"I've been coming to Paléo since I was a few months old, my dad works here, many of my friends too, so it's part of my life, I also love discovering all the different kinds of music and bands that play here " Jonas Parson - writer and volunteer ar Paléo. Living in Nyon is delighted that this year Jonas Parson will be writing for this site all about his experience of Paléo from the atmosphere, to the music. Jonas is 17 and has just finished his studies at the Gymnase of Nyon. Whilst there he was part of the editorial team of the school magazine called "La Herissé". Jonas also works at Paléo as one of the thousands of volunteers, this year he is there in the capacity of "Aspirator" (Vacuum Cleaner). The Aspirators keep the place tidy and the loos clean for the festival goers. There will be more about these Aspirators on this site later on in the week. Jonas himself says he has an eclectic taste in music; " I like lots of stuff, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young etc. Ialso like the Artic Monkeys and the Fratellis. Last year at Paléo there were three particularly good French bands; La Rue Ketanou, Les Ogres de Barback and Debout sur le Zinc, it was a good year. However there are some years when I go not really knowing much about the performers but end up liking them and then maybe making the effort to see them elsewhere. For example last year the group Caravan Palace came to Paléo and it was such a good night I went to see them again at the "Docks" (Ed note: See review of Caravan Palace on last year's Living in Nyon). As for going to other local music venues, Jonas likes to go to the Parenthese in Nyon or the Usine a Gaz or L'ecurie (a venue in a building behind Geneva railway station). Why the barefoot writer? Jonas says from the month of March onwards he ditches his shoes, he even did this while studying at Gymnase. Most of the time he alternates between barefeet or Doc Martins, just like his choice in music, an eclectic taste. Here is Jonas's impression of last night "After a beer and sweat laden Tuesday evening with the bearded villains of Mötörhead, on Wednesday it was way time for some gentler – but none the less "full of punch" type bands. The evening started off to the tune of Olivia Ruiz’s mushroom pancakes. (Oh, please come back ! If you do, I’ll make you some crêpes aux champignons…). Dancing and whirling about on stage, this girl really knows how to make a show ! With her magic rotating mirror, about three metres high, her musicians just made you want to dance, Ruiz had the crowd singing away at some moments, and swinging away all the time. Even under the burning sun of the Paléo festival, the « femme chocolat » did not melt away in front of the crowd ! The concert ended just as it started pouring down, the timing perfect to the second. It rained just enough to moisten the grounds and keep the dust where it should be (not in our eyes and throats, but on the ground…) Finding something to eat - The national sport of Paléo y, Before the next show of the evening, Charlie Winston the handsome "hobo", it was time for one of Paleo’s national sports : finding something to eat. Over the years, you tend to stick to one or two favourite stalls where you know you won’t be disappointed, but discovering new food is also part of the fun. My personal favourite is the Paprika, (one of) the Indian stalls in the oriental district of the Paleo, where you can get gorgeous plates of Daal- lentil stew- for ten francs, and chicken for about fifteen. It’s worth a try ! Then off to Charlie Winston barely digesting the meal, but who cares, this is Paleo! What a show that was ! The Cornish dandy, was here to spend a quality moment with us on the grounds of l’Asse. Corresponding with the crowd in quite good French-(he lives in Paris)- he delivered a pop folk performance of top class. Everybody at l’Asse became a hobo for a few minutes, singing away with him with gusto. And after a concert filled with class and energy, we were granted the surprise visit of M on stage. Barely recognizable without his sunglasses and his super-hype haircut, he was invited to riff away on his guitar with the band for their final song. Now that was something worth seeing ! Allthough big bands, loads of excellent artists play one after the other at Paléo, it’s not often that you see one invited on stage for another concert than his. We could see they were having fun on stage, and their pleasure just leaked out onto us, for another wonderful show. After that, it was time to wonder about in the Village du Monde, the place devoted to World Music, this year’s host being South Africa. The decorators had done quite a good job, with three big brown structures, in a mix between a hut and an anthill, giving you room to sit down and have a chat or a morsel with some friends in a relatively calm atmosphere. Then off to the Dome, to see a bit of the Mahotella Queens. We’d been told it was worth it, and it was ! Even at nearly seventy, the three majesties dance about on stage as though they were twenty, in their nice yellow ‘bafana bafana’ t-shirts, the south african football team. Joking about on stage, you could see they had loads of energy left, I was particularly impressed by some of their moves, which showed an agility most people of that age have lost, if they ever had it… It was then time to chill out a bit, watching a bit of M from afar, in the place to be when it starts getting dark, and even more so when it starts getting chilly : by the fire installations in the Quartier des Alpes, to the right of the main stage and just beneath the Village du Monde. The atmosphere there is magic, and it’s perfect to spend some time just chatting with some friends. The more adventurous of the festival goers will then head towards the campsite, where a lively atmosphere is guaranteed, between the fire light music jams, the rockets going off over head, and the nice people everywhere. You can simply come up to a fire, sit down and start talking to anybody, everyone is really nice and friendy it’s the perfect place to make new friends. Banner photo at top - The lively and engaging Swiss group Carousel performing for the press early in the evening. Photo below - two members of British band the Foals (they performed at the chapiteau last night) spotted around the Paléo grounds

