Crossing Lac Léman

A visit to Lac Léman isn't complete without a cruise on one of the steamboats that provide scenic mass transit for those who reside in the lakeside communities.   One of the shortest and most pleasant routes is that from Nyon on the Swiss side of the lake to Yvoire on the French side and back again.   As it happens, one can take the boat directly from my village but there is only one daily departure from there and the return trip can be very long.  Nyon, at a mere 10-minute drive or train trip away, provides several more options.  So we checked to ensure that everyone had passports, bundled ourselves up (yep, it was another chilly day), and set off on the road to Nyon the day after our visit to CERN.

After parking the car, which was not too difficult a task that early in the tourist season, our next task was to buy tickets.

After that, we got into line to board the boat.

Our boat was the Rhône, one of the larger paddle steamers, originally put into service in 1927 and recently renovated in 2002.

As is usually done, we had bought second class tickets.  Had we opted for first class, we could have been seated in the glassed-in portion upstairs.

While wise Friend G opted to sit inside, the rest of us sat on the exterior front deck.  It is true that the weather was looking pretty grim.

We crossed directly over to the French side of the lake, where our first stop was at the French village of Nernier.

Shortly after leaving Nernier, Yvoire's fortified castle - not open for visits - came into view.

And then we were there,

ready to begin a new day's adventures!