This is the way football should be. A true celebration of the beautiful game. During the three weeks of Euro 2008, Swiss,Turkish, Spanish, Portugese, German, French, Russian, Dutch and other nationalities all congegrated in the UBS Arena in Nyon. Not once did I see any violence, any problems , or confrontations . All I saw was a healthy respect for each other's country. The arena was not just a place for fans, it was also a place where parents could feel comfortable about bringing their children too. There were days when the downpours made the atmosphere more subdued, on others the fans cheered on in baking heat. The moon appeared over the stadium one night and the people on the ferry which was sailing along the lakeside at the same time must have had a magnificent view of all the happy fans. Its worth noting that although beer was on sale each night there never seemed to be any over drunkenness. Some evenings saw the arena packed, at other times there were not many folk, but throughout it all there was a spirit of bonhomie. There was collective sighing and booing at the referees, frustration at missed shots and sheer joy when goals were scored. After matches the crowd often congregated around the railway station and it became a noisy, but fun place to be. The police were there but kept a healthy distance, with an eye on it all whilst smiling at the fun. The law about the tooting of car horns was completely ignored, they just let the fans celebrate. If there were any problems, I didn't see any any. What I did see impressed me enormously. The Spanish fans were in joyous mood last night around Nyon but those whose team didn't make it still got in their cars to wave flags and be part of the celebrations. A fitting way for a town that has the headquarters of UEFA along its lakeside. This is how football should be. The football fans of Nyon should be proud of themselves. Take a look at the photos below to see what I mean. I heard that there was a similar atmosphere over in Plainpalais in Geneva with the Germans and the Spanish hugging each other at the end of the match last night. Positively heartwarming. This post was also published on Genevalunch

With over 160 films to choose from at the Visions du Réel film festival this year, there is a lot on offer with films being screened from around the world. Many of the films are either shown in English or subtitled in English. Alongside the films, there are film workshops and conferences which are open to the public, even the local shopkeepers have got in the act by decorating their windows in the theme of the festival. Directors, producers, journalists, film reviewers, film buyers from TV stations and cinemas descend on the town for eight days of film related events.  Tickets to all films can be booked online or at the box office. As in previous years, Living in Nyon will be reporting back from the festival over the next eight days and reviewing a selection of films. Film reviews - "Cyclique" - A fascinating insight into the bike courier world with a local perspective.                           "Die Letzen Gigolos - The Last Gigolos" - A touching, funny and poignant film. "I sometimes feel like I am flying" , reflects Caroline (bike "number 67"), one of the bike couriers in "Cyclique"  a documentary focussing on the world of bike messengers in Lausanne.  In the film we see the couriers shooting red lights, getting shouted at, chasing deadlines, picking up parcels from CFF trains, from local offices, large corporations and deluxe hotels whilst cycling up and down the hilly streets of the city. They struggle to find addresses or pick up points and work both day and night. This film which concentrates mainly on two long standing couriers, Caroline and Raphaël. The latter, a maverick as shown by his home life, he doesn't hide his heavy dope smoking from the camera or that he wants a change and wants out from his current situation. Yet the appeal of biking keeps hims on the road. "I love the idea of being on a mission" . Caroline, although she too loves biking, "the feeling of freedom is addictive"  is looking for a job that has more long term potential and continues the search for a job in journalism in between making deliveries.  We also follows the training of a new recruit and see him learning the ropes.  The film is superbly shot. The director Frédéric Favre was a courier himself for ten years and from the opening scene, the camera follows the bikers at their level, criss-crossing the city in all conditions, you can hear the wet pavements, the wheels of their bikes, the wind as they whizz to make deliveries and you can an almost feel the cold yourself as the bikers make deliveries in all weathers and return back to base, cold, wet and shivering. As to whether Caroline and Raphaël stay in the job that they have a love/ hate relationship with, you will have to watch the film itself.  