Morges will be the place to be this weekend, with a number of wine-related events and activities. Check the calendar on this site for details.
The Cidis Cave grand opening of its new vinification facilities is just 3km from the centre of Morges, in Tolochenaz. This is the regional cooperative and if you know anything about Swiss wine you’ll know that these are excellent wineries. Cidis is no exception, with a string of awards for making top wines. Some of my personal favourites, wines that are all under CHF16 and very good value for money: “Bleu Nuit” sparkling wine, Gamaret-Garanoir and the new and beautiful Rosé de Merlot.
You can easily hike or drive between wineries and take advantage of the Wine Tasting Package offered by 20 local wineries as of August 2014 (Ellenwine.com report). Some of the best in the country, including the Domaine Henri Cruchon winery, are part of this group, as is the town’s own winery, Domaine de l’Hôtel de Ville, with its award-winning wines. Brochure, Morges tourism office or the wineries, offers details and a map (online version, pdf)
It’s too late to sign up for one of the Morges Tourism Office vineyard hikes Saturday, an annual event that you should put on your calendar now, for next year: train to Yens, then 7 km hike drifting down towards the lake, with stops at four wineries. However, it’s worth looking at what the hike involves for some inspiration about combining hiking/BAM trains/wine-tasting, on your own.
If you’d rather sit and watch the countryside roll by while having an excellent meal, you can spend a leisurely lunch hour on the BAM retro train from Morges to Iles and back.
And if you’re staying overnight in the area, the popular annual Vide Grenier at the Halles CFF next to the train station in Morges, is on Sunday – rain is expected, so this is perfect. It’s organized by the same people who run Arvinis, the April wine tasting that pulls in several thousand people every day. Free entry, 08:00-18:00 Sunday.
Not wine, but equally sensuous: Morges is noted for its seasonal flower shows, tulips in spring, and dahlias along the quai in summer and autumn. The flowers are spectacular right now, so add in a walk along the waterfront while you’re in the area.
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