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City Guide - Geneva - Excursions | ||
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Excursions For a Half Day Château de Chillon and Montreux: Montreux is excellent for all kinds of sports (including mountain-biking, rafting and paragliding) and close to the Château de Chillon (open daily: Apr-Sep 0900-1815; Oct-Mar 1000-1200 and 1330-1600), the most famous château in Switzerland. Built in the thirteenth century on Roman foundations, the château was visited by Byron, who sailed here with Shelley, and consequently wrote the prose-poem Prisoner of Chillon (1816). Information is available from the Office des Congrès et du Tourisme, Rue du Théâtre 5, 1820 Montreux (tel: (021) 962 8436; fax: (021) 963 9113; e-mail: tourism@montreux.ch; website: www.montreux.ch/tourism). For a Whole Day Lausanne: This lakeside city, just 61km (38 miles) from Geneva, is easily reached by a 40-minute train journey from Cornavin station. Lausanne's pedestrianised, hilly streets are perfect for wandering. The Rue du Pont leads to the Place de la Palud, with its fountain and Renaissance Mairie (town hall). Nearby, the turreted towers of the Romanesque-Gothic cathedral offer the best views of Lausanne, Lake Geneva and the Savoy Alps. The Musée Historique de Lausanne has a rich collection of religious art, while the Musée Cantonal des Beaux-Arts displays local artists. To the city's south, at Quai d'Ouchy, the Olympic Museum vaunts the sporting history of Lausanne, the 'Olympic World Capital'. Lausanne Tourisme is located at Avenue de Rhodanie 2, 1000 Lausanne 6 (tel: (021) 613 7373; fax: (021) 616 8647; e-mail: information@lausanne-tourisme.ch; website: www.lausanne-tourisme.ch). |