Located at the southern tip of Lake Geneva Surrounded by the Jura mountains and the Alps Geneva offers exceptional views of the majestic Mont Blanc The city that houses the United Nations headquarters and the Economic Commission for Europe, Geneva is made up of some 41 per cent foreigners from 190 different nationalities. With more than 200,000 inhabitants, Geneva is the second most populated city in Switzerland after Zurich. Today, we invite you to discover this beautiful city, the home of watchmaking, where philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau was born one evening in June 1712. After having checked into our rooms at the Hotel Metropole facing the lake, we offer you a walk in the heart of the English garden which houses the famous flower clock. Another emblem of the city is the Rue du Rhône where the most beautiful brands have taken up residence. Bucherer will then reveal some of its finest jewellery pieces. A little further up, we will enter the new Artya boutique, before taking our first gourmet break, at the Café Perche in the heart of the Parc des Eaux vives. With 22,000 m2 of retail space, Le grand magasin Manor Geneva is Switzerland's second largest store, and the largest in terms of revenue. We will stroll the aisles, looking for luxury perfumes and haute couture chocolates. We spotlight a brand of unique and customisable bags called The Collector, before ending our evening at Metropole's MET Rooftop Lounge. But for now, let's drop our bags at the Metropole Hotel. We could not dream of a better location On one side, the English Garden and its flower clock, with the iconic stream of water in the background, on the other, the Rue du Rhône, heaven on earth for all lovers of luxury shopping. A legendary building dating back to 1854, with an elegant design, from the entrance hall to the Mirror Bar, to the some 127 contemporary-style rooms and suites ranging in size from 15 to 80 square metres. Outside, Gusto's terrace is often busy for both a drink and a taste of Roman-inspired, healthy cuisine based on seasonal produce. In the summer season, more and more people are getting closer to the water jet every day, hoping to receive a few fresh drops of water. Standing at 140 metres tall, it has become over time a true emblem of Geneva. Its story begins in 1886. At the time, the hydraulic plant which distributed the driving force of the Rhône to the craftsmen and watchmakers of Geneva, was forced to create an open evacuation of the pressurised water, when the workshops closed at night. The place generated so much enthusiasm that it never stopped working. In 1891, the City of Geneva even decided to promote the Water Fountain to the rank of tourist attraction by installing it at the end of the Pier des Eaux-vives, in the heart of the harbour. 500 is the number of litres of water thrown into the air every second. 12,000, on the other hand, is the number of flowers that make up this magnificent clock located under the Ferris wheel, and near the Patek Philippe boutique, creator of the very first Swiss wristwatch in 1868. It was a ladies piece, ordered at the time by Countess Koscowicz of Hungary. Another must-see house is that of Swiss jeweller and watchmaker Bucherer. With more than sixty boutiques worldwide, they are one of the main players in the sector. An exceptional house located at number 45 on a street that is often compared to Fifth Avenue in New York, or even to Place Vendôme in Paris. A luxury kingdom par excellence, Rue du Rhône is the second most expensive street in Switzerland, behind Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich. A little further up, rue Neuve-du-Molard, at number 22, is a brand new boutique that has just opened, that of watchmaker Yvan Arpa. In the windows are watches that are for the most part unique and above all extraordinary. What is amazing is this bezel which was literally forged with a Tesla coil and a Faraday cage. The shop is also in the image of the designer: totally unique…! We chose to do it in the image of ArtyA, very creative, disruptive, a little bit different than what we have seen in Geneva because it’s a very Calvinist city; that’s our world… There is a very Rock’n’Roll atmosphere with this guitar for example… you can also find art objects like this motorcycle which has been ArtyAtised, the tank cap is a watch that was customised by myself… it’s in the image of the group Kiss. Race, son of a gun, son of the sea, in all there are no less than 8 collections that ArtyA have developed in a decade. If the wings of a butterfly, tobacco leaves, and the diamond push button bring to the Son of Earth collection an original touch…. this case with a singular form is also quite surprising… It recalls the form of the guitar, the Son of Sound - an emblematic collection with ArtyA. We have never seen this form in watchmaking. It took three years of development to make this watch so that it’s reliable… it’s a chrono and all the push buttons are functional. Among loyal clients of the brand, renowned collectors, crowned heads including the King of Morocco, but also stars of music and cinema, wanting to stand out from the others. Mike Tyson for example is part of this list, just like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator who wore these watches from the Son of a Gun and Russian Roulette collections. Another American actor, a Russian citizen since November 3, 2016, also fell in love with the Artya timepieces, to the point of offering one to his close friend. Steven Segall bought a watch, a Son of a Gun, and he also bought one for his friend Putin. Owner of its own COSC-certified movement, ArtyA reminds us that their timepieces are nonetheless haute horlogerie pieces, comparable to real works of art. Located at the southern tip of splendid Lake Geneva, with a total area of 581 km² and whose shape is reminiscent of a crescent, the city of Geneva offers an idyllic living environment. To go from one lake bank to another, the famous Geneva Seagulls, created in 1897, offer tourists and strollers an alternative to the car, Although it's not really recommended during rush hour In total, the 6 small yellow and red boats in the colours of the city, travel about seven million kilometres per year. A privileged place for bathers in summer, and famous in Geneva for a good fondue in winter, the Bains