

In the following pages, you will discover a great many aspects of ourlong culinary and wine-growing tradition. Read… and enjoy!

A matter of taste

Every September, restaurateurs, producers and cuisine fans meet during the Week of culinary delights, a national event dedicatedto the pleasures of eating, the use of healthy, high-quality products and to conviviality. www.gout.ch

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Gastronomic encountersTowns and Lakes: Gastronomic encounters

In the countryside: Local culinary treasures

Jura: Flavors and scents

The Alps: A taste of authenticity

Appellations and brands of Lake Geneva Region specialties

Follow our guides!

Useful addresses, tourist offices

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ContactWould you like to obtain more information on the activities and events proposed in our region? More details on the visits suggested inthis brochure? Take a moment to look us up on our Internet site, www.lake-geneva-region.ch, which is regularly updated. It suppliesall kinds of information on the countless discovery possibilities offered by the Lake Geneva Region.

Any questions? The Office du Tourisme du Canton de Vaud (Lake Geneva Region Tourist Office) and the local offices listed on page 21are at your disposal.

Office du Tourisme du Canton de Vaud | Avenue d’Ouchy 60 | Case Postale 164 | 1000 Lausanne 6 | SwitzerlandTel. +41 (0)21 613 26 26 | Fax +41 (0)21 613 26 00 | [email protected] | www.lake-geneva-region.ch

Table of contents

Lausanne

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Breathe in the smells of our street markets, have

a drink in a square, walk along our quays, stroll

about market stalls and savor a specialty in typical surroundings:

the towns along the lakeside abound in possibilities of discovery,

particularly for gourmets. The Lake Geneva Region has one of the

world’s highest numbers of prestigious restaurants studded with

Michelin stars or awarded with GaultMillau chef’s hats.

The local inhabitants enjoy food, but they also love good wines.The vineyards of La Côte (from Nyon to Lausanne), Lavaux (over-hanging the lake between Lutry and Montreux), Vully, and Bonvillarsare a feast for the eyes and for the senses. Don’t hesitate to knockon the door of a friendly winemaker. He will not only invite you totaste one of his vintages in his wine cellar, but also readily tell yousomething about the region. You will be as warmly welcomed as in a“pinte vaudoise” (bar) or in a “carnotzet” (small private wine cellar).

Our countless brasseries and inns with their typical settings and theirchef’s expertise will appeal to our guests in search of authenticitybecause the quality and the originality of their dishes rival the mostexotic bistrots! In the summer months, you can sit down comfortablyon a shaded terrace and discover our dishes made from freshlocal produce: perch or arctic char fillets, market vegetables, localspecialties, multiple combinations, salads made with berries...You will be spoilt for choice!

Vully PieThis delicacy used to be made by local

bakers using yeast-based dough topped withcream and salt. Today they add butter andsugar. Hence its pretty name: the “sweet

and savory one”!

Féra... or bondelleThis fish, which is caught under the nameof “féra” on Lake Joux and on Lake Genevaand under “bondelle” in Neuchâtel, offersmany different ways of culinary preparation:whole, fillet, smoked, as a mousse orterrine... all of them are very tasty dishes!

MalakoffThe recipe for this delicious egg and cheese doughnut was brought to our region afterthe Crimean War by a local mercenary, who had contributed to the fall of Fort Malakoff.

Towns and Lakes

Although drinking chocolate was firstintroduced in France and solid chocolatewas used in Italy before Switzerland,the invention of milk chocolate can beattributed to a Swiss national and, what’smore, to a citizen of Vevey. Around 1870,Daniel Peter was the first to refine cocoapaste by adding milk, which is plentiful inour region. The success of his chocolate,Gala Peter, was so great that in the 1880sthe entire chocolate industry adopted themanufacturing process, which largelycontributed to establishing the reputationof Swiss chocolate.

Specialties Interesting tidbits…

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Win

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ing

Wine making in Lavaux 1 A winegrower’s year starts in winter when he prunes his vine shoots.

In spring, when the vine plants have grown, they are disbudded. Summer is dedicated to the tendrils

and to the thinning-out and trimming of leaves.

2 The grapes are harvested between the end of September

and the end of October. The harvested grapes are put into boxes

and transported to the cellar.

3 The grapes are then pressed. The juice extracted (must) is transferred to vats for

fermentation. By adding yeast, the glucose is converted into alcohol. Grape juice thus

becomes wine.

4 Final step: the wine is filtered and then bottled. White wines are generally bottled

in April and red wines at the end of summer.

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On the La Côte Wine Route, winegrowers, shopkeepers and craftsmen invite you to sampletheir products. The Vully vineyard footpath or the circuit “Discover the Lavaux terraces”,which are both dotted with didactic signs, offer strollers pleasant and instructive moments.

