Fondue with a view
The first couple of winters I spent in Geneva I rarely went to the mountains. And I used to hate winter…
Finally, one day I decided to listen to the common piece of advice you’ve probably already been given; Go above the clouds, get out, take some fresh air!
If you feel like Geneva is too grey and you don’t get enough sun, then there are simple ways to make things better. Even if you are not into winter sports and you don’t ski or even snowshoe! Finding a terrace with a nice view, enjoying a glass of mulled wine or a nice meal is very easy! Even if you don’t have a car! So what is your excuse?
A close by place is La Givrine, a small resort in the Jura. It is even accessible by train (with a connection in Nyon). It is just after Saint-Cergue. If you go by car, you will see a small car park on the right side of the road on the way to La Cure. If you take the train, get off at La Givrine. From there, you can walk up to Le Vermeilley, a nice restaurant. They have a chalet and a yourte in an enchanting setting.
You can obviously ski or snowshoe to get there, but if you fancy neither, you can follow the pedestrian path. Make sure you are wearing snow boots since you will be walking in the snow, but the path is well maintained and easy to walk on. It’s a very easy walk that should take you about an hour, an hour and a half depending on how many pictures you take on the way.
At Le Vermeilley, you can have fondue, but also some other cheese and meat dishes. Their specialty, 3 kinds of fondue in one pot, “le Trifon” is a must-try. I would recommend the goat-cheese fondue. I tried to ask for the recipe but apparently it’s a well-kept secret! And they make excellent beer! They of course also have raclette and ‘croûtes’, pieces of toasted bread with cheese, mushrooms or, even Dahu. What is Dahu you ask? Well, I will let you search the answer to that one… Let us know if you ever see one!
Le Vermeilley is open all day. Reservations are required for the evening at 079 205 1590.
If you don’t feel like walking too much, then stop at La Génolière instead; it is another nice place with a good view on a sunny day. It’s about 30-45 min walk from La Givrine. They make good chocolate pie… Phone number: 079 418 8246
And of course, if you like going to the mountains and want more ideas, check out our mountains section!
