Switzerland & France

 Switzerland & France

Day 1, 13 June 2015, Lausanne City Center

We took Royal Air Maroc to fly from Casablanca to Geneva. From Geneva Airport we took train to Lausanne. We stayed in Agora Swiss Hotel. This hotel was in walking distance from train station (Lausanne Gare) and metro station Grancy, so it’s very convenient to explore the city by public transportation. The hotel also gave free Lausanne Tranport Card, that we can use for public transportation. This card gives free travel on Lausanne’s public transport system in zones 11, 12, 15, 16, 18 and 19. The card is issued by the hotel on check-in and is valid for the duration of the reservation, including the day of departure.

Since we arrived afternoon, we decided to explore one place. We took metro to Laussane Flon Metro Station. Across the station, we can visit Place du Flon, where we can find shops and café. We walked back to station and walked to Rue Saint Laurent. Here, we can see Saint Laurent Church. Around this area, there were plenty of shops, café and restaurants. We continued walking until we reach The Cathedral of Notre Dame of Lausanne. From here, we can see the panoramic city view.

Day 2, 14 June 2015, Laussane & Cully Tavaux

We took metro from Grancy Station to Ouchy Station. Ouchy is a port. In the Ouchy Station, there was tourist information. We went there, and the staff was really helpful and full of information. We decided to explore Cully Lavaux, it’s only around 15 minutes by train from Lausanne.

And it’s covered by Lausanne Transport Card. From Cully Station, we walked to vineyard. Cully is famous for its terraced vineyard. Then we went to the Lac Leman lake, had lunch by the lake. All that area can be visited by foot.

 

From Cully, we went back to Lausanne. We wanted to go to Lac Sauvabelin. We stop at Bessieres Metro Station, then took bus no. 16 and stop at Lac Sauvabelin stop. Around Lac Sauvabelin, there was resto and small barnyard. We can take a boat ride in this lake, just need to pay EUR 1 per boat. From the lake, we walked to Sauvabelin Forest, where we can find Sauvabelin Tower. This 35 metres height tower, made from wood. It was built in 2003. After climbing 151 steps, we can see panoramic view over the city. After got some rest, we climbed down and took a boat ride in the lake. For EUR 1, we can ride for 30 minutes.

Kaeo loved paddling the boat, after around 10 minutes, he already knew how to control the boat. Then we visited the small barnyard, there was some animals, such as pig (the hairy one), ducks, goat and cow. 

From Lac Sauvebelin, we backed to city by the same bus. We arrived at Bessieres Metro Station. We took metro to go to Ouchy Station. Across the station, we can see Chateau d’Ouchy with its neo-gothic style. This 12^th century chateau now become an upscale hotel. We continued walked along the lake, until we reached Olympic Museum. Before entering the museum building, we walked through the park with so many sport statue. In front of the museum building, we can find Olympic Flame. This musesum was built in 1993 as an initiative from President of the IOC, Juan Antonio Samaranch. From here, we headed back to hotel.

Day 3, 15 June 2015, Geneva

In the morning, we took train to Geneva. We stayed at Hotel Bernina Geneva, walking distance from the Geneva Train Station. After had lunch at Holy Cow, just beside the hotel, we start to explore the city. We took bus in front of the train station to St. Pierre Cathedral. This Cathedral has 2 towers, north tower and south tower. Visitors can climb the tower and see the Geneva city view. From here, we walked to Jardin Anglais, which is located on the Lake Geneva. We can see the famous Jet d’Eau from here.

Since we were around Lake Geneva, we tried “Mouettes Genevoises”, yellow taxi boat that crossing from one shore to the other. We can ride for free with Geneva Transport Card. There are 4 lines, M1 (Pâquis-Molard), M2 (Pâquis-Quai Gustave Ador), M3 (Pâquis-Genève-Plage) and M4 (Genève Plage-De Châteaubriand). The closest one from Jarding Anglais is M4 line. So, we tried this line.  We arrived at De Châteaubriand Pier, walked to Rue du Mont Blanc, where we can find shops, café, resto and souvenir shops. After had snack time at Mc Donalds, we walked back to the lake, to Paquis Pier and took another mouettes ride. From this ride we can take good photos of Jet D’Eau. Then we rode back again and took tram to Place des Nation. We can see the famous broken chair in square in front of the Place des Nation.

After visiting Place des Nation, we went back to Geneva Train Station by tram, and we continued walking to Rue Louis-Favre (Grottes district), where we can see strange shape housing complex that remind us of the Smurf’s world, and it’s called “The Smurfs”! As Kaeo already tired, we bought dinner from Asian resto near the hotel, and ate at the hotel.

 

Day 4, 16 Juni 2015, Geneva & Nyon

Nyon is a small town, that can be covered by foot. Arrived at Nyon Train Station at noon, we walked to the old town area, where we can find Place du Chateau with its 17^th century castle. Now, The Castle became Mueseum of History and Porcelain. From the castle we can see view of the town. We continued walk dawn to the lakeshore. We walk to Rue de Rive, where we can find shops and café. Then we walked to Bourg de Rive Park and continued walk to Esplanade of the chestnut trees where we can see Roman columns. 

Day 5, 17 June 2015, Geneva to Avignon

From Geneva Train Station we took train to Avignon TGV train station, from there we took train from Avignon TGV train station to Avignon City Center Station. We arrived at noon, then walking to our hotel. After stored our luggage (as the check in time at 4pm), we headed to Avignon’s Old Town. The old town is located across the train station. It’s surrounded by city wall, that we know as City Ramparts. Almost all the attraction is inside the city ramparts.The most visit place is Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes), the biggest Gothic Palace in Europe. Because there was dispute after election of Pope Clement V in the 14^th century, he decided to move to Avignon. His successor then decided to build this palace. To get inside this palace, we should pay entrance fee (EUR 11).

