Where We Be
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| Lavaux Vineyards, Switzerland |
The Lavaux vineyard terraces stretch for 30 km
along the south-facing shores of Lake Geneva,
from the Castle of Chillon to Lausanne. They
are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, serving as
"an outstanding example of a centuries-long
interaction between people and their environ-
ment." Plus they're pretty!
From Lausanne we headed east by train to the
nearby town of Lutry. This took all of 6 minutes.
From Lutry we set off on foot and hiked east to
the small town of Cully, about 1½ hours away,
following the Lavaux Vineyards Wine Trail. In
essence we followed yellow arrows pointing us
from one road or trail section to the next,
making our way through the terraced vineyards
between the two towns. The hike was peaceful.
It started out steep as we gained altitude above
Lake Geneva, but then it leveled off and we
walked along the terraces enjoying great views
on a sunny day. At Grandvaux we got off the
wine trail and cut down to Cully, where we took
the train back to Lausanne.
along the south-facing shores of Lake Geneva,
from the Castle of Chillon to Lausanne. They
are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, serving as
"an outstanding example of a centuries-long
interaction between people and their environ-
ment." Plus they're pretty!
From Lausanne we headed east by train to the
nearby town of Lutry. This took all of 6 minutes.
From Lutry we set off on foot and hiked east to
the small town of Cully, about 1½ hours away,
following the Lavaux Vineyards Wine Trail. In
essence we followed yellow arrows pointing us
from one road or trail section to the next,
making our way through the terraced vineyards
between the two towns. The hike was peaceful.
It started out steep as we gained altitude above
Lake Geneva, but then it leveled off and we
walked along the terraces enjoying great views
on a sunny day. At Grandvaux we got off the
wine trail and cut down to Cully, where we took
the train back to Lausanne.
| We enjoyed a pleasant 1½ hour walk along the Lavaux Vineyards Wine Trail |
| We descended to the small town of Cully then took the train back to Lausanne |
| Every once in awhile you pass right through a village. Note how steep the terraces are behind this village. |
| We picked a beautiful, sunny day for our excursion. You can see the city of Lausanne behind the hill. |
| Chateaus offer wine tastings on certain days, but you have to call ahead. Given our minimal French, we decided to just enjoy the views! |
| Vines have been planted on the Lavaux terraces since at least the 11th century and perhaps as far back as Roman times |
| The trail is a mix of roads, concrete walkways, and footpaths. Yellow signs point the way, often taking you past chateaus with their wine for sale. |