This Living in Nyon editor first saw Johnny Clegg perform in 1988 in the Royal Albert Hall in London supporting Stevie Winwood. Back then Johnny performed with abundant energy and superb stage presence. Last night under a Nyon sky (with the moon appearing from behind the stage to add dramatic effect to the concert), as he sang "Under African Skies" it was clear that 22 years later nothing had changed, the man still has what it takes to command and deserve the big stage - a superb concert. Below the barefoot writer-Jonas Parson gives his impression of the same concert and also of Crosby, Stills and Nash and Hugues Aufray. Paléo -Thursday Now if Tuesday was the trash rock evening, and Wednesday the hyped musicians evening, Thursday was definately a day of legends. Starting off with Hugues Aufray, 80 years old and still going. He was the one who wrote the famous Santiano song, along with many other classics that are still sung round campfires in all French speaking parts of the world. Even under the pouring rain, you could feel the emotion of all those different generations who all grew up singing the same songs. Part of Aufray’s show was dedicated to Dylan, with versions of Blowin’ in the Wind, Mr Tambourine Man and other songs, sung in French! It was quite a disturbing impression at first, before you actually understood what’ was going on. You started singing, only to realize that the lyrics aren’t the same… And then; “What? Is he actually singing Dylan in French?” So that was a meeting with happy memories for the crowd, be they young or old. It isn’t because Aufray is old that nobody listens to him, quite the contrary. As many young people as older ones were there in front of the stage, showing once again the power of music to bring people (sometimes complete strangers) together. After two days of wonderful weather, Thursday was well set on becoming a remake of Woodstock and co, with the rain and the mud everywhere. IT was the occasion for everyone to take out their special Paleo rain jacket, the staff wearing last year’s unfinished stock. But the rain didn’t last, and by the end of the concert, the sky was dry again, so as to give the boat Santiano good sailing conditions for its trip to San Francisco. It must have been one mighty boat, because nearly the whole of Paleo jumped on board, rocking the boat away! Traipsing through the mud after the concert, the comfortable squelch of mud under my feet, it was time for a morsel before another legend (or rather, legends) sent us sky-high at l’Asse. Not especially knowing Crosby Stills and Nash before the concert, all I knew was that they’d played at Woodstock, and that they were part of our musical history. I was amazed by everything they did. The guitar, the voice, the whole of the concert was just wonderful. I really had the impression of living part of history watching them, one of the bands that made it possible for so many small bands to play today. Had they not been playing in the 60’s, go knows what music would be like today. After the concert, I had the pleasure of meeting a real fan, a man in his fifties who told me that he’d been waiting for them for the last fifteen years. He was just more than happy. He could hardly speak anymore, rather overwhelming I gather. Then it was time for the "White Zulu" to take the whole of l’Asse to Africa. After 30 years of concerts, Johny Clegg didn’t seem to be tiring. Quite the opposite if you can judge by his dancing and the way he behaved on stage. Running from one end of the stage to the other, jumping about in every direction, he just looked happy. That was probably the night’s main discovery for me, the concert was just amazing. I’m pretty sure that Johny Clegg might appear onto my Ipod one of these days…. So what an evening! And with all these concerts, I haven't had time to go and have a look at the Ruche, the area devoted to circus shows. There's usually always a nice company playing, and it's nearly always worth it! Photo below. Ed: Other concerts last night early in the evening included Hugh Masekela in the Dome. Even though a lot of fans were a tad bedraggled and wet due to the early rainstorm, Hugh urged the audience not to complain too much as he reminded us a bit of water didn't really do any harm as there those in other countries who really are suffering for so many other serious reasons, a sobering moment for us all. Photo below the fires warming the fans up by night. This is the last year these fires will be here so go see them and sit by them to appreciate the atmosphere before it's too late. Over in the club tent and in the chapiteau the sound of very appreciative cheering crowds drew many people over to listen to Revolver and Archive. I caught only the end of each show but despite hearing only a few minutes of each I now want to hear more. That's the beauty of Paléo - discovering new music.