From Palais des Papes, we walked to Pont Saint Benezet (The bridge of St. Beneset). This famous bridge spanning over Rhone river. After paying EUR 5, we can get inside the bridge. This bridge was built in 11^th century, connecting Avignon and Villeneuve. Then was destroyed during siege Louis VII of France, then rebuilt again. But as the arches tended to collapse when Rhone River flooded, the city could not afford the cost to build the bridge. Now, we can see the four surviving arches of the bridge. Together with Palais de Popes, the Pont Saint Benezet were classified as Word Heritage Site by Unesco.

Near the Pont Saint Benezet, there were many shops that sold souvenirs and things from lavender. In this old town area, there were so many shops (branded boutique) and restaurants, also Carrefour super market. We decided to have dinner at Mc Donalds near Carrefour Market.

 

Day 6, 18  June 2015, Lavender Tour & Avignon to Toulouse

To see the lavender field, we took half day tour. After waiting 30 minutes, at around 9.30 am, finally our tour agent came. With total 8 passenger in small van, we went to see the lavender field. During the trip, we stopped at vineyard, then continued to Roussillon, village of the Luberon. Roussillon is famous for its magnificent red cliffs and ochre quarries. It’s also known as the red town. Legend says heart-broken blood of a suiciding queen colored the hills. We strolled around the small streets, see some art galleries, restaurants, souvenir shops.

On the day we came (Thursday), there was a public market who sells multitude of everything for locals and tourist, soap, lavender fragrance. After one hour in Roussillon, we continued to the lavender fields near Lacoste. It’s beautiful to see all in purple. After some times in the lavender field, we backed to Avignon city. And the tour finished.

 

Since we still had plenty time before our train to Toulouse, we decided to stroll in the old city one more time. This time we went to garden near Palais des Papes. Had lunch there. Searching some souvenir, window shopping until the train came.

On our train to Toulouse, we must change train in Nimes. We had one hour in Nimes before our train to Toulouse came. So we went to the ancient roman city, across the train station. We bought our dinner at Carrefour near train station, to eat in the train. We arrived at Toulouse around 22.00 pm. We stayed at Saint Severin Hotel, within walking distance from the train station.

  

Day 7, 19 June 2015, Toulouse City Tour & Toulouse to Lourdes

As it was cloudy in the morning, we decided to go to Cite de L’espace first before exploring the city. We took the metro line B to Ramonville, then took bus no Bus 37 to the Cité de l’espace stop. The tariff was EUR 21 (adult) and EUR 15.50 (child). There were some buildings and parks inside the site. In IMAX, we can watch about space telescope Hubble, in the planetarium, we can watch about stars and planets, we can also get inside replica of MIR Station. We can also tried moon runner, this simulator can make us feel how to walk on the moon.

 

After spending few hours in Cite L’Espace, we took same bus to back to city, ready to explore Toulouse, La Ville Rose (The Pink City). We took metro train to go to Capitole. We stopped at Capitole Metro Station. Capitole is famous for its magnificent façade, it’s made from pink marble. From here, we walked to Pont Neuf which spanning the mighty Garonne River. Near Pont Neuf, we can visit Notre-Dame de la Daurade, a basilica that was built on the site of Pagan Temple.  

 

In this area, we can also visit Ensemble Conventuel des Jacobins, famous for its mural paintings. Then we walked a bit further to The Saint Etienne Cathedral, which was built over five centuries. From here, it’s not far from metro station, so we took metro to go to Canal du Midi Metro Station, to see the famous canal in Toulouse. In some points of this canal, people can ride on the boat along the canal.

 

 

 As our train to Lourdes departed on night time, we bought our dinner at Asian resto near the hotel. The trip to Lourdes was about 2 hours. We arrived at Lourdes Train Station at around 22.00 pm. We stayed at Hotel Du Dauphine, within walking distance from Train Station.

 

Day 8, 20 June 2015, Lourdes

We woke up early in the morning. After had some breakfast, we were ready to start our pilgrimage. From the hotel, we just need to walked to The Sanctuary. We can see shops on the street that lead to The Sanctuary, all selling things that related to religious things, such as candle, empty bottle to collect holy water, rosary.

 

Lourdes is a Catholic Pilgrimage Site. Here, Saint Bernadette had visions of Virgin Mary. In her visions Mary pointed to a spring of water which could heal. A spring later appeared in a cave. Thousands come each year for the healing gifts of the water (source: Wikipedia).

Here, we can visit Basilica of Immaculate Conception, Basilica of Rosary, Grotto the cave Mother Nary made appereance to Bernadette, Basilica of Immaculate Conception, Sanctuary of St. Bernadette’s relics, Baths. In Baths, we can wash our body. There were separate rooms for men and women. Children also can do the wash. We don’t need to prepare anything, as all were already provided. For men, usually there were no queue. For women there were quite long queue. 

We had our lunch at Indian Restaurant, before visited Château Fort Musée Pyrénéen. The entrance fee was EUR 7 (adult) EUR 3 (child). We can use elevator to go up to castle or we can climbs stairs to get there. This never conquered castle, was located in the center of town, on top of the hill, so we can see the town and the sanctuary from up here.

 

 

 

After had dinner and some rest at the hotel, at around 9pm we backed to The Sanctuary to follow the Torchlight Marian Procession. The procession starts from the Meadow to the Esplanade in front of the Basilica of Immaculate Conception. 

 

 

 

 

Day 9, 21 June 2015, Lourdes to Toulouse & Toulouse to Casablanca

In the morning , after had breakfast at Mc Donald, near the hotel, we walked to Lourdes Train Station, waiting for our train to Toulouse. From Toulouse Train Station, we took bus to Toulouse Airport, and flew back to Casablanca.