As a fan of “Belle-Epoque” ships, you will love the summer cruises organized by the CGN(Lake Geneva Navigation Company) from July to September. On board the “Montreux”,enjoy the magic scenery and dishes prepared by the Beau Rivage Palace catering service:unforgettable moments are in store for you!

Include a visit to the Alimentarium in Vevey, a museum presenting everything connectedto food in an entertaining and interactive way.

The Maison des terroirs in Grandson is located in a sumptuously renovated old building.In this place of conviviality and encounters with locals, you can taste wines of theBonvillars appellation and sample local delicacies.

May Millésime: Vaud wine festival in Lausanne celebrates its winemakers. You have theopportunity to meet some forty passionate producers who let city dwellers sample theirvintages. There are countless children’s activities as well.

July-August Vevey folk markets: every Saturday morning the town’s inhabitants meeton Place du Marché to taste the wines of the region. You too can acquire a souvenir glass,the design of which is regularly changed, and discover the winemaker of the week.

September Grape festival in Féchy: every spring, Féchy winemakers get vine stock fromthe four corners of the world to plant it in their “world vineyard” created in 1996. The grapefestival celebrates the planting of the stocks and the official beginning of the harvest season.

September Harvest festival in Lutry: on the occasion of the children’s fair on Sunday, oversix hundred children in costumes parade through the village streets on floats. As for theadults, they already start celebrating on Friday evening in the fifteen or so wine cellars openfor the occasion.

Top restaurants Selection criteria for our choice of restaurants: 16 points and more in the guide “GaultMillau 2007”

Le Pont de Brent, Brent, www.lepontdebrent.com, 19 points in GaultMillau, 3 stars in MichelinRestaurant Philippe Rochat, Crissier, www.philippe-rochat.ch, 19 points in GaultMillau, 3 stars in MichelinL’Ermitage de Bernard Ravet, Vufflens-le-Château, www.ravet.ch, 19 points in GaultMillau, 1 star in MichelinRestaurant Denis Martin, Vevey, www.denis-martin.com, 18 points in GaultMillau, 2 stars in MichelinHôtel Ermitage, Clarens, www.ermitage-montreux.com, 17 points in GaultMillau, 1 star in MichelinLe Guillaume Tell, Aran-Villette, www.leguillaumetell.ch, 16 points in GaultMillau, 1 star in MichelinRestaurant La Table d’Edgard (Hôtel Lausanne Palace & Spa), Lausanne, www.lausanne-palace.ch, 16 points in GaultMillau, 1 star in MichelinRestaurant Trianon (Hôtel Le Mirador Kempinski), Le Mont-Pèlerin, www.mirador.ch, 16 points in GaultMillau, 1 star in Michelin

All our good restaurants on www.lake-geneva-region.ch

Get to know our towns and lakes and discover:

Avenches, Grandson, Lausanne, Montreux, Morges, Nyon, Rolle, Vevey, Villeneuve, Yverdon-les-Bains.

Activities

Events

Local culinary treasures

Colza field near Echallens

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Explore the countryside, its plains, its hills and

its villages, have a break in a small inn, stroll

alongside rivers, dawdle along groves, and spend the night in a barn

with the delightful smell of hay before devouring a hearty farmer’s

breakfast: there is no better way of discovering the culinary treasures

of our region than to go for a jaunt through our countryside!

From “bistrots” to “tables d’hôtes”, from picnic sites to smallrestaurants, the choice of pleasant breaks is vast and multifaceted.Have an afternoon snack at a farm, for example, where you will beserved generous helpings of slices of bread and jam, cakes, pies andcookies, or enjoy a brunch where savory and sweet dishes aremerrily combined.

During your outing, you can meet regional producers and do yourshopping at a farm. Fill your basket with fresh produce (orchardfruits, cheeses of all sorts, honey and jams, home-made oils...),discover local know-how, exchange recipes, and share a few momentswith farmers, millers, market gardeners, and craftsmen – men andwomen who love their soil and their craft.

And last but not least, the cellars set up in almost all wine-growingvillages really are the best place for tasting wine, whether it is madefrom traditional grape varieties or whether it is a specialty.Winegrowers in Vully and Côtes-de-l’Orbe, whose sloping vineyardsstretch from La Sarraz to Yverdon-les-Bains, grow several varietieswhich are well adapted to the region’s soils. They produce promisingwines like Chardonnay, Gamaret or Garanoir.

Cochonnaille (Pork meats)“Saucisson vaudois”, cured saucisson,“saucisse aux choux” (cabbage-filled

sausage), and “boutefas” (smoked porkmeat prepared with spices and schnapps)

have always been part of the localinhabitants’ traditional fare in the coldseason. Pork butchers in Payerne are

particularly renowned.