There is a "back to school" feeling around Nyon at the moment, as "La Rentrée" - the return to school for state school children began last week and it will soon be the same for children attending private schools. For adults wanting to go back to "school" themselves, there are further education options available in Nyon with classes through Migros Ecole (the classrooms and the reception are just below La Combe shopping centre). Their brochure for 2010/2011 lists courses from French to Cooking to I.T e.g (Power point, Photoshop) to dancing Rock and Roll. They also run some courses in English, such as drawing and painting, art history, and "exploring wine tasting". See website for more info. If you are interested in learning music then the Conservatoire of Nyon (on the lake side) opens its doors this week for "organisation and registration" and its courses officially start next week. The Conservatoire has an excellent reputation for its teaching of adults of children and adults in a wide range of musical activities from jazz workshops to learning guitar, flute, piano, harp, trumpet. The Conservatoire also organises Sunday afternoon classical and jazz concerts fot the public. See their website for full listings and you can read more about it her in a previous post on Living in Nyon. Photo above - a concert at the Conservatoire of Nyon.

Every two years the International Women's Club of Nyon holds a charity bazaar in the Salle Communale in the centre of Nyon and this year it will take place on Saturday November 6th from 10:00 -16:00. This event is a big money raiser for Nyon, local and International charities. These charities include La Maison des Enfants à Nyon which provides after school care for children aged 6-12 providing them with a safe place to stay until their parents return home. Many low income families depend on this service and the charity relies on its donations to operate throughout the year. The bazaar itself is a humungous affair and preparation for it begins many months ahead. On the day itself there is lots on offer for the general public. There are stalls for second hand English books, DVDs CDS, toys, jewellery, brocante, homemade cakes and jams, sport articles, textiles, hats and handbags ,a special Christmas stall with decorations etc . You name it you will probably find it there on Saturday! Come and say hello to a friendly face at the Bazaar There will also be a bistro with sandwiches, salads and quiches on offer, it's a good opportunity to sit down and have a bite to eat in between all that shopping. If you are a newly arrived expatriate come and say hello to the ladies behind the stalls and to meet new faces from around the world. You can find out more about the charities the club supports while stocking up on gifts and supplies from all the stalls. Serving food at the Bistro at the last Bazaar Every year there are a raffles at the bazaar and various items and paintings are offered as prizes, such as this painting below of Terre Sainte by Lalita Rochanakorn. Raffle for paintings Or this one by Jackie Boult At the last bazaar there was a stall dedicated to blue and white items, this year it's pink! blue and white items, this year there will be a "pink" stall!

A quick reminder that there will be an opportunity for male trailing spouses to meet up next Tuesday at the Brasseurs pub in Nyon from 19:00. The editor of Living in Nyon will be there (see photo to recognise her on Mamicafé link on sidebar) for the first half hour, and then she will leave the men to themselves! Michael, the author of the post on this site "Trudging to Migros and Entertaining the kids in Rain and Snow" will also be there, ( photo on his post). Please email cnp@bluewin.ch if you would like to come along. Other events - The latest show of Elastique Citrique - Nyon's renowned circus/ acrobatic school is called "Bleu Enfin!" and will be running for the next three weekends from the 4th to 20th Feb. Fridays 20:30 Saturdays 19:00 and Sunday 17:00. Juggling, monocycles, acrobatics in the air, it's all in this show, the school always puts on a superb performance and the shows are very popular. Tickets can be bought at the door (the school is situated to the Lausanne side of the main Place Perdstemps carpark in Nyon) See Elastique Citrique for more details. Also this Sunday 6th Feb at 17:00 there be a classical concert at the Conservatoire of Nyon by the lake. Stéphanie Reymonde - pianiste Coralie Ehinger - Theremeniste Tickets for sale at the door. See site. Next week sees the start of Les Hivernales Nyon's winter rock music festival see previous post about this festival.

