The canton of Vaud is one of Switzerland’s biggest winegrowing regions. Dozens of local winegrowers produce unique bottles of Chasselas, Pinot Noir and Gamay. The "Balade Oenotouristique" leads you along estates like “Domaine Henri Cruchon”.
Catherine Cruchon, who is the family’s third generation of winegrowers, will proudly tell you about the 20 different grape varieties on over 100 parcels of land, each with its own terroir, microclimate and personality. A little heads-up: She'll also make you try some!
Morges
The walk starts and ends in Morges, a medieval town on the banks of Lake Geneva. The route winds through the winegrowing area of La Côte AOC, past castles and picturesque villages. Download the “Vaud:Guide” app to make sure you don’t miss out on any sights or – heaven forbid – wines.
The «La Côte» region extends from Morges to Nyon. the hilly landscape between the Jura and lake is one of the biggest wine-growing areas in Switzerland. Particularly between Aubonne and Rolle there are great many typical wine-grower villages, such as Féchy.
Morges once upon a time was an important commercial centre. For this reason a port, which nowadays serves as a port for yachts, was built at the end of the 17th century. The promenade along the lake shore of Morges stretches from the castle all the way to the Vertou Park and offers a fantastic view of the lake and Savoy Alps.
Morges Castle which was built in 1286 by Ludwig of Savoy houses several military-historic museums, including the museum of historic pewter figures with 10'000 figures. The Alexis Forel Museum located in a historic building in the town which houses a dolls and toy collection as well as an ensemble of furniture from the 16th to the 19th century is also well worth visiting. The Paderewski Museum is dedicated to the musical heritage of the Polish statesman and pianist.
The Bière-Apples-Morges railway line carries its passengers out of the town to the countryside which can be explored on foot or by bike. Several hiking trails which lead across fields, vineyards and forests thread through the region. A popular leisure park with a variety of attractions is located on the «Signal de Bougy» hill above the vineyards of Mont-sur-Rolle and Féchy.
The small towns and villages of Rolle, Aubonne, Vufflens-le-Château, St. Prex, St. Sulpice and their Romanesque churches are worth visiting. Most of the places have museums or other sights. Regular ship services, including paddle steamers, regularly pick up from embarkation points along the Swiss and French shore. Or you can explore the Lake Geneva landscape on special trips on a new galley which is a copy of the 17th-century original.
Hint MorgesLake Geneva Region (Vaud)Show on map