Bread from Gros-de-VaudMade by master bakers based on a mixtureof cereals from Gros-de-Vaud, one of thebest wheat regions in Switzerland, thisbread with its deliciously rustic taste isa pure “terroir” product.

Trout farmLocated downstream of the source of themythical Venoge river, the Vieux Moulinde l’Isle, one of the oldest buildings in thevillage, houses a trout farm. A deliciousspecialty here is trout fillet smoked inVaud Jura beech wood.

GaranoirThe Côtes-de-l’Orbe vineyards produce wines with complex aromas and a fruity taste,such as Garanoir, a wine of a deep red color, the result of crossbreeding Gamay andReichensteiner.

RaisinéeConsisting of the juice of squeezed pears and apples that are heated over a log fire andstirred for a long time, “raisinée” (called “vin cuit” in Fribourg) is a fruit concentrate usedto make desserts.

In the countryside


The origin of the “saucisse aux choux”(cabbage-filled pork sausage with spices)is said to go back to the year 879. At thattime, Emperor Charles the Fat and two ofhis nephews met in Orbe to settle succes-sion matters. As the monarchs and theirretinues spent several weeks in the area,meat became a rarity. An inhabitant thenhad the idea to eke out the sausage withcabbage. As the combination turned outto be delicious, the recipe was adopted!

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Manufacturing of walnut oil at Moulin et huilerie de

Sévery (near Morges) 1 Shelling: the nuts are shelled

to obtain the kernels. 10 kilos of walnuts yield 3.5 kilos

of “flesh”.

2 Grinding: using a big grinder, the shelled walnuts are

ground into a compact paste. The cleaner the kernels,

the better the oil.

3 Roasting: to enhance natural aromas, the paste is

then roasted.

4 Pressing: after roasting, the paste is placed into

a finely-meshed jute cloth and pressed.

5 3.5 kilos of paste yield about 2 liters of oil

(i.e. a final yield of 20%). The remaining dry matter

is called “oil cake”.

6 To eliminate potential impurities, the oil thus

obtained is decanted and then bottled.

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Stroll along the Wheat Trail between Grange-Marnand and Echallens. This didactic trail ofabout a hundred kilometers between fields and forests, farms and villages, “gîtes” andpicnic areas is a rewarding excursion to Switzerland’s granary.

Visit the House of Wheat and Bread in Echallens, a traditional museum installed in an oldfarm dating back to the 18th century. You will learn about sowing, harvesting and breadmaking over the past 10,000 years.

The Côtes-de-l’Orbe Wine Trail leads from Chavornay to Essert-sous-Champvent: walkthrough the beautiful vineyards and discover a great many unusual features.

Travel throughout the length and breadth of the county enjoying a view of the stunningscenery and table delights in the “TrainResto Gros-de-Vaud” (LEB) or the “BAM Saveur”,two trains with tastefully refurbished and transformed period wagons.

June The Flavors and Scents Fair in Orbe takes place in the heart of the old town andhonors Côtes-de-l’Orbe vintage wines and local produce. A feast for all senses!

July The Echallens folk markets are one of the region’s most popular attractions. EveryThursday in July, craftsmen, tradesmen, farmers, musicians and troubadours stimulate thetown atmosphere. A way of doing your shopping and having fun at the same time!

October The Autumn Fair and Cowbell market in Romainmôtier is where dozens ofexhibitors and collectors of all sorts of bells meet. A fair where, for three days, the ruraland the urban world rub shoulders in a joyful, tintinnabulating atmosphere.

Activities

Events

Flavors and scents


Le Cerf, Cossonay, www.lecerf-carlocrisci.ch, 18 points in GaultMillau, 2 stars in MichelinHôtel de Ville, Restaurant l’Ambroisie, Echallens, www.hotel-de-ville.ch, 15 points in GaultMillau


And our typical innsCafé-restaurant du Commerce, Vallamand-Dessus, www.avenches.chRôtisserie Au Gaulois, Croy/Romainmôtier, www.romainmotier.chAuberge de Vers-chez-Perrin, Vers-chez-Perrin (Payerne), www.auberge-verschezperrin.chAuberge de l’Union, Palézieux-Gare, www.region-oron.ch

All our typical inns on www.lake-geneva-region.ch

Get to know our countryside and discover:

Avenches, La Sarraz, Moudon, Orbe, Oron, Payerne, Romainmôtier.

Vallée de Joux, Lake Brenet

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Verdant valleys, cattle grazing peacefully in the shade of fir trees or

old, dry stone walls: the Vaud Jura brims with wild beauty and

abounds in an astounding variety of scenery. This region is ideal for

fans of the outdoors and for gourmets. A network of small roads,

footpaths and forest trails leads you to mountain chalets where you

can discover products with a very distinctive flavor.

