Ville de Genève

Tips for Geneva

Reaching Geneva

By road
The motorway network brings you right into Geneva : only 40 km from Annecy and 80 km from Chamonix with customs at Bardonnex - Saint-Julien; you need the compulsory motorway sticker (single annual 40 frs fee) to come through this customs office. Purchase of the motorway tax sticker at one of the customs is obligatory in order to drive on Swiss motorways.

By rail
Cornavin railway station (main station for trains from Switzerland and France ; T. +41 (0)900 300 300 (frs 1.19/min.) and Eaux-Vives station (regional trains from Annemasse and Haute-Savoie; T. +41 (0)22 736 16 20).

By boat
Regular lines during the summer for the whole of Lake Geneva (Compagnie générale de navigation - CGN).

By bus
Regular international bus routes (Bus station : T. +41 (0)22 732 02 30); the Geneva Public Transport (TPG) provide regular services from Saint-Julien, Archamps, Thoiry, Ferney-Voltaire, Moillesulaz (T. +41 (0)22 308 34 34).

By plane
Geneva-Cointrin Airport site extérieur
T. +41 (0)22 717 71 11

Getting around town

Combine city car-parks (shown on the map) with Geneva Public Transport site extérieur. From June to September you can cross the Rade (Lake) by boat with the Mouettes Genevoises, Société de Navigation, Quai du Mont-Blanc 8 (T. +41 (0)22 732 29 44).

CERN site extérieur is 13 km from Cornavin railway station (bus 9), direction Meyrin – Saint Genis. UN site extérieur, CICR site extérieur (International Committee of the Red Cross), Ariana site extérieur (bus 5 or 8), Jardin Botanique site extérieur (bus 4) from Cornavin railway station or park in the Nations car-park, Place des Nations. An indication of Parking prices

From approximately 6 frs to 12 frs for 4 hours, progressive Ratefs. Many underground car-parks in Geneva, all clearly sign-posted from main access roads.

Shopping

All sorts of shops from small Gift shops (in the Rue du Rhône neighbourhood and the Corraterie, in the Old City) to department stores in the Rue de la Confédération, de la Croix d'Or, du Marché ("downtown") and Coutance. You can change money in the main Geneva banks, stations and foreign exchange offices.

Having something to eat

Geneva has many restaurants, brasseries and cafés. Most of the museums and department stores have cafetrerias as well : Le Barocco at the Musée d'art et d'histoire, the café de l'Ariana are particularly charming.

For further information

Arcade d'information de la Ville de Genève
Pont de la Machine 1
1204 Genève (T. +41 (0)22 311 99 70)
Mon 12.00-18.00, Tu-Fri 9.00-18.00, Sun closed

Office du Tourisme
Rue du Mont-Blanc 18
1201 Genève (T. +41 (0)22 909 70 00)
Monday 10-18h
Tue-Sat 9-18h, sun closed, (except from half-June til end of august Sun 9-18h)
www.geneve-tourisme.ch

Geneva-Cointrin Airport
(T. +41 (0)22 717 80 83)
Open daily
www.gva.ch

Gare CFF de Cornavin
Informations T. +41 (0)900 300 300 (1.19frs./min.)
Open daily
www.cff.ch

Telephoning from France : 00 41 22 + 7-digit number.
Prices indicated here are in Swiss francs.

The old city

Hidden away in the Old City's picturesque narrow streets you'll find a multitude of art galleries, antique shops, bookshops and charming cafés. Leading off from the Cathedral, cobbled streets and connecting passageways entice you to stroll around the Bourg-du-Four, along the Promenade de la Treille or the Terrasse Agrippa d'Aubigné.

Place du Bourg-de-Four
Geneva's special meeting place.

