Geneva — Mont Blanc Gateway

Geneva sits where the Rhône flows out of Lake Geneva, surrounded by the Jura mountains to the north and the Alps — dominated by Mont Blanc — to the south. On clear days the entire massif is visible from the lakefront promenade.

The city is compact and walkable. The Jet d'Eau — a 140-metre water jet on the lake — is the city's symbol. The Old Town (Vieille-Ville) climbs the hill above the lake with cobblestone streets, the St. Pierre Cathedral and panoramic terraces. The CERN physics laboratory offers free tours for science-curious visitors.

From Geneva airport or station, Chamonix is 1 hour by direct train (Mont Blanc Express). This makes Geneva one of the best-connected Alpine gateways in Europe — fly in, drop bags at the hotel, take the afternoon train to Chamonix.

The lakefront Quai du Mont-Blanc is the ideal place to spot the Mont Blanc massif at sunrise or sunset. On very clear days the summit is visible from the city centre — a rare sight that locals call a 'Mont Blanc day'.