des Pâquis offers a 360 ° panoramic view of the lake, the Geneva Water Fountain, the bay and the Saint-Pierre Cathedral. A little further on, at number 82 Quai Gustave-Ador, the Parc des Eaux-vives invites us to a lunch in the heart of nature. This is one of the oldest areas of Geneva Built in the sixteenth century, it was split up several times before being acquired by the Eaux-Vives commune in 1912. The park is characterised by its huge conifers and its vast mass of rhododendrons and azaleas. On the terrace of this mansion built around 1750, and overlooking the garden, we open the menu of the Café Perche, a restaurant specialising in regional products. You will taste La Perche de Léman, which is found every day in dishes concocted by chef Julien Schillaci and his team. Headquarters of many watch brands, Geneva is also home to almost 400 non-governmental organisations, 250 of which have consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council. History buffs will remember that in 1863 the International Committee of the Red Cross was created here by Henry Dunant. On the right bank of Lake Geneva, the Palais Wilson, built between 1873 and 1875, with no less than 5 floors and 225 rooms, houses since 1998 the headquarters of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Another building with a rich past, well known to locals, is LeGrandMagasin Manor Genève. A true Geneva institution, it is still very often called by its original name, La Placette. You can find everything from fashion to multimedia there, from watchmaking to jewellery and toys, not to mention the cosmetic and perfume counters, so dear to these ladies. For a little sweet or savoury break, in the middle of your shopping day, the Manora seems to be the perfect place with its fresh products, prepared before your eyes throughout the day. Not forgetting the terrace, with this view of Geneva. With more than 20,000 transactions a day, the “Special Everyday” signs seem to have worked. The Manor's guests are always happy to take part in the seductive offers launched by the store. This is still the case today with Swiss master chocolatier Philippe Pascoët, who talks about his haute couture expertise… They call me the jeweller of chocolate, so I like to create my chocolates like jewellery. And then given that we’re at the Manor and they have aisles of cosmetics, shoes, and leather goods, I have focused my creations on things a little more… for women, essentially it’s handbags, shoes, with premium chocolates inside. But careful, the Swiss chocolatier doesn’t stop at shapes, he also dives into surprising flavours… With chocolate, there are 36,000 ways of transforming it, working it, for me it’s a way to stand out from the competition… chocolates based on infusion. We can infuse tea, we can infuse aromatic herbs, we can infuse spices, and fruit. We’re in the middle of summer, passion fruit or lime chocolate is something very refreshing that explodes in the mouth, it’s really really nice. Another delicacy of Philippe Pascoët, his soft chocolate cake… Needless to say, we've been there. Swiss chocolate, is sinfully delicious. And it’s time to go to confession… Without further ado, we head to the Saint-Pierre Cathedral, a small historical jewel with medieval charm, located in the heart of the Old Town! It is in the middle of the eighteenth century that this medieval façade gave way to the current, neoclassical style. While remaining above all a Protestant church, Saint-Pierre has since the twentieth century become the church of all Genevans, because it houses important religious and ecumenical celebrations bringing together all of Christendom and beyond. At the civil level, every four years the cathedral hosts swearing-in ceremonies of the State Council, as well as the Judiciary and the municipal magistrates. But Saint-Pierre has also become a privileged place for great dramatic, lyrical, musical and folkloric shows. The Saint-Pierre Cathedral is the most visited monument of Geneva with roughly 400,000 visitors each year. Many people also visit the emblematic Mont-Blanc Bridge that was inaugurated on December 29th 1862. Facing it, on the right bank, is the Bergues Quai, that benefits from its pedestrian footbridge. It’s not too far from where we’re meeting Sophie Bonvin, founder of a young Swiss leather goods maker specialised in the creation of exceptional bags and accessories. The brand is called The Collector. Its DNA, is the very unique pieces you want to collect, cherish, keep throughout your life…. which are pieces that help you stand out and show your personality through unique luxury objects. We worked only with exotic skins: ostrich, python, and all types of crocodile. And we chose this niche because the leathers are very special and unique, and that’s why the design is very simple so they stand out better. For this capsule collection, Sophie Bonvin had the good idea of surrounding herself with Laura Chaplin, the grand-daughter of the cinema icon who painted for the brand an exclusive collection of 25 bags around her favourite theme. True pieces of art, to exhibit or wear. For this model though, it’s not painted, but a more atypical design. So this is my baby, it’s a flower pot bag, as you can see from the flowers and bees. Each piece is unique and it’s very feminine and different; you can even wear it with the detachable strap and it’s made with all types of leather. The interior is red lamb skin that contrasts with the outside, it’s pretty good for this summer… Recognisable by its butterfly logo, The Collector Geneva highlights the symbols of renewal, joy and lightness. A lightness that is also felt every morning in the summer. Jazz, piano/voice, flamenco, in August they get up early in Geneva…. From 6am, at sunrise, you can enjoy a captivating musical session at Les Bains des Pâquis, while enjoying a delicious homemade breakfast. In the evening, if you are hungry, head for the MET Rooftop Lounge to discover its rich tapas menu. With its new VIP square and its breathtaking view, the rooftop perched on the roof of the Metropole hotel has become one of the most "in" places in the Geneva square. Vintage black-and-white movie nights and Sunday picnic-nights are spicing up the summer season. A perfect way to enjoy wonderful moments in this beautiful city, often referred to as the capital of peace.
