Mont-Pèlerin, Switzerland: The Country Manor & The Cable Car (1st of 6 parts)
Vevey, Switzerland: The Old Town, A Great Big Fork, & Charlie Chaplin (2nd of 6 Parts)
Vevey, Switzerland: The Market & The Museum ”“ 2 Photo Essays (3rd of 6 Parts)
Lausanne, Switzerland: Up The Hills & Fondue for Two (4th of 6 parts)
Geneva, Switzerland: The Smallest Big City In Europe (5th of 6 parts)
Fondue x Four: Food in Switzerland (Last of 6 parts)
It’s almost 11 pm (local time) when my Bin and I arrive in Geneva, Switzerland. It’s pitch black and we can’t see a thing as we speed along in the Mercedes Benz hotel limo. The cold, however, is more than evident ”“ at 3°C, we feel it in our tropical bones. We’re headed for the Le Mirador Kempinski on Lake Geneva, which is a 50-minute fast drive from the Geneva International Airport.
Bleary-eyed from a 15-hour flight, we stumble into our hotel room, and immediately almost all traces of fatigue disappear as we take in the lush surroundings. We’ve been given a suite (!) that boasts a separate living room, a Jacuzzi, two TVs, a bathroom large enough to have lunch in, and my goodness, is that a porcelain sink with gold-encrusted handles I see? I dash around snapping photos and have to push my Bin off the bed that he’s promptly sunk himself into.
Only darkness greets us as we open the patio doors and peer into the night; looking down into a black abyss peppered with tiny lights on its left side, there’s nothing but cold, cold, and more cold. Brrr!
It only gets bright at about 7:30 am, but the morning holds treasures that are more than worth waiting for. I open my eyes and see …
…splendor.
Le Mirador Kempinski is located at the very top of a small town called Mont-Pèlerin. It’s surrounded by acres of scenic vineyards, mountain pastures, and an utterly breathtaking view of the Swiss Alps. ”˜Breathtaking’ isn’t a word I use often ”“ it’s reserved for views such as this. An example of nature outdoing itself, the all-encompassing beauty of the Swiss Riviera unfolds itself before me. To the left is the city of Montreux, the Château de Chillon, and the Rhône Valley. Just below is the lakeside town of Vevey, and spreading out in front of me like life-sized paintings are the Swiss Alps and Lake Geneva.
It’s difficult to describe perfect idylls such as this, romantic interludes that leave even talkative me speechless. When taking in Switzerland’s stunning landscapes of ice and snow ”“ craggy peaks sprinkled with powdered sugar ”“ words like majestic, resplendent, unspoiled, and ”“ dare I say it again ”“ ‘breathtaking’ come to mind. Attempts to describe such beauty only succeed in producing bits of disjointed poetry; it’s really best to gaze at photos of these scenes and understand that words may be unnecessary, insufficient even.
Le Mirador Kempinski is not unlike a genteel country manor where old world yet sumptuous furnishings and accents combine with modern day amenities. Built in 1904, it’s stayed true to its original purpose as an oasis for wellness and calm. The Centre Medical Mirador, a center specializing in biomolecular medicine is housed here, and of course, Le Mirador Kempinski is also a luxury resort with quality restaurants under its roof.
Breakfast at Le Patio is a bountiful affair with a buffet of typical Swiss favorites: muesli, local cheeses, full-cream yogurt, charcuterie (prepared, processed pork products), fresh fruits, and the requisite eggs and café (coffee). My morning is good, guaranteed.
Wandering around the hotel, I’m awed by the library, one of those old fashioned sorts with high-backed chairs and pool tables, all I have to do is light up a cigar to feel at home here. The shelves boast of several first edition (some signed!) copies of literary classics.
Then there’s the piano bar where I find a funny statue of a man collapsed in an easy chair. It’s only one of the many statues in Le Mirador Kempinski although I don’t get around to asking just why there are so many of these “fake people” around.
To get from the top of Mont-Pèlerin (where our hotel is), down to the town of Vevey (vuh-VAY), my Bin and I take the funicular (funiculaire in French), a quasi cable car that runs on a railroad. It’s a scenic five-minute walk to the funicular station. With gloved hands stuffed deep into our jacket pockets, we drink in the little town of Mont-Pèlerin: little houses framed by leaf-less trees, the roof of a chapel dappled by sunlight, and of course, those gorgeous, gorgeous Swiss Alps keeping pace with our every step.
Meandering down (or up) a relatively straight path that’s 1,578 meters long (and upwards of 417 meters), the funiculaire wends through a pleasure panorama of vineyards, orchards and forests with glimpses of Lake Geneva, the Alps, and the Mittelland. It’s winter so everything is in earthy shades of browns and greys. A quiet ride punctuated only by the clump, clump of the car plodding along the rails, my Bin and I reach the small town of Vevey in about 10 minutes.
Lori! What an amazing adventure! The scenery is so breathtaking! But what catches my attention the most is how perfectly red that strawberry looks and how ‘fluff’ that poached egg must have tasted like! I can’t wait for the other parts of your entry! Can’t wait to see all the food!
Glad to have you back. And oh, belated happy birthday!
wow..i am in total awe.
AMAZING!
My mouth dropped when the photos loaded and I saw your awesome suite!!
Belated Happy Birthday, Lori!
Hey there! My mom and uncle went to boarding school in Vevey. Have only seen the place from their childhood photographs. Very charming and cold.
the Philippines….seems….so dirty…
are you by any chance going to Lucerne? Mt.Pilatus has all these great activities at the top
i’m …speechless.
wow.
and i know this might be a strange thing to notice, but the strawberries on that breakfast plate look insanely fresh and scrumptious. mmm…
it’s funny, i agree with cici and maita! those strawberries look AMAZING! they look so perfect that if they’d been photographed on their own, i would’ve thought they weren’t real.
anyway, i’ve never been to switzerland, but i’ve heard a lot about it from my dad. he loves the place. he thinks its a little too clean and everybody is a little too, erm, proper. haha.
Great shots Lori! Thanks for sharing your Swiss experience with us. 😀
Belated Happy Birthday! 🙂
I can’t get over those HUMONGOUS strawberries!!! I can just imagine how you must’ve reacted to them, as well.
I’ve seen just a tiny fraction of Switzerland — only the Alps, actually — yet I completely agree that adjectives like “breathtaking” and “gorgeous” are understatements to its awesome (another word I don’t use lightly) beauty.
ohhhhhh..i miss geneva, the freshly baked breads and especially the dark swiss chocolate. i hope you bought some.
Hi! I came across your site and it’s beautiful! You are one great and effective writer. I, too, am leaving for Geneva, Switzerland this April for a conference. I have only one full day (sunday, unfortunately) to explore the city, and four (4) nights (beginning 6pm), to go around as well, right after the end of our daily conference. I was wondering if you could give me helpful tips on exploring the city, places to see, food to taste, and places which i could visit after 5pm.
Thank you!!! =)
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