Still spectacular after all these years... Malcolm
Rogers returns to a city lodged forever in his heart — the mountain paradise of Geneva. The conundrum of how a collection of German, Italian and French hill farmers got together and managed to elevate a collection of mountain villages into the richest nation in the world won’t easily be answered by a brief visit to the country. Because the citizens of this nation — which is neither an ethnic, religious or geographical entity — seem content to hide behind their national stereotype: that of a people living an Alpine idyll in one of the world’s remaining chocolate superpowers.
But then why should the Swiss diverge from that carefully-created image when it has stood them in good stead these last 200 years or so? After all, we Irish know all about spinning a good yarn about ourselves to get the tourists in. “Céad Míle Fáilte”, after all, translates as “here comes another one”.
So, just before we move onto the chocolates, the cheese, the mountains and the funicular railways, just a word about the most famous lines ever uttered about the country: “In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, bloodshed — but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love, and 500 years of democracy and peace. And what did they produce? The cuckoo clock.” That was Harry Lime in The Third Man, giving probably the most famous — and inaccurate — verdict on a country there has ever been.
In actual fact, until the mid-19th century this neck of the woods was in turmoil. And in any case, Switzerland has produced the likes of Rousseau, Paul Klee, Hermann Hesse, Le Corbusier (most people think he’s French), Erich von Däniken, and Hans Holbein. And don’t forget that James Joyce — God rest his soul — chose Switzerland as the place to spend the last days of his life, and his earthly remains lie in Zürich.
Anyway, the first inhabitants of the region were Celtic tribes, so it couldn’t possibly be boring, now could it? The most important Celts were the Helvetii, who give the country the name its inhabitants know it by, Helvetia. And just for good measure one of the country’s patron saints is Irish: St. Fridolin.
If you only have time to go to one city in Switzerland, Geneva’s yer man. Magnificently situated on the banks of the largest lake in central Europe, at the foot of the Jura mountains, Geneva lies at the very gates of the Alps — and on a clear day they seem impossibly high, close enough to touch.
It won’t take you long to realise that this is one incredibly cosmopolitan city, housing some 200 international organisations, including FIFA and the Red Cross. And of course, it has its own Convention, perhaps the most important one of all, dealing as it does with human rights.
Geneva has about the same population as Dublin, and despite the fact that the founder of Scottish and Northern Ireland Presbyterianism, Jean Calvin, founded his academy here in 1599 — setting out to make this a “Protestant Rome” — the place is a hive of culture and arts, craic and nightlife.
Although one of the smallest cities in Europe, the place still boasts some 30 museums, including the Museum of Watch-making (don’t mention the cuckoo clock — it’s a Bavarian invention) and the Voltaire Institute (the philosopher lived here).
If all that pondering doesn’t delay you too long, a walk through the cobbled Old Town will eventually lead you to the huge Cathédrale St-Pierre at the very heart of the city, where you’ll find several more museums, including the giant Musée d’Art et d’Histoire.
It is, however, the setting of Geneva that is its glory. The city is gathered round the point where the River Rhône flows into Lake Geneva (Lac Léman in French) with the Jura mountains and the peaks of the Savoy Alps as a backdrop. This small, compact metropolis is surrounded by unspoiled nature and breathtaking scenery. On its outer limits lie magnificent country estates hidden behind ancient stands of oak, and everywhere, wide open spaces.
I do have to warn you, however, that you’re likely to encounter battalions of superfit sporty types out running, jogging or speed walking. Unfortunately, I have my track suit rented out at present, so alas, was unable to join in.
No need for sporty activities to the north of the city, however. Here in the little peaceful villages in the shadow of the Juras, is the home of the fruity Perlan wines. The Canton of Vaud, of which Geneva is capital, is renowned for its wine growing. No better exercise, in my opinion, than having a brisk drive round the vineyards of St-Saphorin, stopping off to sample a glass or three of Perlan, and enjoy stunning views westwards up the valley of the Rhône. There are about 1,500 hectacres of vineyards in the area — and in case you don’t know your areas from your elbow, believe me, that represents an awful lot of bottles of wine.
If sightseeing is your reason for coming to Geneva, your Swiss role so to speak, you can pick any number of tours into the mountains and beyond.
One of the most popular is the coach trip to Chamonix, over the border in France. This expedition comes with the option of a cable-car ride up the 13,000ft Aiguille du Midi. Weather permitting, you can admire Mont Blanc and the Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice) from here.
With a day excursion, you can also visit the village of Zermatt, dominated by the Matterhorn, an excellent way of experiencing the heart of Alpine Switzerland. You just won’t be able to stop yourself humming Bach’s phenomenally popular Ski Sunday theme.
Being on the shores of Lake Geneva, there are naturally dozens of boat tours to choose from. Head for the Mont-Blanc jetty to catch a circular tour of the lough and its environs, with brunch thrown in. Be sure to sample the local dish, rösti — scrambled eggs with knobs on, and then some. It is unbelievably delicious.
A trip along the lake will also bring you to the Olympic capital, Lausanne, and you can continue on to Montreux to visit the Chillon Castle, one of Switzerland’s most beautiful sights, immortalised by Lord Byron.
Truly, Switzerland is an enchanting place, and Geneva is an ideal centre from which to sample this many-faceted land. There’s a famous piece of graffiti that says: “Don’t go back — it isn’t there.” Underneath someone has added two words, “Exception: Switzerland.”
I know exactly what that unknown scribe and traveller meant. I first went to Switzerland in the late ‘70s while doing a spot of international gigging. I have returned many times since, and unlike some other places I’ve visited, every time I’ve gone back, not only is the place as entrancing as I remembered — it seems even more impossibly beautiful.
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