In an Alpine cheese dairy you will see how cheese is traditionallymade, a process that has largely contributed to Switzerland’s gastro-nomic reputation throughout the world. Amongst other things, youwill learn that the cheese maker uses a cauldron on a log fire in thechalet’s hearth and that the complex taste of their Alpine products(strong Gruyère, creamy Raclette cheese, smooth soft white cheese,and butter made with sour cream, etc.) is the result of the manyfragrant flowers in Alpine pastures.

Lake Joux also deserves a little outing. This lake, a veritable naturaljewel studded with blossoming pastures and forests, offers a verynice walk all around its shores and also has rich fish life. Did youknow that Lake Joux and its tributaries provided a habitat for about adozen fish species, such as trout, grayling, perch and pike? Preparedas pastries, “à la meunière” or with ramsons (bear’s garlic), theysatisfy the taste of the most demanding gourmet!

Gentian schnappsGentian schnapps is made from yellow

(not blue!) gentian roots, a plant that growswild in the region. This interesting digestiveis distilled in the traditional way, preserving

its natural properties and conferring ita great number of medicinal qualities.

SnailsAlthough not hailing from Burgundy,our local gastropod nevertheless belongs tothe same noble lineage! Stuffed with butter,shallot, garlic and parsley, snails are bestaccompanied by fresh bread and a ratherdry white wine.

Smoked hamSmoked with pine tree sawdust, Vaud Jura ham smells deliciously of forests and pastures.In its raw form, it is mostly served with an aperitif or taken on a picnic; in its cooked form,it is ideally accompanied by potatoes.

Vacherin Mont-d’Or AOC *This soft cheese of creamy consistency is eaten hot or cold with a spoon, as a main courseor as a dessert. Made in small cheese dairies and refined in traditional cellars, it has aninimitable tannin taste conferred by its fir strap.

Jura

Interesting tidbits…

During the last Ice Age, the Vallée de Jouxwas entirely covered by a glacier. Givenits high altitude, it seems unlikely thatfish colonized the valley waters whenthe glacier receded. In all likelihood fishwere introduced by man. It would appearthat pike was brought to the region bymonks as early as the 13th century. Rivergraylings are said to have been intro-duced in 1911 by stocking the Orbe riverwith alevins, and “féras” were introducedin 1931 using alevins from the LakeGeneva region. Today, Lake Joux, thebiggest lake in the Jura massif, also pro-vides a habitat for trout, perch, turbot,and carp. In fact, fish is so abundant thattwo professional fishers are able to makea living from it!

Vac

herin

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t-d’

OrAOC*

Manufacturing of Vacherin Mont-d’Or AOC *

1 This cheese is made from thermized milk, in other

words: slightly heated, but non-pasteurized milk.

After stirring it for half an hour, the liquid turns solid

by coagulation.

2 The cherry-sized curds (solid part) are separated from

the whey (liquid part).

3 The curds are transferred to a mould that is twice

as big as the end product which, at this stage, is still

“submerged” in the whey.

4 Vacherin Mont-d’Or AOC* is not pressed, but only wrapped with alder and spruce

straps once it is turned out, which is also when it is salted.

5 Maturing takes seventeen to twenty-five days. The cheese is then put in a round

wooden cheese box, the size of which varies according to the weight of the cheese

(from 350 g to 3 kg).

Specialties

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* See p. 19

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Gourmet walk in Sainte-Croix: if you are a fan of local specialties, you will appreciate thiswalk all the more with three planned stops, one at the chalet of Mont-de-la-Mayaz for anappetizer, one at the chalet Le Sollier for a main meal, and one at La Casba to taste“Menegetz”, a typical drink based on citronella, sparkling water, white wine, and lemonade.

In a great many farms and Alpine chalets in the Vaud Jura, you can watch how cheese ismade (Gruyère and Raclette). For early birds only: cheese making starts between 7 and 8 a.m.!

Visiting the Vacherin Museum in Les Charbonnières, Vallée de Joux, will give you theopportunity to hear the epic of the Vacherin Mont-d’Or AOC *. The cheese ripening expert,or affineur, will tell you how his ancestors already worked for the reputation of thisexceptional cheese.

Catch and enjoy! In Vallorbe, several fish farms propose original meals: after catchingyour own trout (fishing rod and bait provided), have it prepared for you and enjoy it onthe premises!

In Le Plâne, a hamlet slightly above Vaulion, visit the Medicinal and aromatic herb farm,where over a hundred plant varieties are grown.

August The Cross-Border Festival, in Sainte-Croix, is the yearly venue of roughly fiftyexhibitors from Switzerland and France. A festive weekend full of discoveries, sampling,dancing and entertainment!

September The Vacherin Mont-d’Or Festival in Vallée de Joux is the official start ofthe Vacherin Mont-d’Or AOC * season, where producers and cheese ripening experts presenttheir first production.