Cathédrale Saint-Pierre and archeological site
Testimony to Geneva's architectural and liturgical evolution.
Cour Saint-Pierre 6
Open daily
Archeological site
Tel. +41(0)22 311 75 75
Closed on Mondays

Musée Barbier-Mueller
An the heart of the Old City, a collection of objets d'art from "primitive" and ancient civilizations.
Rue Jean Calvin 10
Tel. +41(0)22 312 02 70
www.barbier-mueller.ch
Open daily

Maison Tavel
A fine example of civil medieval architecture housing an exhibition of urban history and Genevan life.
Rue du Puits-Saint-Pierre 6
Tel. +41(+)22 310 29 00
http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/...
Closed on Mondays

Parks and lakeside

525 acres of public parks to relax in. As you walk along the quays from the Botanical Gardens, past the Flower Clock and the Water Jet all the way round to the beautiful rose gardens in the Parc de la Grange and the Parc des Eaux-Vives, all Geneva's different facets will unfold before you - from its gardens and buildings to the Lake.

Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques
15,000 species of plants and a perfumed garden to 'touch' and delight your senses.
Chemin de l'Impératrice 1
Tel. +41(0)22 418 51 00
http://www.ville-ge.ch/cjb
Open daily
Guided tours : Tuesdays at 12.30 from March to October,
by appointment

Musée d'histoire des sciences
A collection of scientific instruments in the magnificent Villa Bartholoni facing the Lake.
Rue de Lausanne 128
Tel. +41(0)22 418 50 60
http://www.ville-ge.ch/mhs/
Closed on Tuesdays

International Geneva

Geneva was already an international city by the end of the XVIth century. Since then its influence as a city of peace and negotiations and its traditional hospitality have never ceased to grow. Originally headquarters of the League of Nations, now the European centre for the United Nations and the birthplace of the Red Cross, Geneva hosts many other international organizations as well as these two major institutions.

Palais des Nations (UN)
Tours of conference halls, testimony of past and present international politics.
Avenue de la Paix 14 (door 39)
Tel. +41(0)22 907 48 96
http://www.un.org
One-hour tour with commentary
Closed on Saturdays and Sundays from November to March
Please take your ID card

Musée international de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge
An interactive voyage through the world of humanitarian aid.
Avenue de la Paix 17
Tel. +41(0)22 748 95 25
http://www.micr.ch
Closed on Tuesdays

CERN
The European laboratory for nuclear physics. The universe of the infinitely small and birthplace of the web.
Route de Meyrin,
1217 Meyrin
Tel. +41(0)22 767 84 84
http://www.cern.ch
Guided tours by appointment
Closed on Sundays

Concerts and shows

From world music to classical concerts and opera, from jazz, pop rock to techno, you can enjoy the whole range in Geneva. There is a wide selection of shows, both internationally well-known as well as the alternative scene, catering for all tastes in a multicultural city.

Throughout the year you can find any type of music...at the Victoria Hall, the Grand Théâtre, Arena or in more intimate venues such as the Sud des Alpes, Chat noir.

La Comédie, Am Stram Gram, Poche, the Loup... a dozen theatres provide a very varied dramatic repertoire, plus several multipurpose venues for other forms of entertainment such as dance, cinema and video : the Grütli Maison des arts, Saint-Gervais, L'Usine and La Parfumerie.

Festivals also give rhythm to Geneva's busy cultural life : cinema, dance, jazz, traditional and contemporary music - the Fête de la Musique in June, the Fêtes de Genève at the beginning of August, the Fureur de lire (each two years) and the Escalade in December.

Programms : Arcade d'information de la Ville de Genève

Guide books

• Berlitz Switzerland Pocket Guide, Berlitz Publishing, Singapore 2003
• Insight Guide Switzerland, Langenscheidt Publishers, 2002
• Switzerland, Lonely Planet, 2003
• Switzerland, Michelin Green Guide, 2001
• Pedestrians Guide Books

Usefull links

• Official tourism office
• Discover the city of Geneva
• Links to international organisations in Geneva
• Business and economy in Geneva
• English speaking library in Geneva
• Visit Geneva by foot
• Public transport