Monday, July 06, 2009

Living in Geneva



This is a picture of the wonderful Jet D'Eau in Geneva. I was very lucky to have the opportunity to work in Geneva so here is my top 10 list on living there:





  1. 1. Sign up to Glocals. This website used to be called Geneva Online and is great for meeting people and for finding out about what is going on. It is also easy to post a message and find people with things in common, eg if you want to go running with other people or set up a book club or watch films, etc.


  2. It took me a while to find a good apartment in Geneva. So, rather than staying in an expensive hotel while you are looking, Hotel Cite Verdaine is a nice place to stay with reasonable long-term rates. It is in a great location in the centre, has easy access to all transport and has internet access.


  3. On the subject of looking for a nice flat, have a look at http://www.ghi.ch/ - I think I looked at it first thing on a Thursday morning and got in quick and picked up a great apartment in Grand Rue in the old town (CH 1204).


  4. If you are looking for a nice castle to visit, then you must visit Chateau de Chillon. It is on the other side of the lake and the journey on the train there is very scenic. It has so much character and it is fun to explore.


  5. While living in Geneva, you will be hopping on and off buses, so it is well worth getting a bus pass as soon as you arrive. Not only do you never need to buy any tickets which is stressful when there is a bus coming along, but you do get good value for money. You can pick one up at the train station.


  6. Here are some of my favourite restaurants:

    Chez Ma Cousine (old town, 6 place du Bourg-de-Four) - great for picking up a takeaway chicken and chips (and salad) to take home to eat after a long day's work. Very tasty and also very quick as they have them ready-made.

    Le The (65 rue des bains, 1205, Tel 079 436 7718) - you need to book as there are only a few tables. It has the most divine dimsum and an amazing range of Chinese teas.

    Les 5 Portes (8 rue de Zurich, 1201, Tel 022 731 8438) - this is a lovely restaurant with delicious food and a great atmosphere. It is towards the station rather than near the old town.

    Le Pain Quotidien (21 boulevard Helvétique, 1207) - this is a great place to go on a weekend morning. It is very relaxed and has some delicious things for breakfast. There is a massive table in the centre which you can share with other people and there are some amazing things to go on bread.


  7. When it is sunny and you want to relax, it is nice to visit Parc des Bastions which is near the old town.


  8. A most delicious food to eat is Quiche Tartiflette. I am sure it is pretty bad for you! It is a mix of a Spanish omelette and a quiche lorraine as it has potatoes in it. You can get them at the airport in the cafe to the right of the departures entrance.


  9. More food.....if you need takeaway food but want it healthy, pick up some very good sushi from Globus (rue de Rhone 48). There are lots of other yummy foods here too.


  10. If you are in Geneva during one of the meteor showers eg the Perseids which usually peak on the 12th of August each year, it is worth going to see it at the lovely park, Signal de Bougy. It is about 30 minutes drive from Geneva so you do need a car. There is very little light pollution and if there are no clouds, you will get a great view of the Milky Way and hopefully some splendid meteors.