September Désalpe (bringing cattle down from the Alpine pastures for winter): for oneweekend, the return of the cattle to the plains is celebrated in St-Cergue with alphorns,whip crackers, flag throwers, and folk music groups.

Activities

EventsA taste of authenticity


Restaurant Le Chronographe (Hôtel des Horlogers), Le Brassus, www.hotel-horlogers.ch, 14 points in GaultMillau


And our restaurants, chalets and Alpine hutsCouvaloup de Crans, St-Cergue, www.nyon.chChalet d’alpage Les Croisettes, Vallée de Joux, www.myvalleedejoux.chChalet-Restaurant du Mont-de-Baulmes, Sainte-Croix, www.sainte-croix.chChalet-Restaurant d’alpage Grandsonnaz-Dessus, Bullet (Sainte-Croix), www.sainte-croix.ch

All our restaurants, chalets and Alpine huts on www.lake-geneva-region.ch

Get to know our Jura and discover:

Vallée de Joux, Vallorbe, St-Cergue, Sainte-Croix/Les Rasses.

* See p. 19 View of Villars

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Snowy mountains and steep peaks, but also round hills, beech and

fir tree forests and gentle slopes, where the fresh perfume of fern

and the sweet smell of raspberry bushes mingle... the Alps of the

Lake Geneva Region constitute not only a wonderful recreational

environment, but also a dream location where you can taste the

specialties of the region at your ease.

Hikers will appreciate the Alpine huts and restaurants with a largeselection of regional products, which you can have as a quick snackor enjoy sitting comfortably on the terrace. As we are in themountains, the menu naturally includes all kinds of cheese-baseddishes. You will have the opportunity to discover Etivaz AOC*,an Alpine cheese of incomparable taste, the first to receive anappellation of controlled origin in Switzerland.

Fans of local produce will also appreciate the specialties proposed bymany inns of the region: mushroom cassolettes, which are wide-spread in local cooking, using morels, boletus, chanterelles andwood hedgehogs. But there are also leek gratins, various puff

pastries and all sorts of cakes. Gourmets should visit Villars, Yvorneor Château-d’Œx, which are studded with many good restaurantsthat are also listed in GaultMillau and Michelin.

The Alps of the Lake Geneva Region, where vines cling to steepmountain slopes, are also the home of the beautiful Chablaisvineyard. Make the most of this region, its splendid environment,its delicious dishes and its exceptional vintage wines produced heresince Roman times.

Alpine saltThis salt from our Alpine salt fields has beenextracted for nearly five centuries in the saltmines of Bex. Nestling in rocks, it has beenpreserved from pollution. Being extracted by

dissolution in source water, it is extremelypure. Enhanced by spices and biologicalherbs, it has been selected by masterbutchers in the Lake Geneva Region to

prepare their famous sausage called “Bâtondu mineur” (miner’s stick).

Etivaz AOC *Etivaz AOC*, which is produced at an altitudeof 1,000 to 2,000 meters, is maturedfor at least four and a half months in a cellarbefore reaching full maturity after eightmonths. But it is also excellent as an “oldcheese” (over twelve months old) or servedin the form of “rebibes” (wafer-thin slicesmatured for over thirty months).

* See p. 19

Tomme FleuretteThis cheese has a flowery rind and is soft and creamy. This specialty from Rougemontis very popular, be it on its native soil, where it has many faithful customers, or abroad,where it is regularly exported.

The Alps

In Aigle there are huge cellars wherea plant-based concoction called “BitterDiablerets” used to be made. After thebrand was sold in 1976, the productcontinued to be made with a differentrecipe. As only the people who madethe first beverage knew its ingredients,it seems that the original recipe hasbeen lost. Certain sources maintain thatthe former “Bitter Diablerets” cellars stillcontain a few bottles of the originalbeverage which tasted both bitter andsweet and which was said to be the“aperitif of French-speaking Switzerlandpar excellence”.

Chablais winesThe Chablais vineyards, particularly the vineyard in the area of Aigle, the “vine and winecitadel”, are generous: several dozen grape varieties are cultivated under the appellationsVilleneuve, Yvorne, Aigle, Ollon, and Bex, yielding white or red wines, classics likeChasselas or rarities such as Mondeuse: wines with a suave and sometimes unexpected taste.

Etivaz

AOC*

Manufacturing of Etivaz AOC * in the Alpine pastures of Combarins, at Pipo’s, in Rossinière

(Château-d’Œx) 1 This Alpine cheese is made in the purest of traditions between 10 May and

10 October.

2-3 The milk is poured into a big brass cauldron and heated on a log

fire. The cheese maker’s rennet makes the contents of the cauldron

curdle. Using a curd-cutter, the mass is then cut into smaller portions

the size of corn seeds. The mixture is stirred continuously and then

heated up again.

