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GENEVA
by Sylvie Bigar
Geneva is home to one of the most beautiful
freshwater bays in Europe, with Mont-Blanc and the Alps
as a backdrop and the stunning Jet d’Eau, the tallest
water fountain in the world, saluting its wide-eyed audience.
Add to this newly opened galleries, shops, boutique hotels,
and eateries that are attracting a new hip crowd to the
shores of this gorgeous Swiss city. Summer is the best
time to visit Geneva, and if you like a party, Les Fêtes
de Genève (July 31 to August 10, 2008) dresses
the town up as a monumental international street fair.
Start your visit by climbing toward
the Old Town and, why not, the 157 steps to the top
of the St.-Pierre Cathedral (Cours Saint-Pierre 6. Tel:
011-41-022-311-75-75. www.site-archeologique.ch)
for a bird’s-eye view of the city. Check out its
oldest bell, the 12,000-pound la Clémence. Back
down on the Place du Bourg-de-Four, do as the locals
do and forget any craving for latte. Café au
lait/croissant is the way to go before exploring the
(often) pricey antique shops and boutiques on the pedestrian-only
Grand Rue. Cheese-lovers, step down to Les Armures Hotel
and Restaurant (rue du Puits-St-Pierre 1. Tel: 011-41-022-310-91-72.
www.hotel-les-armures.ch),
which serves some of the best fondue and raclette. Ask
to sit downstairs in the cellar and debut with an assiette
valaisanne, a medley of Swiss charcuterie. Later, you
can stroll down past the longest bench in the world
to admire the view from the romantic promenade, Rampe
de la Treille. The Place Neuve, framed by the Conservatory
and the Grand Théâtre, opens up to a beautiful
park, Les Bastions, favored by a young crowd in search
of adventure. At La Théière qui Rit (the
laughing teapot) (15 rue de la Cité. Tel: 011-41-022-310-36-47),
the baroque décor matches an elegant tea service.
As long as you do not check the terrifying
exchange rate between the euro and the dollar, the Rues
Basses, between the rue du Rhône and rue du Marché
area, is a shopper’s paradise. The top department
store, le Bon Génie (34 rue du Marché.
Tel: 011-41-022-818-11-11), offers a wonderful selection
of designer clothes and accessories. For some of the
best Swiss chocolate, step into Chocolats Rohr (3 place
du Molard. Tel: 011-41-022-311-63-03. www.rohr.ch)
for artisanal marvels. If you want to see where the
Davidoff (2 rue de Rive. Tel: 011-41-022-310-90-41.
www.davidoff.com)
empire started, step into the gorgeous wood-paneled
boutique where the most elegant cigars in the world
originated. Nearby, the French-style brasserie, Café
du Centre (5 place du Molard. Tel: 011-41-022-311-85-86),
is famous for its fresh seafood as well as old Swiss
favorites. Don’t miss the boutiques within the
Confédération-Centre mall clustered around
the Swiss branch of Parisian Brasserie Lipp (8 rue de
la Confédération. Tel: 011-41-022-318-80-30.
www.brasserie-lipp.com),
and if you cannot live another moment without sushi,
Nô Sushi’s (8 rue de la Confédération.
Tel: 011-41-022-810-39-73) conveyor belt makes for a
fun and delicious meal.
 Geneva
may not have a sea, but it’s very proud of its
pebble beach, Les Bains des Paquis (quai du Mont- Blanc
30. Tel: 011-41-022-732-29-74. www.bains-des-paquis.ch),
located on a pier that reaches out into the middle of
the bay. Now that the lake water has been purified,
these retro baths, complete with hammam and sauna, are
one of the centers of gay Geneva. The Buvette du Bain
des Paquis (Tel: 011-41-022-738-16-16), open all day,
offers a light menu, but the languid atmosphere and
the stunning view from the pier may be its main asset.
Stroll along the Quai du Mont-Blanc
and check out the lavish Grand Hotel Kempinski (19 quai
du Mont-Blanc. Tel: 011-41-022-908-90-81. www.kempinski-geneva.com),
completely renovated and redesigned with transparency
as its theme. Make your way to the second floor, at
least for a drink, in front of the Jet d’Eau. Afterwards,
walk toward the Cornavin Station through Les Paquis,
a haven for various ethnic groups and creatures of the
night. Leave your luggage at my favorite place to stay,
the brand new and beautifully-decorated Eastwest Hotel
(6 rue des Paquis. Tel: 011-41-022-708-17-17. www.eastwesthotel.ch),
and prepare for a night on the town.
Continued
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