Chexbres, balcony over Lake Geneva
Easily accessible by train and car, Chexbres is the ideal starting point for walks and wine tasting in the Lavaux.
High point of the UNESCO Lavaux vineyard terraces, overlooking Lake Geneva, Chexbres has one of the most beautiful settings in Switzerland. Easily accessible by car from the motorway or by rail on the Vineyard Train, Chexbres is the starting point for a whole network of marked paths crossing the vineyards to the lake. People say that visitors arriving by train throw their return ticket out of the window when they discover this idyllic part of the world.
Along the pathways, wine-makers open their cellars and bottles of their best wines for visitors to sample; first off, the chasselas, the emblematic Lavaux grape, which produces dry white wines with a pleasing minerality. The little train on wheels, Lavaux-Panoramic, carries tourists through the villages of Chardonne, Rivaz and St-Saphorin, with stunning views along the way.
For a perfect end to the day, the hotels and restaurants of Chexbres welcome visitors to their panoramic terraces to enjoy delicious fillet of perch from the lake, among other specialities, washed down with a glass of the local wine of course.