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The articles
- I
The LakeWhat are the Pierres du Niton, and why does Switzerland measure its heights from them?
Two granite boulders off the Eaux-Vives shore turned a flood dispute into the fixed point for every Swiss elevation.
- II
The LakeWhich lake cruise from Geneva is worth taking if you only have one afternoon?
How to choose a short cruise from Geneva's two landings without losing the afternoon to travel time.
- III
Getting AroundCan you get around Geneva by bike, and where is it pleasant to ride?
How Geneva's shared bikes work, which routes along the lake are easy riding, and where to leave the bike and walk instead.
- IV
Getting AroundHow do the yellow Mouettes water buses work, and which crossing is best?
What the yellow Mouettes water buses are, how the four lines differ, and which crossing suits a short visit.
- V
Getting HereCan you reach Geneva from the French side of the airport?
What the airport's French sector means for a visitor heading into Geneva, and how to reach the city from it.
- VI
Getting HereShould you arrive in Geneva by train from Paris, or fly?
Weighing Geneva's TGV Lyria service from Paris against flying, and what each means once you land.
- VII
The LakeCan you swim in Lake Geneva right in the city?
Yes, and Genevans do, all year: the public baths on the Pâquis jetty, the new Eaux-Vives beach, the pools of Genève-Plage, how clean the water is, and what to know before you get in.
- VIII
Getting HereHow do you get from Geneva Airport to the old town with luggage?
The train from Geneva Airport to Cornavin, the walk or tram onward to the old town hill, the free transport card, and what to plan for with heavy luggage.
- IX
Booking AheadHow do you visit the Palace of Nations, and what do you need to bring?
The guided tour is the only way inside the UN's palace in Geneva: how booking works, the passport rule, the security check, the luggage limit, and what you see if you cannot get a place.
- X
Getting AroundWhat does the Geneva Transport Card cover, and how do you get one?
Guests of registered accommodation in Geneva travel free on the trams, buses, local trains and water buses of the whole canton. What the card covers, what it does not, how it arrives, and what to do without one.
- XI
When to ComeWhat happens at the Escalade, Geneva's festival in December?
Every December Geneva remembers the night in 1602 when it beat back a surprise attack by Savoy: the story, the costumed procession, the run through the old town, the chocolate cauldron, and how a visitor joins in.
- XII
Day TripsWhere can you see Mont Blanc from Geneva?
The highest summit of the Alps is visible from much of Geneva on a clear day. The best places in the city to look for it, the viewpoints above it, and how to pick your day.
- XIII
The Jet d'EauWhy is the Jet d'Eau sometimes switched off?
Geneva's fountain runs every day except when it cannot: why wind and cold stop it, when the annual maintenance happens, who decides, and what to do if you arrive to find only the jetty.