Extreme Day Trip #2: Switzerland 🇨🇭
Bonjour et bon week-end!
This week saw my second Extreme Day Trip (EDT), this time heading over to mainland Europe for a day trip to Switzerland.
Having stayed over near the airport on Wednesday night, I got up early on Thursday morning for the short (20 minute) drive to Gatwick’s North Terminal. Extreme Day Tripping means I do not take any hold luggage, so it was straight through to security. I had pre-booked Premium (Fast Track) Security, therefore missing the 4am queues.
To keep away from the worst of the crowds at Gatwick, I booked lounge access; I opted for MyLounge, giving me access to very comfortable seating, buffet style breakfast, and free fast WiFi access. Since Gatwick North Terminal, to me, feels like it lacks natural light and views outside (I always love being able to see planes from within the terminal building), the lounge was very welcome. I had some pastries, a hot chocolate, a glass of water, and a build-your-own breakfast bap.
Before too long it was off to my gate to board flight no. EZY8485.
CERN Science Centre
Landing in Geneva shortly before 09:10, I picked up my Avis hire car – or maybe it was actually a tank! It was a big car! I had a SEAT Ateca (Automatic) with the numberplate AI 22304.
Two thirds of Swiss rental cars have numberplates starting with AI (the code for the Canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden in the North East of the country) as the authorities there make it incredibly easy for the car hire firms to register their cars in bulk, online. There’s actually only 16,000 residents in the Canton intself – and certainly in Geneva, the far South West of Switzerland – slim are the chances of seeing a genuine Appenzeller driving in Geneva.
My first stop on picking up the car was to go to the CERN Science Gateway, only 5 km from the Airport and right next to the border with France. There were 3 main exhibitions at CERN that I visited:
- Discover CERN was all about the Large Hadron Collider….Remember hearing about that on TV and radio when it first became operational, all the way back in 2008/9?
- The exhibition I was most interested to see was “Our Universe” – all about the origins of the universe and the science behind space exploration.
- Quantum World is a great exhibition for Physics lovers. Some of it was a little complicated for me.
There’s also an auditorium so you can go there and watch the films playing throughout the day, and guided tours are also available. Visiting CERN is free of charge. (Car parking was 4 CHF).
Lausanne: Olympic Museum & Lunch
Following my visit to CERN I got on the motorway and drove for about 50 minutes to Lausanne. Branded as the “Capitale Olympique”, the city, which is located on the Northern shore of Lake Geneva, is the capital of the canton of Vaud.
Parking near the city centre, I discovered that Thursday was the opening day of the Swiss Gymnastics Festival: Lausanne 2025. 65,000 Gymnasts and 300,000 spectators, from all over the country (French, German and Italian speakers) had come to the city to take part in over 140 competitions / 22 different sports, taking place over the next 10 days. Attending as a spectator is free of charge for everyone!
The benefit of this, of course, was that with plenty of German speakers around I felt quite at home. (I had, by this stage, retuned the car radio from RTS Première from Switzerland’s French language broadcaster to SRF 3 from the Swiss German language broadcaster.
In the Summer heat (temperatures in Vaud approaching 30°c, one of the hottest places in the country that day) I enjoyed walking along the shore of the lake, watching the ferry boats coming and going with their regular crossings to Évian-les-Bains in France.
I walked along to the Olympic Museum, all about the history of the Olympic Games. I was particularly interested in the displays of Olympic torches, and of the Olympic mascots from over the years. There were also various items of clothing worn by Olympic athletes, equipment used in Olympic sports, Olympic medals too. Despite not being sporty I found it an interesting place to visit.
Entry to the Olympic Museum: 20 CHF.
Veytaux: Château de Chillon
Another 45 minute motorway drive East from Lausanne gets you to the Swiss Riviera, and just beyond Montreux I arrived at Chillon Castle (Château de Chillon), in Veytaux. The Sunny weather certainly helped make it look beautiful, such clear water on the lake surrounding the castle!
The castle is one of Europe’s most visited medieval castles, once occupied by the Savoy family, then by Bernese bailiffs, and now it is owned by the Canton of Vaud. Lord Byron visited in 1816 – in fact, his poem, the Prisoner of Chillon, is what gives the castle its reputation and made it famous globally.
Entry to Château de Chillon: 15 CHF.
Montreux: Freddie Mercury Statue
My final stop of the day was just a 10 minute drive from the castle, back in towards the centre of Montreux. One of the most popular tourist resorts on Lake Geneva, the town was where Freddie Mercury spent a lot of the last years of his life. In fact, from 1978 until 1995, Queen recorded 6 studio albums in Montreux, including Innuendo (1991), Freddie Mercury’s last studio recording before his death.
The bronze statue of Freddie Mercury has been a tourist attraction in the town since 1996. Tourists pose for photos next to the statue and lay flowers.
As well as the statue there are a growing number of Queen/Freddie related tourist attractions in Montreux – the studios are now a museum; you can do a Freddie Mercury tour; or celebrate his birthday every September. You can even stay in a Freddie Mercury Hotel!
“If you want peace of mind, come to Montreux”
Freddie Mercury
Back Home to Gloucestershire
Having had a wonderful day on the Northern shore of Lake Geneva, it was time to head back to the Airport. Setting off from Montreux at 18:20, in evening rush hour traffic, along the A9 and A1 motorways, the drive back to Geneva Airport took me about an hour and a half.
I arrived back at the car rental drop off at 19:50 – 1hr before my flight. Passed easily through security (fast track again), but didn’t feel like I needed to use the lounge which I had booked. There were great views from the main terminal building of the planes out on the apron, of the runway, and of the Alps in the distance. With so much natural light (and it not being too busy) I really liked Geneva Airport. +
I even managed to fast track passport control – Not sure why – maybe it was my Hidden Disability lanyard, or maybe it was just good timing? As I got to the back of the passport control queue, just as a very kind member of staff was coming the other way and directed me to bypass the queue and go strait to passport booth no. 7. Brilliant!
Departing Geneva at 21:29, due to the 1hr time difference between the UK and Switzerland we landed back in Gatwick at 21:37. Got back to the car about an hour later, and drove back to Cirencester. Arriving back home at 01:30, I was in bed within 10 minutes.
Really enjoyed my 2nd EDT. I think before the schools break up and it gets too busy/too expensive to do a day trip, I may squeeze in one last EDT in July, then take a break from travelling during August, maybe picking things back up again in September. I’m wondering where I should go for July’s EDT….May just be a case of waiting to see what cheap deals come up.
In the mean time, bonsoir!
FH.
