Days Three-Five: Geneva to Nice!
Au revoir, France!
Bonjour, Switzerland!
Day Three: Geneva
After a whirlwind 45 hours in Paris, we hit the high speed train to Geneva on Day 3 of our epic trip!
Booking the train online in advance was easy. With various departure times available, we picked one based on what we'd like to do that day. We used SNCF Connect to book our one-way tickets from Paris to Geneva.
We decided to treat ourselves to upgraded first-class tickets, and it was totally worthwhile! The seats were roomy and cozy, equipped with a fold-down tables for convenience, outlet plugs, complimentary Wi-Fi, and a dining car for quick bites and beverages. And the scenery from the train was stunning.
Strolling through Geneva's gothic architecture and intricate statues after checking into our hotel, the city's charm was evident in every detail.
Three hours later, we arrived in Geneva and walked the seven to eight minutes to our hotel from the train station. We stayed at the Hotel d'Angleterre. The location was ideal being right across the street from Lake Geneva. After dropping our bags, we switched our focus to finding lunch!
Lunch with my husband at a delicious local gyro shop, can you tell that we are TOTAL foodies?!
Because European dinners are later than we are accustomed to and we didn't want to stop for a long breakfast on our short time in each city, I won't provide any information about breakfast except for our final stop. Eddie isn't a big breakfast eater either, so we decided to skip breakfast on all but our 2nd to last day. Knowing this ahead of time, I packed a few go-to snacks like Quest cookies, meat sticks and nuts just to have on hand for a quick bite.
After the amazing dinner we had, we were in the mood for something completely different. As we walked from the train station to the hotel, we spotted a whole-in-the-wall-type gyro shop and made a mental note to go back after we checked-in. We went back after we set our bags down and had one of the best gyro-platters I've ever had and, of course, loved the al fresco dining on the sidewalk!
Eddie and I on the Geneva ferry as we crossed the lake and admired the scenery.
After a quick rest at the hotel, we headed out to explore. We walked as far as we could around one side of the lake and then boarded the ferry that was included in our Geneva passes with our hotel stay.
It was quite an experience just taking that ride. In 10 minutes, we crossed the lake and strolled by restaurants, parks, sculptures, and even a beach. Who would have thought Lake Geneva had a beach?!
The view of Lake Geneva was such a breathtaking sight, if only we had our bathing suits underneath!
We weren't prepared with swimsuits underneath our clothes, so we decided to return the next day. We walked the entire way back to our hotel, pausing for a relaxed dinner at Le Casanova on the main street with a view of Lake Geneva, a suggestion from our concierge.
My favorite dining partner who can never make up his mind on what to eat from the menu selections! Can you relate?!
One of the most delicious fish dishes I've ever had. That small bowl of vegetables right there was seasoned to die for and went on top of the most melt-in-your-mouth fish - "Dorade royale" on the menu. You'll thank me later if you order it!
Day Four: Geneva Part 2 (last full day here)
Spotting that beach yesterday was a tease! We knew we had to go back today so we woke up and headed straight over! The water was the clearest lake water I have ever seen, a beautiful shade of dark turquoise. The water was COLD, yet refreshing and it was fun to watch people enter the unexpectedly cold water!
TIP: It's not a sand beach, so make sure you bring some plush towels to sit on! It's also not necessarily a place where you need to spend more than an hour. Because there are no chairs and no food service, we enjoyed our plunge and then dried off to hit up more sight seeing and museum hopping!
That’s more like it - what a wonderful morning on the lake that we had together, bathing suits and all!
We each dunked ourselves, laughed at our individual responses to the cold, and then rinsed off at the adjacent shower, air-dried, towel-dried and hit the road. We brought the hotel towels. When we realized we could squeeze in not one, but two museum visits if we were able to push our dinner reservation back, we made a quick call!
After receiving confirmation we could push the dinner reservation, we were on our way to the first museum, the Museum of Art and History. When we walked around the first exhibit, I was feeling a bit let down. I was afraid I had hyped it up a little more than I should have. However, as soon as we got to the art exhibit with paintings and sculptures, I was enthralled.
The allure of the many sculptures and paintings that are on display at the Museum of Art and History in Geneva.
We spent about two hours there, wandering the various exhibit halls, taking a ton of pictures and just enjoying the surrounding art.
Feeling like a kids again at the Museum of Art and History in Geneva. It's so nice to take the mom hat off once in awhile and remember what it felt like before kids and you were a kid yourself!
So many nooks to discover at the the Museum of Art and History in Geneva.
Loved touring the Museum of Art and History in Geneva. We happened to be there on a quiet day and felt like we had the museum to ourselves!
With enough time to grab lunch in between the next museum visit, we stopped at a Mozza Gastronomia for a quick bite before heading to the Patek Philippe Museum.
My tomato and burrata salad (aka Italian heaven) at Mozza Gastronomia in Geneva.
My husband doesn't wear watches, but he had multiple friends who recommended this stop at the Patek Philippe Museum. Even I, with no interest in engineering or watchmaking, found the museum fascinating. We opted for the guided tour and thought it was well worth it. Our guide was a wealth of knowledge, and I felt like I learned so much interesting history. Highly recommend it! (Unfortunately, I do not have any photos as the museum does not allow photos inside.)
Then it was time to shower up and head to our reservation in Geneva at L’Atelier Robuchon. It boasts an open-air kitchen, meaning you watch the chefs in action the whole time. You can select from a tasting menu or à la carte. It was fascinating to see the staff work, with each person working at a particular station. The tremendous attention to detail was easily seen and added to the experience.
Our romantic and intimate dining experience at in L’Atelier Robuchon Geneva.
Stay tuned for Part 4 where we make a pit stop in Annecy, France on the way to our 2nd to last destination, Nice! And check out my IG account for more photos and videos of the trip!
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