4 The cheese maker hangs up a canvas on a rail and slides it underneath the “seeds”.

The mass is then poured into a mould. The weight of the press makes the whey flow out.

5 The rounds are rubbed with cheese salt and kept at the chalet a

few days before being transferred to a cellar where they are matured.

The longer a cheese matures, the stronger its taste.


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Appellations and brands of Lake Geneva Region specialtiesIn Maison de L’Etivaz you can discover the manufacturing secret of this famous cheeseand taste it too. You can also visit the cheese cellars and shop for local produce on thesame premises.

Located in a beautiful 17th century chalet, the Vieux Leysin Cheese Dairy is also a restaurant(where you are served a delicious fondue, amongst other dishes) and a small museum wherevarious items are exhibited recalling the bygone days of Alpine life.

The Bex Salt Mines stretch over nearly fifty kilometers: a huge labyrinth of tunnels, shaftsand gigantic mine rooms. During the visit, which takes place in a mining train and on foot,you can discover the various mining techniques used in the first gallery, excavated in 1684,until today.

Between May and the beginning of October, when many cattle herds spend the summerin the Alps, overnight stays are organized in Alpine huts: the occasion to have breakfastin the heart of the Alps and to have a live demonstration of how cheese is made!

Located in the heart of the Chablais vineyards, Aigle Castle houses the Vine, the Wine andthe Label Museum: two thousand years of history unfold before you.

May Aigle, with a glass in your hand: in spring every year, winemakers let visitorsdiscover the vintage wine of the year. Acquire a “sesame glass” that will open all cellardoors for you!

August Midsummer in Taveyanne: celebrated on the Alpine pasture above Gryon, thispastoral festival is the most well known of all Midsummer festivals in the region, wherepeople sing and dance in the purest tradition. It takes place on the first Sunday of Augustevery year.

September Bringing the cattle down from the high Alps: when the herds are broughtdown from the Alps for winter, the cooperative of Etivaz AOC * cheese makers and Etivazvillage welcome producers and craftsmen. Tastings, visits of cheese cellars, food and drink,and various music performances combine to make it an unforgettable day!

The culinary patrimony of the Lake Geneva Region abounds in typicalspecialties and comprises many local products, five of which have anAOC or an IGP appellation.

AOC (appellation of controlled origin) and IGP (protected originindication) not only guarantee the origin, the authenticity andthe specificity of a product, but also the strict control of productionconditions carried out by an independent certification organism.

An AOC product is entirely produced in its region of origin, from theraw material to the final product. As to IGP products, at least oneproduction stage has to take place in its region of origin. AOC andIGP products generally bear the name of their region of origin.

Apart from the AOC and IGP appellations, there are three brands:“Produits du Terroir vaudois”, “Saveurs du Jura vaudois” and“Pays-d’Enhaut Produits Authentiques” that can be tasted in theLake Geneva Region.

The products belonging to these brands are always of local originand have their own identity linked to the particular area (“terroir”)where they come from. “Terroir” should be understood as ageographical as well as a human and cultural dimension. A “terroir”specialty is the fruit of skill, tradition and original manufacturingmethods.

AOC Products:Vacherin Mont-d’Or AOC, Etivaz AOC, Gruyère AOC.

IGP Products:“Saucisson vaudois IGP”, “Saucisse aux choux vaudoise IGP”(cabbage-filled sausage).

Produits du Terroir vaudois:strong alcohol distilled in the traditional way, liquors made fromsmall berries, Vinatura wines, market garden produce, cooked porkmeats, terrines, various cheeses, fishes...

Saveurs du Jura vaudois:Alpine Gruyère AOC, Vacherin Mont-d’Or AOC, honey made fromblossom and flowers, amandine (almond tart), smoked ham,gentian schnapps...

Pays-d’Enhaut Produits Authentiques:Etivaz AOC, cream cheese, hard and soft cheese, honey, Alpine pork,yoghurts...

www.terroir-vaudois.ch

www.saveursdujura.ch

www.pays-denhaut.ch

Events

Activities

www.aoc-igp.ch


La Roseraie, Yvorne, www.roseraie.ch, 17 points in GaultMillau, 1 star in MichelinL’Ermitage, Château-d’Œx, www.gourmet-hotelermitage.ch, 14 points in GaultMillauLa Renardière, Villars-sur-Ollon, www.larenardiere.ch, 14 points in GaultMillau


And our restaurants, chalets and Alpine hutsRefuge de Frience, Villars-Gryon, www.villars.chRefuge de Mayen, Leysin, www.leysin.chL’Auberge de l’Ours, Vers-L’Eglise (Les Diablerets), www.diablerets.chBuvette de Neusille, Château-d’Œx, www.chateau-doex.ch

All our restaurants, chalets and Alpine huts on www.lake-geneva-region.ch

Get to know our Alps and discover:

Aigle, Château-d’Œx, Gryon, Les Diablerets, Les Mosses, Leysin, Rougemont, Villars.

www.vins-vaudois.comAll wines produced under Lake Geneva Region AOCs may bearthe label “Vin Vaudois”. This label covers a number of terroirsand high-quality craftsmen. A signature of products marked bypersonality, authenticity and elegance.

