GENEVA -- Several times a month, The Essential Edgewill highlight a selection of events in the Lake Geneva Region – both Switzerland and France - of interest to visitors and residents alike. These will range from art exhibitions, bike races and culinary gatherings to concerts and public lectures. If you have any events that you wish to publicize, then please contact us at:
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The following events take place in Gemeva, Divonne, Lausanne, Yverdons, St Saphorin and Evian.
Geneva -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has teamed up with five of the world’s top photographers to create a fascinating new exhibit – Our World – At War – from 8 May to 30 June, 2009 in Switzerland at the Espace SIG at the Pont de la Machine in downtown Geneva overlooking the Rhone River but also in more than 40 other countries. This unique exhibit offers a firsthand look at the impact of war and armed violence on the lives of ordinary people.
MORGES, Switzerland -- Every spring, I make the trek to a small chateau outside Morges (VD) to see the amazing collection of irises and gain some inspiration for my own garden. Chateau Vullierens opens this year on 21 May and will be open from 09.00-18.00 every day until 28 June. This is one of the world’s leading iris collections with many available for buying by the public.
Imagine 380 varieties of iris in full bloom – and you can see why I associate Vullierens with spring in Switzerland. If that weren’t enough, once the irises are finished, the lilies come into bloom (all 180 varieties of them). But that’s not all – roses, peonies, poppies, hyacinths and delphiniums, among others, make this garden one of my favourites.
PAYS DE GEX, France -- The French village of Cessy is holding an open fishing and nature weekend (16-17 May, 2009) for young and old at the Cessy Pond Reserve on the outskirts of this active Pays de Gex commune just off the RN5 between Ferney-Voltaire and Gex. Organized by the local l’Amicale des Pêcheurs de l’Etang de Cessy association, the event begins with the showing of the documentary film Wildlife of the Pays-de-Gex by Jean Devrillard at 1500 hours in the Salle Mont Blanc in Cessy. On Sunday, 17 May, between 1200 and 1800 hours, there will be a public ‘Canadian’ picnic on the banks of the pond itself with various activities, including free supervised fishing for kids. Special discovery events are also organized to explore the flora and fauna of the reserve, plus donkey rides, floral demonstrations, and an exhibition on composting. The day ends with country dancing at the Salle du Vidolet opposite the Mairie.
For more information, please contact:
Marie Coosemans
at the Mairie of Cessy, 350, Rue de la Mairie
01170 CESSY, France
Tel. +33 (0)4 50 41 56 46 Email:
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GENEVA -- Most of us take air conditioners for granted.We know they use up enormous amounts of electricity, cause brown outs and occasionally blackouts, and contribute to global warming, but in the sweltering summer months when you are threatened with heat exhaustion, who really cares? That is all the more reason to marvel at the obvious excitement at the United States Mission to the United Nations here in Geneva this week as it officially launched its new 225-ton “MagLev” chiller.To mark the occasion, waiters wheeled trolleys loaded with fog-generating dry ice and garish green “Chiller”cocktails into a large meeting area for the benefit of a select group of journalists and civil engineering afficionados. What better way to prepare for Earth Day.
Living and working in the Lake Geneva Region but also traveling worldwide with a major international organization, contributor Anna Wang has long been a passionate amateur photographer. Yet as with any avid enthusiast, she has always wanted to share notes and learn from those who do the craft professionally. Anna finally got her chance as part of a week-long workshop in Cambodia with world-renowned photojournalists, Gary Knight, a member of the Paris, New York and Los Angeles-based VII Photo agency and Philip Blenkinsop of NOOR. Both were running a series of workshops and adventures in France, Cambodia and Rajasthan in the Autumn and Winter of 2008 and 2009. (See end of piece for more details on the Masterclass Workshops). Anna will share her experiences and photographs with Essential Edge readers over the next few weeks.
CESSY, France -- This week, The Essential Edge introduces a new column - Cranberries & Camembert - by LHG on French Anglo-American cuisine. The column not only explores the art of cooking from the American point of view in France and Switzerland, but also offers seasonal recipes based on available produce in the markets. See the Snow White and Rose Red Recipe at the end of this piece with Cranberry and Almond Spinach Salad followed by Seared Duck Breasts with Gewurztraminer and Winter Berry Glaze with Pomegranate Risotto, plus a desert of Chocolate Cinnamon Molten Cakes.
Geneva, 27 March, 2009 -- Recently, the editor of the Paris-based monthly France Today
asked two veteran foreign correspondents now based in Geneva with their families but more used to reporting wars or humanitarian crises to explain why the Lake Geneva region is such an attractive place to live in and why it is worth exploring. Writers Edward Girardet and William Dowell set out to do a “tour du lac” with the idea of highlighting some of the aspects ranging from museums and beaches to restaurants, bike tours and other recreational activities that should prove of interest to both residents and visitors. They have now expanded this article into a five-part series for The Essential Edge with additional favourite restaurant listings suggested by readers in the know.
Geneva, 27 March, 2009 - Here is a selection of Geneva restaurants (See Taking in the LakePart I by William Dowell and Edward Girardet) recommended by Swiss, French and expatriate Essential Edge readers. We will be highlighting other reader-recommended cafes and restaurants in the Pays de Gex, La Cote, Riviera, and Haute Savoie side of the Lake in later parts of the Taking in the Lake series. If you have any special place you would like to suggest, please let us know.
MORGES, Switzerland -- Every spring, I make the trek to a small chateau outside Morges (VD) to see the amazing collection of irises and gain some inspiration for my own garden. 
PAYS DE GEX, France -- The French village of Cessy is holding an open fishing and nature weekend (16-17 May, 2009) for young and old at the Cessy Pond Reserve on the outskirts of this active Pays de Gex commune just off the RN5 between Ferney-Voltaire and Gex. Organized by the local l’Amicale des Pêcheurs de l’Etang de Cessy association, the event begins with the showing of the documentary film Wildlife of the Pays-de-Gex by Jean Devrillard at 1500 hours in the Salle Mont Blanc in Cessy. On Sunday, 17 May, between 1200 and 1800 hours, there will be a public ‘Canadian’ picnic on the banks of the pond itself with various activities, including free supervised fishing for kids. Special discovery events are also organized to explore the flora and fauna of the reserve, plus donkey rides, floral demonstrations, and an exhibition on composting. The day ends with country dancing at the Salle du Vidolet opposite the Mairie.
Living and working in the Lake Geneva Region but also traveling worldwide with a major international organization, contributor Anna Wang has long been a passionate amateur photographer. Yet as with any avid enthusiast, she has always wanted to share notes and learn from those who do the craft professionally. Anna finally got her chance as part of a week-long workshop in Cambodia with world-renowned photojournalists, Gary Knight, a member of the Paris, New York and Los Angeles-based 
Cranberries and Camembert
Geneva, 27 March, 2009 -- Recently, the editor of the Paris-based monthly 