International Gateway to Africa Conference, April begins today 4-6, is open to the public.Gateway to Africa is the first in a series of conferences that seek to bring together statesmen, academicians, doctors and experts, as well as world renowned keynote speakers to discuss the critical issues facing Africa. The topics will address economic development, public health and medicine, energy, education, Africa in international politics, security, youth and the empowerment of women. Among the featured keynote speakers will be: Mr. Al Gore, former Vice President of the United States Mr. Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations Mr. Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Mr. Rudy Giuliani, former Mayor of New York City Also in attendance will be a host of experts on the various topics. It is free of charge to attend but you need to click through to the website to register.

A great film to kick off the Visions du Réel festival - "Kampf der Königinnen" - "The fight of the Queens" This film will be shown again tonight Friday 22:30 at the Capitole Cinema 1 and Wednesday 13 at 18:30 at the Usine A Gaz. Remember there is a new ticketing system for the festival this year and you can now buy your tickets on line in advance to ensure a seat. Alternatively, you can buy them at the box offices at the Salle Communale or the Théâtre du Marens or Usine a Gaz . The film is in German with subtitles in English and French. The "Avant Première" of the film "The Fight of the Queens" - "Kampf der Königinnen" directed by Nicolas Steiner kicked off Visions du Réel on Wednesday night at the Theatre du Marens to an almost full house. At the screening, the directors and production crew were on hand to answer questions posed by Luciano Barisone, the festival director. When Steiner was asked why he had chosen the subject of the cow fighting as a documentary, he replied that when he was a young boy, if he asked his friends to go out cycling or play basketball with him on the same day of the cow fight, they never wanted to go with him, they wanted to be at the big event. Initially he wasn't interested in it at all, but curiosity got the better of him, he went along, he then became interested in the Swiss tradition and consequently decided to film it. This is not a barbaric fight If you have never been to a "Combat des Reines" and you too are curious, and want to see what it is all about and discover a bit more about Switzerland, then this film is for you. This fight, between two cows done in the public eye in an arena with over 10,000 spectators, is not barbaric. It is not bullfighting between man and bull with blood spilled or a crowd baying for blood. This is simply a confrontation between two animals in which the animal's natural instinct is to defend its pasture, and each year a series of these cow competitions takes place in the Valais region of this country. The film begins in the interior of a cow shed with a farmer feeding and fattening his cow in preparation for the fight. In enters a small child, barely a toddler he stands near the animal and the farmer lets him feed him. This image of the tiny child and the massive beast together is one of many lovely images that appear throughout the film. Check the trailer out on the site to see a great slow motion shot simply of a cow opening and closing one eye. Photo above: Courtesy Visions du Réel. We see local boys getting ready to go to the competition chatting about their motorbikes, and the girls that they hope will be there at the arena. We are also introduced to a radio reporter on his way to the fight, a townie from Zurich who knows nothing about the tradition but thinks it might be worth a look in and reporting on. Quiet scenes gradually bring us into the noise and bustle of the arena itself where hundreds of farmers are gathered with their cows tethered. Cows snorting , cows scratching the ground, cows being weighed and a number painted on their flanks to enter into the competition. Cows called "Shakira", cows called "Melancholy" all waiting for their turn in the ring. The cows are at the centre of this film but its the owners of the cows that are the star turn: the young farmer who is anxious for his cow to win; the pretty young farmer who is ecstastic when her cow qualifies for the next round, the quiet farmer whose sweatshirt is emblazoned with a list of the winning years his cow has won the competition. There are some wonderful portrayals of individuals. Children climb in and out of pick up trucks, teenage boys flirt with girls The day of the fight is also Mother's Day, so to honour it, a line of men in jeans and checked shirts unfurl a banner in the centre of the stadium on which is written " Happy Mother's Day" while the MC shouts out the same over the loudspeaker. Whether this really is a mum's idea of a good day out to celebrate her day is anybody's guess, but the crowd seem happy, and it's a family occasion. They queue up for ice creams, children climb in and out of pick up trucks, teenage boys flirt with girls and try to blend in with the real men in the beer tent. The cinematography and music to the narrative climax are both superb, the final fight a visual treat. When it is finished and the winners are announced, we the audience want the owners of the cows to win as much as they do. When the results are announced we are happy. Yet there is no whooping or screaming from the winners, there is the occasional high five between fellow farmers, the hug of a family member and then it's time to receive the enormous cow bell prize, to pack up and quietly go back up with their beloved animals to the mountain villages until next year.