* See p. 19

20

The Office du Tourisme du Canton de Vaud and all the local tourist offices can offer a range of brochures

that will tell you more about the Lake Geneva Region and help you prepare your visit more fully.

On footDiscovery trailsStrolls through bright city streets, hikes along quiet

river banks, rambles through forests and vineyards, treks

along steep ridges, scrambles to the summits – this

guide is the first step in helping you discover the vast

and breathtaking diversity of the Lake Geneva Region

on foot.

By bikeGetting away from it all on two wheelsSeveral important routes cross the length and breadth

of Switzerland. This guide to cyclo tourism and mountain

biking selects some that allow you to discover the

region according to your tastes…and your fitness.

A reputation for hospitalityHotel guideOur region has earned a reputation for professionalism,

respect for tradition, and for making guests feel

welcome. This guide lists hotels that are big, small,

international, regional, modern, romantic… You’ll be

spoilt for choice.

Shared emotionsFun, Festivals, EventsFrom January to December, a huge variety of activities

take place, right across the region. This guide, which is

updated each year, lays out the calendar of festive and

cultural events that the Lake Geneva Region has to offer.

One region, four worldsLake Geneva RegionTowns and Lakes, Alps, Jura, CountrysideThe enchanting shores of the lakes and the charm of the towns, landscapes with

a thousand colours, the calm of wide open spaces, the majesty of the mountains:

four quite different worlds all together in one region.

A life-size theme parkOne region, a thousand adventuresThe Lake Geneva Region is a gigantic, natural theme

park with plenty to discover all year round.

This guide is informative and entertaining. It will help

you experience some unforgettable moments in an

environment that will take your breath away.

Travel in timeA cultural journeyThe Lake Geneva Region has a long, eventful history

that has left plenty of interesting remnants. This guide

lists archaeological sites, amphitheatres, castles,

churches, monasteries and museums… a rich heritage

that has a thousand tales to tell about our history.

Travel treasures à la carteDream LinesA very comprehensive transport network makes it

possible for visitors to discover the Lake Geneva Region

at their own pace and follow their own preferences.

This guide suggests many fascinating trips that will give

you wonderful views from a boat, a funicular, a cable

car or a steam train.

