Geneva sightseeing

This is the day of arrival. Some will be travelling further than others and those who arrive earliest can spend the day sightseeing in Geneva which sits on the shore of the stunning Lake Geneva and offers a wealth of attractions for tourists.  Take a boat trip on Lake Geneva, see the famous Jet d'Eau a magnificent water fountain that shoots water 140 meters into the air, the flower clock is another attraction, or stroll through the botanical gardens, visit the Palace of Nations or the UN or for the more technically minded CERN.

In the Old Town you can wander through charming narrow streets, and discover highlights like St. Peter's Cathedral, where you can climb the tower for panoramic views. For history enthusiasts, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum provides a profound look into humanitarian efforts worldwide. The Reformation Wall in Parc des Bastions is another significant site, commemorating key figures of the Protestant Reformation.

Geneva is also known for its watchmaking heritage, showcased at the Patek Philippe Museum, which traces the history of Swiss watchmaking. The Palais des Nations, the European headquarters of the United Nations, offers guided tours that delve into international diplomacy. Nature lovers will appreciate the Botanical Gardens, home to a vast collection of plants and a serene escape within the city. Geneva's blend of natural beauty, historical significance, and cultural richness makes it a must-visit destination.

You will simply not run out of things to do in and around Geneva in a week let alone a day so plan your route well to see as much as possible in the available time. Anything you missed you can probably catch when we return hear at the end of the tour.

Our hotel is just across the border in France making it ideal for parking whilst being within easy reach of all Geneva has to offer.

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Geneva, Flumet, St Etienne-de-Cuines, Sevrier (200 miles)

This circuit departs Geneva heading south into the Rhone-Alpes passing through Bonneville from where you get great views on Mont Blanc towering in the distance then on to the village of Flumet which is a popular Ski resort sitting just to the west of Mt Blanc but in the summer is far more a sleepy mountain village.

After a short break we continue south towards Beaufort then west to Albertville the further south to reach Saint Etienne-de-Cuines where we break for lunch. This small town main employer is a past factory and as you might expect the surrounding countryside is largely agricultural with a fair amount of sport fishing occurring along the river. Although that does not necessarily mean fish on a bed of pasta for lunch!

After lunch we begin our journey back north to Geneva making a stop at Servier on the western shore of Lake Annecy before returning to the hotel.

This route is mixed riding along some minor and very twisty roads in the earlky part of the rode and wider but still twisty roads in the later part of the day. Expect to be in the saddle for close to 6 hours.

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Geneva, Morbier, Baume-les-Messieurs, Bellegarde (170 miles)

This circuit from Geneva into the Juras stops at Morbier, Cascades du Herisson (waterfals), Baume-les-Messieurs and Bellegarde

We depart Geneva climbing up to Gex and onward into the Juras. As we turn through the hsirpin bends you will get fantastic views of lake Geneva and beyond. We will stop for photographs along the way and break for morning coffee around Morez.

we continue to "cascades du Hérisson" which area a set of 31 waterfalls on the river "Le Hérisson" (Hedgehog) you can spend a lot of time here but we only plan a short visit before proceeding to Baume-les-Messieurs where we shall break for lunch. Baume-les-Messieurs is located at the foot of high rugged cliffs in the Jura plateau and is ranked among the most beautiful villages in France. The major sites in the area are the Abbey and the caves.

The return journey takes us past Lons-le-Saunier, through forests and across the river l'Ain to Bellegarde where the Valserine and the Rhone merge. There is a sixty-metre-deep geologic fault just to the north of Bellegarde into which the Rhone River used to disappear during the dry season but the creation of the Genissiat dam for the hydroelectric station has altered the course of the river; however; a similar feature called pertes de la Valserine still exists in the same area. We take our afternoon refreshment break here and you can examine these local features.

The final leg of this route brings us along the Rhone and back to Geneva.

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Geneva, Lac du Joux, Fribourg, Montreux (210 miles)

We depart Geneva and take the northern shore of Lake Geneva to Perroy where we climb into the mountains towards l'Abbey on the western shore of Lac du Joux where we stop for morning coffee.

We continue heading east passing through Romainnoyier which has a lovely Monastery and then past the spa town of Yverdon on Lake Neuchatel then on to the ancient Roman town of Avenches before reaching Fribourg where we break for lunch. Fribourg sits on a high plateau (581 mtrs) and the river Sarine passes through the town.

We follow the course of the Sarine south to Lake Gruyere and then back to Lake Geneva where we rest at Montreux on the Eastern shore of the lake.

We end our days trip largely following the southern shore line of Lake Geneva back to the hotel having spent close to 7 hours riding we can relax in the hotel leisure facility.

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