Geneva was a pitstop as part of my reluctant exit from Europe to head onto the next adventure. Some people describe Geneva as boring, but apparently you should be diplomatic in Geneva, so I’ll say no such thing.

The main drawcard of Geneva for powder hounds is the nearby mountains. Nevertheless, it was enjoyable to wander around and take a short look at this city.

Maybe the city has a seedy underbelly somewhere however on the surface it seemed to be clean, sophisticated and cosmopolitan. The people were very chic and fit, and it was trendy to go for a run during lunch hour.

It was pleasant to walk along the river and alongside the lake, although a gorgeous blue sky day would have made it prettier. We wandered past the beautiful university where the student “uniform” was black attire, and around to the Old Town to stroll the attractive cobble stone streets.

Geneva was nice to see and people watch, but I probably don’t need to return there for a repeat visit when the mountains might be calling.
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Dropped into Geneva on the drive back into Switzerland from the French Alps. Despite gloomy weather, wandering around the lake and through the quiet old town was thoroughly pleasant without being exciting in any way, shape or form.

If you love watches, Geneva is certainly your heaven and looking in on the master watchmakers is intriguing. For everyone else, away from the lake, a highlight might be the wide range of superb restaurants. We had a fine lunch at the small Quarante restaurant. After eating way too much local cuisine for weeks on end, its middle eastern offerings were exactly what we needed, we just didn't know it until we ate there!

This visit to Geneva, whilst certainly enjoyable, reinforced the notion that spending a few hours here for a stroll and lunch is fine, but staying overnight is a waste of time and money. Head to the mountains instead.
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The title of this review might not sound complimentary to Geneva, but in fact it is the highest of all compliments from a Powderhounds point of view. Geneva's location is so prime for access to some of the best ski terrain on the planet, that it is incumbent upon you to immediately leave upon arrival and head to the hills! As a result we have spent precious little time in the actual city. I have an intimate relationship with its airport, rental car depots & train stations though, because that is what makes Geneva tick from a skiers perspective.

Sure you can hang around in a river or lakeside hotel and get a taste of French influenced Swiss city living, but really, aren't you better off in the mountains? Once you have strolled the lakeshore, taken a few pics of the (admittedly impressive) Jet d'Eau fountain and wandered the cobbled street & lanes of the old town along the Grand Rue, it is seriously time to find some snow, because there is generally a precious lack of it in Geneva.

As an entry point for skiing in the western Alps, Geneva (GVA) international airport is superb. Whilst it doesn't have the high number & diversity of intercontinental flight origins of Zurich (hence we generally fly into Zurich), the GVA airport has an incredible volume of skiers descending upon it in winter direct from European, UK, east coast USA, middle east & north African flight origins. Weekends can be particularly busy, hectic even. So if you can do avoid Saturdays in particular, arrive here during the week if possible.

At the airport, we have never gone through the French sector and cannot see any good reason to do so. Out the front of the airport are all the transport needs. The train station is a short stroll across a concourse (Zurich's is in the airport terminal). Local trams & buses are on the same level. Below the concourse are loads of taxis & private transfer vans. We have only ever used the train & rental cars from Geneva, but a private transfer direct to a nearby ski resort is the most comfortable way to get out of the airport.

The train into Switzerland is straightforward from Geneva airport, with direct links to Brig along the Rhone valley that allow easy access to a whole host ski areas like Champery, Glacier 3000, Villars-Gryon-Diablerets, Verbier & 4 Vallèes, Zermatt, etc etc etc. All the big ones. On the other hand, even though it is right on the border, using the train to get into France toward Chamonix, or similar, tends to be a little more convoluted and time-consuming. Getting on one of the regular bus transfers is a far more efficient method.

If the French Alps are the destination, we usually rent a car, simply because we bounce around a fair bit and the French public transport system isn't as efficient as the Swiss one. Rental car pick-ups involve getting on a bus that drives you a few minutes away to the multi-level rental car parking area. Always check that your rental car has winter tyres. They are not required by law in this part of the world during winter, but do not leave without them! Driving out of Geneva toward France is easy via highway A1, and then onto the A41 toward Annecy or the A40 toward Chamonix. Chamonix can be reached in a little over one hour. The sheer pleasure of driving from a bustling, lakeside city to the gobsmacking grandeur of the Chamonix valley & Mont Blanc pleasure over the course of an hour is indescribable. It is perhaps only matched by relaxing on the train from Geneva airport and seeing the countryside slide by from the lakeshore of Lac Leman, then trundling past the Château de Chillon castle near Montreux and eventually climbing into the mountains to a stunning village location like Les Diablerets, or Gstaad, or Champery, or Zermatt. And that is the strength of Geneva. Location, location, location.

Geneva has all the services, hotels, shops & restaurants one could expect of a modern city in Europe, so it can make a reasonable place to slumber for a night at the start or end of a ski trip in the Alps. But we don’t do that. And despite liking Geneva quite alot, we just reckon you are better off spending your time and money somewhere else! HEAD TO THE HILLS........

See more of our thoughts plus pros & cons on the Geneva Overview page.

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