GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / EDITOR’S NOTEPAD – I’ll be posting news here just occasionally for the next 10 days as I take a holiday break, using the back-to-back long weekends (Ascension now, Pentecost/Whit next). It’s a working holiday, with a book to finish and get to the printer: pub date is mid-August! Meanwhile, here are a […]
Archives for May 2014
Discovering a bit of Valais vineyard paradise
Valais, as the largest Swiss wine region, spread out over a large area, has three days for its winery open days – the other regions generally have two days. A new idea this year from the Musée du Vin et de la Vigne (MVV) in Sierre-Salgesch/Salquenen was to offer an inexpensive (CHF15) and relatively easy […]
Geneva’s illegal resort taxis thumped
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Fines of up to CHF10,000 have been issued to illegal minibus drivers after police in Geneva this spring pulled in for questioning 11 operators of illegal taxis making runs between the airport in Geneva and the ski resorts of Nendaz and Verbier. The group was identified thanks to close work between customs […]
Long weekend: extra trains, traffic, weather, Vaud wines
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – The Ascension weekend begins this evening, with many people in Switzerland and elsewhere in Europe taking a four-day weekend. Expect heavy traffic on the roads, so avoid peak travel times, suggests the Swiss Federal Highway Office. The CFF rail company is putting on extra trains to handle the increase in passengers. And […]
Valais winery open days
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Switzerland’s six wine regions each have winery open days, spread out over several weekends. Geneva and Ticino had theirs last weekend, pulling in good crowds. This weekend Valais has its turn, taking advantage of the long holiday weekend to run for three days. Next weekend it’s Vaud’s turn. The basic principle […]