Lake Leman International School in Morges - Aims for a holistic approach to education. With more and more new businesses moving to the La Côte area, the demand for school places in the private sector increases each year. Fortunately a new school opened its doors in September 2011 to help meet this demand. The Lake Leman International school in Morges caters for students from Pre-Kindergarten (aged 3) up to Primary 5 (aged 11) and from September 2012 the LLIS Secondary section is opening. Living in Nyon spoke to Anna Kaeser, the director of LLIS and Marianne Salem, the admissions director, to find out more about this new school and to discover what sets it apart from the other schools in the area. Photo above Anna Kaeser left - LLIS school director and Marianne Salem right - school admissions director. “Our school is situated amongst trees in the building of a former State school We are aiming to create a school which has a holistic approach to education. We will be teaching the International Primary Curriculum and International Middle Years Curriculum. This is an innovative approach to early years, primary and middle years in an international context. It is based on a set of explicitly defined learning goals for every subject of the curriculum, for personal development and, uniquely for the development of "international mindness" . The programmes are designed to help children develop their personal strengths and potential, and to grow their skills and attitudes they will need throughout a lifetime of learning. At the heart of the programmes is a central bank of units of work. The learning goals are interdisciplinary and are themed around an area of real interest to students, respecting their own knowledge, understanding and inquisitiveness. Examples of these themes include Treasure, Rainforest, Mission to Mars and Beyond and Fit for Life. Each unit of work lasts on average between four and eight weeks and children learn many of their subjects through this one common theme so that their learning is more meaningful. LLIS is a Cambridge School Lake Leman International School met the requirements to register as a Cambridge School and have joined the Cambridge School network. This provides a curriculum framework to develop English, Mathematics, and Science skills, knowledge and understanding in younger learners from 5-14 years. It enables teachers to assess children's learning as they progress with two optional assessments: • Cambridge Primary Progression Tests • Cambridge Primary Checkpoint. Travelling to School LLIS wish to provide students with a safe and pleasant way to get to and from school. Students may reach the LLIS conveniently by train or mini bus service. For students arriving by car the school is very conveniently situated in close proximately to the motor way exit at Morges Ouest. After School Activities To nurture the interests of students and to develop well rounded individuals, LLIS offers a selection of extra-curricular activities and sports which will complement the academic programme. Encouraging physical activity is an important part of the LLIS philosophy. Dress Code and Appearance LLIS is very proud of the appearance of all students. It is their policy that children wear school uniform every day. It is designed to be simple and practical and, above all, gives children a sense of belonging to the school. School Catering Our school meals at LLIS are provided by local company Jacky Show. Using local produce and only Bio/organic foods, Jacky Show has the prestigious Fourchette Verte quality mark. Chefs at Jacky Show in Lonay - minutes away from LLIS - prepare a full menu daily that is delivered directly to the school. All dietary requirements can be catered for. Photo above - statue of children at play on Morges quayside School near public transport Photo above - The Gottaz train stop on the BAM line, just a few minutes from the school

The FAR arts festival in Nyon begins on the 10th August and continues through to the 20th. Along with Paléo, Visions du Réel and Caribana, FAR is the fourth of Nyon's major festivals. See the full programme here Triathlon de Nyon On the 7th August it's the Triathlon de Nyon. There will be restricted visiting times at the swimming pool and also traffic restrictions in certain areas around Nyon on that day. For full info on the traffic situation, see site here and click on "déviations routières". English film in Nyon The Capitole Cinema in Nyon is showing the film Larry Crowne in English, starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts at 19:00 and 21:00 until the 9th August. See site for other films on the programme. Worcester Warriors in Nyon From the 8th -14th August, the Worcester Warriors Rugby Club will be guests here of the Nyon Rugby Club. See here for more details Photos in this post The photos in this post have been sent in by reader and professional photographer Catherine Lewis. They are of the 1st August celebrations that took place in Commugny this year. Click here for link to her site Readers please note - Living in Nyon will be taking a short summer break. In the interim if you want to find out about other events happening across Switzerland, click on the "In Any Event" button on the side bar of this site. The next post will be on August 15th. Any related correspondence will be dealt with after that date.

