Beautiful spring weather is here! For the animal lovers (and early birds), celebrate the season’s new arrivals by visiting sweet baby Swiss cows in Beatenberg. Looking for a good book to curl up with, or a chance to meet your favorite author? Then check out a perennial favorite, the Salon du Livre. Think delicious fondue is only for winter? You may want to reconsider after a trip to the Gruyères Cheese Festival. For these and more, read on!
Wednesday – Sunday, May 1 – 5. Salon du Livre. Calling all bibliophiles! This cultural touchstone in Geneva is now in its 33rd year. More than 90,000 visitors (readers, writers, publishers and retailers) will stream through the doors at Palexpo to see more than 350 exhibitors, hailing from all of the French-speaking world. The Salon du Livre is the only publishing fair in Switzerland, so if you have a book in your mind, waiting to be written, then come to learn more about the literary world and how to get your story onto the published page. Entry starts at 5 Fr., and is free for those under 26 years old. For more details, visit www.salondulivre.ch.
Sunday, May 5. Gruyères Cheese Festival.Craving a cheesy incentive to visit the stunning medieval city of Gruyères? Then this dairy-oriented gourmet food fair is for you! It is a free event, taking place along the straight-out-of-a-fairytale main street of Gruyères. Regional craftsmen will also be featured, highlighting the local savoir-faire of the area. Twirl your fondue fork to the traditional musical stylings of Swiss alphorn players. If you want to see the best of Switzerland in one place (the mountains, the cows, the cheese, the meringues!), then this day trip from Geneva is a can’t-miss event. For more information, visit www.la-gruyere.ch.
Monday – Thursday, April 8 – May 16. Visit a Beatenberg Dairy Farm. Feeling boxed in by city life in Geneva? Wanting a bit more information about the fruits/vegetables and dairy products that appear, as if by magic, on the shelves of your neighborhood Migros and Coop? Then you may enjoy a most Swiss morning – visiting a working dairy farm in Beatenberg (near Interlaken). You will learn about Swiss farming, animal husbandry, and managing Swiss fields and meadows. There will be ample time to cuddle adorable new calves, and to enjoy fresh produce, straight from the garden. If you’re a morning person, the visits begin at 4:45 – 6:30. For the rest of us, the afternoon visit is from 17:00 – 18:15. For more details, visit www.beatenberg.ch.
Thursday – Sunday, May 23 – 26. Geneva’s Food Truck Festival. This delicious festival takes place twice per year along the Promenade de Saint-Antoine. A new element will be the After Work soirée, kicking off the festival on Thursday, May 23rd. If you haven’t yet checked out this event, and also have an appreciation of Geneva at its coolest/buzziest, then this festival is not-to-be-missed. There are a number of bars, DJs, a kids’ corner with sweet ateliers, and more than enough diverse and international fare to tempt all palates. For more details, visit www.gvastreetfoodfest.ch.
We are a group of international women living in Geneva, Switzerland. If you would like to learn more about our activities and excursions, visit our website at http://www.aiwcgeneva.org/
Living In Geneva 