There are just a couple of weeks left to enjoy the giant cornfield labyrinth which opens each year at the Ferme du Coucou in Vaud – so head on down there if you fancy a great day out with the family!Located halfway between Cugy and Bottens, this enormouse life-size labyrinth is guaranteed to provide hours of fun for you and your kids. As you work your way towards the center of the maze, the young ones will take pleasure in searching out the six hole punchers, which you need to punch your entrance ticket before it can be submitted in the competition box located at the beginning of the maze. With prizes ranging from jewelry to a free flight, it’s definitely worth finding them all before you leave!
In the center of the maze are some picnic tables, a few tents, a slide and see saw, and a barbecue for grilling your own meat. Coals are provided in the green bin but you must bring something to light them.
It is strongly recommended that you bring sunscreen, a bottle of water, and a hat as it took Know-it-all passport editor, Lisa Cirieco, and her family 1 hour and 45 minutes to find the 6 hole-punchers ( if you can do it faster let us know)! Since they were thirsty and hot and had no opportunity to buy food on site, they headed straight for lunch to the Café du Soleil (pictured below and situated a short drive away) for some delicious filets de perche and pommes allumettes (skinny fries - in size not in calories).
After lunch, you might like to head back to the labyrinth to cut some beautiful gladiolas (Fr. 1.50.-/each) and pick up some unusual and not so unusual pumpkins (Fr. 1.- to Fr. 17.-) at the self-service garden. All in all, a great day out!
Let your hair down and join in the family fun by heading down to one of the many events being organized in Geneva this Autumn by MyBubbleCity.
Set up in April 2010 by local entrepreneurs, Carole Amselem and Isabelle Marcus, MyBubbleCity is a new Association aimed at providing different types of activities for families, where everyone can have fun together.
As former business colleagues, Carole and Isabelle are close friends who both became mothers and who have a similar philosophy about enjoying life. Carole explains,
“While we both love lots of things about Geneva, we missed some of the energy that we felt from the cities in which we previously had lived - I am from New York, Isabelle from Paris. We missed the energy of a large city, not only for ourselves but also for our children. Hence came the idea of creating different types of activities that we couldn't find in Geneva, that a parent could actually participate in WITH their child. MyBubbleCity is all about having fun as a family!!”
MyBubbleCity launched its first Bubble Kids Disco in May, 2010 at the Fenomeno club in Geneva. It was a sold-out success with enthusiastic parents and children enjoying themselves on the dance floor. Bubble Kids Discos have been created with the aim of giving the whole family an opportunity to let loose in a real dance club – one which has been turned child-friendly. Describing the discos in more detail, Isabelle says,
To give you an idea of some of the spectacular places you can visit in this region, we will feature each month a photo of one of its many great locations. Since we rely on recommendations, please send us your special photo taken, for example, on a memorable day out at a water park or from a remarkable viewpoint in the area.
Tourist Office
1663 Gruyères
0848 424 424
www.gruyeres.ch
www.la-gruyere.ch
www.moleson.ch
www.fribourgregion.ch
Directions: A1 autoroute past Lausanne, follow signs towards Grand St-Bernard onto the A12. Exit Bulle. Follow signs to Château d’Oex and Gruyère. 1½ hours from Geneva.
To give you an idea of some of the spectacular places you can visit in this region, we will feature each month a photo of one of its many great locations. Since we rely on recommendations, please send us your special photo taken, for example, on a memorable day out at a water park or from a remarkable viewpoint in the area.
Mont Mussy/Mont Mourex, near Divonne-les-Bains
Whether you are looking for a romantic walk for two to watch the evening sun set over Geneva, or you require an outing where your kids can let off a bit of steam, then Mount Mourex has exactly what you’re looking for.
We set off on foot from the town hall in Divonne, up the path past the golf course and on towards the Source of Divonne, an impressive location where the river literally comes out of the rock before starting its journey through Divonne.
The path leads you to a point where you have to cross the main road leading out of Divonne towards Gex, but from then on you remain in the woods until you reach the summit. There is a small, rustic auberge (La Ferme du Mont Mussy, telephone 00 33/4 50 20 24 52) half way up on the left hand side, which has wonderful views over Lake Geneva and offers delicious food, cooked without the aid of modern electrical appliances. Once the sun sets, it’s candlelight only!
Those of you new to the area may not have heard about the Soap Box Derby (Caisse à Savon), an annual event which takes place in various locations throughout the region.
It's probably too late for you to start building your soap box for the first event which takes place in Versoix this year on the 2nd May, so just come along and cheer the Soap Box Derby participants as they race past! Food and drink as well as some other stands are available to make it a great day out. Trial runs start at 10h and first races commence at 12h.
If you are interested in taking part in one of the next races, scheduled for 4th September, 2010 in Commugny and 19th September, 2010 in Corsier, then visit the official website at www.casv.ch. There is lots of information on how to go about building your own soap box, and there are plenty of photos from previous events to give you an idea of what is expected!