It's the time of year in this part of Vaud, when children are returning to school in both the public and private sector. It's also when institutions offering vocational courses are now opening their doors for registration. These academies and institutions, offer both adults and children the chance to learn a new skill, study a new language or learn to play an instrument plus a wealth of other vocational possibilities. If you are interested in trying out a new hobby or want to pursue an existing one, here is a list of some of the options available in Nyon, Rolle and Morges. The Conservatoire of Western Vaud. Firstly, COV (the Conservatoire of L'ouest Vaudois - one of Living Nyon's main sponsors) is now open for registration. The Conservatoire in Nyon is in a lovely lake side setting and offers a wide range of courses in music, theatre, jazz, classical, traditional music, percussion, guitar, saxophone, piano, trumpet and more . Courses are run in French but most of the teachers at the Conservatoire speak English; a big help for newly arrived expatriates who have not yet mastered French! Photo above - a concert at the Conservatoire. The COV also gives regular jazz concerts (usually on a Friday ), and classical concerts on Sunday afternoons in term time. For more information, either click on the advert on the side bar, click here or call the receptionist (in Nyon), Nicole Rentsch, Monday to Friday from 14:00 to 17:00 Tel 022 994 2360. For courses in Morges, call Magali Kramer, Monday to Thursday 14:00 -18:00 Friday 14:00 -17:00 Tel 021 802 43 24 L'ADAC Another academy in Nyon which also runs courses in Gland and Rolle is L'ADAC (Académie des arts créatifs). This is a non profit-making association of creative arts. It offers work-shops given by specialised teachers where "everyone has an opportunity to explore different forms of art such as music, painting, photography, dancing, etc". The site has a section in English for you to discover more about their courses. There are other private and commercial courses available in the area such as language learning and hundreds of other options through Migros Ecole. Either see their site or pick up a brochure in the Migros Nyon supermarket or visit the Migros Ecole registration office (below the supermarket). For fitness classes, check out the Clinique Lingiere near Gland which offers swimming lessons for adults and children, and runs classes in aqua gym, Zumba, Pilates and more. Book fair and literary event along Morges quayside and on CGN boats - English programme with English authors at Le Livre sur les quais! British authors Monica Lewycka, (author of "A short history of Tractors in Ukranian"), crime writer Mark Billingham, (latest novel - "Good as Dead"), Simon Toyne (author of Sanctus), and other authors including the Nyon living American basket ball player artist and writer Jon Fergusson, will be attending "Le livre sur les quais". For the programme of events in English, see end of this post. Photo in banner Morges town centre- above Morges quayside. This fair will provide "a unique opportunity for readers and authors to come together in a relaxed yet thought-provoking atmosphere". Over 200 authors will be present over the weekend. "After the phenomenal success of the 2010 edition that attracted more than 25,000 visitors, this year’s event plays host to more than 200 Swiss, French and French-Canadian authors, as well as English-language writers. Devoted exclusively to writers, books and literature, this event is unique in Switzerland. The ingredients of the 2011 edition will echo those of last year’s success : a large marquee will be erected at the lakeside where authors will be available for signing their works; more than 80 lectures and debates will be organised in downtown Morges; various activities will be organised for schools and families. This year, boats provided by the CGN will host on-board conferences and discussions on the lake. Entry is free of charge. English literature will also be featured for the first time with eight English speaking authors being present. The international flavour of the event will be highlighted with discussions and conferences taking place in English. Note. The festival is still looking for a few volunteers to help out at this festival on Friday and Sunday. ( non francophones, just Sunday). Please contact Emmanuelle Staub e.staub@lelivresurlesquais.ch] for more information.Details of English programme belowSaturday September 3rd 14:00 to 15:30 Meeting with S. Clarke (Boat « Henry-Dunant », main deck). Presented by: Helen Stubbs 15:00 to 16:15 Meeting with D. Kennedy (Casino, salle Belle époque). Presented by: Helen Stubbs 16:00 to 17:15 Anglo-Saxon writers (Boat the " Henry-Dunant ", rear upper deck). Authors: M. Billingham, M. Lewycka and S. Toyne. Presented by: Helen Stubbs. 17:30 to 19:00 Meetingwith H. Hamilton (Boat -"The Henry-Dunant", main deck). Presented by: Helen Stubbs. Sunday, September 4th10:30-12:00 Meetingwith R. J. Ellory(Boat The "Lausanne "- Salon Genève). Presented by: J. Ferguson. 15:00 to 16:15 Meeting with D. Kennedy (in French) (Casino, salle Belle époque). Presented by: D. Rochebin. (With the support of BCV) 15:30 to 17:00 Meeting with S. Clarke (in French)(Boat "The Lausanne"- Salon Haute-Savoie). Presenter: M. Audétat.