Follow our guides! Useful addresses, tourist offices

Office du Tourisme d’Aigle, Rue Colomb 5, Case postale 100, 1860 Aigle

Tel. +41 (0)24 466 30 00, Fax +41 (0)24 466 30 03

[email protected], www.alp3000.ch

Avenches Tourisme, Place de l’Eglise 3, 1580 Avenches

Tel. +41 (0)26 676 99 22, Fax: +41 (0)26 675 33 93

[email protected], www.avenches.ch

Château-d’Œx Tourisme, La Place, 1660 Château-d’Œx

Tel. +41 (0)26 924 25 25, Fax +41 (0)26 924 25 26

[email protected], www.chateau-doex.ch

Montreux-Vevey Tourisme, Point i Chexbres, Place de la Gare, 1071 Chexbres

Tel. +41 (0)21 946 46 46, Fax +41 (0)21 946 46 66

[email protected], www.lavaux.com

Diablerets Tourisme, Rue de la Gare, 1865 Les Diablerets

Tel. +41 (0)24 492 33 58, Fax +41 (0)24 492 23 48

[email protected], www.diablerets.ch

Office du Tourisme de Grandson, Maison des terroirs, Rue Haute 13,

1422 Grandson, Tel. +41 (0)24 445 60 60, Fax +41 (0)24 445 60 70

[email protected], www.terroirs-region-grandson.ch

Office du Tourisme de Gryon, Place de la Barboleuse, 1882 Gryon

Tel. +41 (0)24 498 00 00, Fax +41 (0)24 498 26 22

[email protected], www.villarsgryon.ch

Lausanne Tourisme, Av. de Rhodanie 2, Case postale 49, 1000 Lausanne 6

Tel. +41 (0)21 613 73 73, Fax: +41 (0)21 616 86 47

[email protected], www.lausanne-tourisme.ch

Office du Tourisme de La Sarraz et environs, Grand-Rue 1, 1315 La Sarraz

Tel. +41 (0)21 866 02 29, Fax +41 (0)21 866 02 27

[email protected], www.tourisme-lasarraz.ch

Leysin Tourisme, Place Large, 1854 Leysin

Tel. +41 (0)24 493 33 00, Fax +41 (0)24 493 33 01

[email protected], www.leysin.ch

Montreux-Vevey Tourisme, Place de l’Eurovision, 1820 Montreux

Tel. +41 (0)848 86 84 84, Fax +41 (0)21 962 84 94

[email protected], www.montreux-vevey.com

Morges Région Tourisme, Rue du Château 2, 1110 Morges 1

Tel. +41 (0)21 801 32 33, Fax: +41 (0)21 801 31 30

[email protected], www.morges.ch

Office du Tourisme Les Mosses-La Lécherette, Les Fougères, 1862 Les Mosses

Tel. +41 (0)24 491 14 66, Fax +41 (0)24 491 10 24

[email protected], www.lesmosses.ch

Office du Tourisme de Moudon, Place de la Douane, 1510 Moudon

Tel. +41 (0)21 905 88 66, Fax +41 (0)21 905 55 50

[email protected], www.moudon.ch

Nyon Région Tourisme, Av. Viollier 8, 1260 Nyon 1

Tel. +41 (0)22 365 66 00, Fax +41 (0)22 365 66 06

[email protected], www.nyon.ch

Office du Tourisme d’Orbe et environs, Rue de la Poste 2, 1350 Orbe

Tel. +41 (0)24 441 52 66, Fax +41 (0)24 441 52 66

[email protected], www.orbe.ch/tourisme

Office du Tourisme d’Oron, Case postale 63, 1610 Oron-la-Ville

Tel. +41 (0)21 907 63 32, Fax +41 (0)21 907 63 40

[email protected], www.region-oron.ch

Office du Tourisme de Payerne, Place du Marché 10, 1530 Payerne

Tel. +41 (0)26 660 61 61, Fax +41 (0)26 660 71 26

[email protected], www.payerne.ch

Office du Tourisme de Rolle, Grand-Rue 1 bis, 1180 Rolle

Tel. +41 (0)21 825 15 35, Fax +41 (0)21 825 11 31

[email protected], www.rolle.ch

Office du Tourisme de Romainmôtier, Accueil et informations «La Porterie»,

1323 Romainmôtier, Tel. +41 (0)24 453 14 65, Fax +41 (0)24 453 14 86

[email protected], www.romainmotier.ch

Office du Tourisme de Rougemont, Bâtiment communal, 1659 Rougemont

Tel. +41 (0)26 925 11 66, Fax +41 (0)26 925 11 67

[email protected], www.rougemont.ch

Office du Tourisme de St-Cergue, Pl. Sy-Vieuxville, 1264 St-Cergue

Tel. +41 (0)22 360 13 14, Fax +41 (0)22 360 24 74

[email protected], www.st-cergue.ch

Office du Tourisme de Sainte-Croix/Les Rasses,

Balcon du Jura Vaudois Tourisme, Hôtel de Ville, Rue Neuve 10, 1450 Sainte-Croix

Tel. +41 (0)24 455 41 42, Fax +41 (0)24 455 41 15, [email protected], www.sainte-croix.ch

Vallée de Joux Tourisme, Centre Sportif, 1347 Le Sentier

Tel. +41 (0)21 845 17 77, Fax +41 (0)21 845 50 08

[email protected], www.myvalleedejoux.ch

Office du Tourisme de Vallorbe, Grandes-Forges 11, Case postale 90,

1337 Vallorbe, Tel. +41 (0)21 843 25 83, Fax +41 (0)21 843 22 62

[email protected], www.vallorbe.ch

Montreux-Vevey Tourisme, Grande-Place 29, 1800 Vevey

Tel. +41 (0)848 86 84 84, Fax +41 (0)21 962 84 78


Villars Tourisme, Rue Centrale, 1884 Villars-sur-Ollon

Tel. +41 (0)24 495 32 32, Fax +41 (0)24 495 27 94

[email protected], www.villars.ch

Montreux-Vevey Tourisme, Point i Villeneuve, Place de la Gare 5, 1844 Villeneuve

Tel. +41 (0)21 960 22 86, Fax +41 (0)21 968 10 13


Office du Tourisme et du Thermalisme d’Yverdon-les-Bains

Av. de la Gare 2, 1401 Yverdon-les-Bains, Tel. +41 (0)24 423 61 01, Fax +41 (0)24 426 11 22

[email protected], www.yverdonlesbains-tourisme.ch

Photos: cover: Régis Colombo/www.diapo.ch, LT / B.H. Bissat, HP Siffert /Weinweltfoto.ch, P. Loertscher, www.semio.ch, Studio Patrick Jantet, www.ateliermamco.com Illustrations: Denis Kormann Concept: www.semio.ch

2007 Edition | Printed in Switzerland

Gourmet World

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