Here are a few images of the second night of Paléo. Full report on the evening, Angus and Julia Stone, Portishead, etc coming up soon. Above - Los de Abajo performing in the Dome tent last night All photos - Catherine Nelson-Pollard

After a short summer break, Living in Nyon has been taking a look at what's been happening recently in the local news. Work on Nyon - St Cergue train line La Côte newspaper reports that from Tuesday 16th August until the 28th October, the NStCM train that runs from Nyon to La Cure in France, will not be operating between the stations of Arzier and St Cergue. This is to allow work and improvements to the line. A bus to transport passengers has been assigned to replace the train during this time . See site here Strong Franc affects local businesses. La Côte also reports on how the strong Swiss Franc is affecting Nyon businesses. The article interviews business owners and asks how they are coping in the current climate as customers travel over the border to France to take advantage of the favourable currency exchange. The article appears in the edition of 19th August, the Friday edition is usually also on sale over the weekend. Events this weekend and over the next few daysSt Prex Classics A few miles further down the lake from Nyon, the St Prex Classics festival has now begun and will continues until the 28th August. St Prex is a very pretty village along Lac Léman and there is lots on the agenda at this festival from dance to classical music, including a recital by Nigel Kennedy violinist, with dance performances from Aurélie Dupont and Jérémie Bélingard -principal dancers from the L'Opera de Paris. See website for full details. FAR ends tomorrow Meanwhile in Nyon, FAR (the town's own art festival), comes to an end this Saturday 20th, so there is still time to catch a show for those interested in performance art. See website here Flea Market and Boat Trips This Sunday 21st the monthly flea market takes place along Nyon's lake side. This weekend it will also be possible to take a free trip out the lake on the small boat the Nyolue 11. This will be organised by the charitable organisation the "Pirates of the Rive". Rive Jazzy event in September Rive Jazzy (the association behind Nyon's open air jazz concerts) has now finished its programme for the season, but the organisers will be organising a "grand soiree" on the 10th September in the Usine a Gaz (renamed for this occasion as the Usine a Jazz!) For info on the bands performing at this event and how to reserve tckets, see site here Big family picnic this Sunday open to public This Sunday the 21st August, "The Society of the development of Cheserex" is organising a big family picnic at La Barilette. There are three ways to join the picnic - by walking with others to La Barilette, going by bike, or by car for those who need to use their own transport. The apéro and picnic starts at 11:30, there is no need to reserve in advance, salads and bread will be provided, just bring your own meat to be barbecued! Drinks will be on sale on site. Home made desserts will be most welcome for those who want to take one to share with others. This sounds like a fun event for a family day out. See the Cheserex website here for more details. Other events coming up for your diaryNyon - Mulan Musical in English for the family. Friday 26th, 27th and 28th August At the end of every summer the Really Youthful Group section of GAOS (the Geneva Operatic Society) puts on a musical in Nyon at the Théatre de Mârens. These performances are directed, produced and acted by young people and they are helped along by a guiding hand from older theatrical godmothers and godfathers in the society. They are a great way for children and teenagers to learn about theatre skills and directing, along with giving young people an opportunity to have lots of fun over the summer rehearsing for the show. If you are new to Nyon, these musical events can also be a good way of meeting other expatriates, as there is usually a bar at the theatre where other adults meet to chat before or after the show. If you are interested in acting or musical theatre, you can find out more about GAOS too at the theatre. Coppet 26th August to 17th September - "Frankenstein" - big open air theatre performance (in French) in the courtyard of the castle . See site here Coming up soon on this site, the first in a series of of interviews by artist Stephanie Fonteyn with other local artists. The series begins with Christine Collet. Plus details on a classic car show and a "Sherlock Holmes" festival.