A fascinating insight into the bike courier world with a local perspective. Cyclique  is in the Helvetique section of the film festival. Screenings Tuesday 21st April at 14:00 at the Théâtre de Marens and on Wednesday the 22nd at 16:30 at Grande Salle Colombière. Click here for tickets  The two main protoganists in Cyclique, if not exactly at the start of their working lives, they are still young and have a lifetime of experiences ahead of them, whereas the two main male characters in " Die Letzen Gigolos - The Last Gigolos" directed by Stephan Bergmann are men in the third stage of their life. Retired with successful careers behind them, due to various personal circumstances these men have found themselves alone and lonely in their twilight years. However they discover that a new lease of life awaits them as they can be in great demand as hosts on luxury cruise ships, their job being to entertain the ladies on board by dancing with them each night. The superb opening sequence of the film shows one of the gentleman laying out a selection of ties for an upcoming cruise. "Light blue tie with pink stripes -  youthful. Beige -  modest and classy. Orange/ Blue - a club tie. Dark blue with green stripes -modest and refined".   The film itself focusses on two particular  men as we see them doing the rhumba, foxtrot and tango and other dances each night with a selection of different ladies.  Life on board is a daily round of cocktails or wine in the afternoon, on board games, dips in the pool, trips out to various port of call and then dressing for dinner followed by dancing. We also see life below deck,  staff cooking the guests' meals, ironing laundry, and taking German lessons so they can communicate with the guests. Not all of the men on board are ship's hosts, Some are there just for a holiday, but in conversation they reveal their loneliness. The men in particular, miss their careers and status that came with it. " I was a judge for 40 years " says one passenger  "and in Germany I  presided over major terrorism processes. When you turn 65, judges have to retire whether they like it or not. On the one hand you have a position that you curse, because you have body guards and such things, on the other hand you enjoy the importance and then one day, it's  gone".  "I was an attorney" says another, " and a good one, now I just whittle away my time going on cruises". Yet not everyone on board is melancholy, one guest, a mature lady is much more pragmatic about her situation, she embraces life on board by chatting to everyone, taking part in all the activities, dressing to the nines, dancing and flirting the night away. She catches the eye of one of the hosts and they make a handsome pair whirling and twirling across the dance floor. However, there are strict rules on the comportment of the hosts and above deck at least, flirting is a far as it can go and everything has to be "above board". What happens below deck and away from the camera's eye is left to the viewers' imagination. This is a touching, funny and poignant film and although perhaps a tad too long, is one definitely worth seeing. Screenings Tuesday 21st April at 16:15 at the Théâtre de Marens in Nyon and on Wednesday the 22nd at 18:00 at the  Théâtre de Grands Champs in Gland. Click here for tickets Note there are free navette buses running between Nyon and Gland before and after the screenings. Full details on the festival website.

Local Politics. Left, Right, Centre, Green etc? Want to know more about local politics? Read on...... August 22nd 2008 Who will govern Nyon's 17,812 inhabitants ? In just over a month, Nyon goes to the polls. You might think this is nothing unusual, there often seems to be the "Vote Here" sign up in the centre of town. However, what you might not be aware of, is that local politics has recently become very interesting. So I'm absolutely delighted that Bernadette Nelissen (in photo below) has volunteered to outline the situation in English for this site and to keep us updated on current happenings and events.Bernadette is Dutch and her job brought her to Nyon in 1994. She’s president of la Balle au Bond (a children's "after school" service) and she was one of the driving forces in creating the new Children’s Library in the town. She works in the financial sector in Geneva and is mother of four girls. Over the years she has become more and more interested in local politics and this is the first of her reports, (with a few photos added by me). "Some people think Swiss politics are boring, I can assure you they’re not. Especially not in Nyon, it has been very lively lately and will be even more exciting this autumn. A lot of issues in Switzerland are decided on a local level (far more than in most countries). Therefore it’s useful to become a bit more familiar with the decision-makers of this beautiful town." How is it organised and who’s who? in local Nyon politics? The people of Nyon vote to elect their *conseil communal" and their "municipaux" every 5 years, (last time was in the summer of 2006). * Nearest translation "council" and "municipality". The conseil communal has 100 members, elected by the voters and divided over seven political parties. They meet ten times a year and several times a month in smaller committees. All these members are volunteers. If you go to the following site you can click on your quartier (area) and see who are the members of the conseil communal living close to you. The 100 members of the conseil communal are divided over the political parties as follows (from left wing to right wing): Parti Ouvrier Populaire (Workers Party) (POP) 7 membersParti Socialiste (PS) 28 membersParti des Verts (The Green Party) 14 membersParti Indépendants Nyonnais 13 membersParti Radical 12 membersParti Libéral 18 membersUnion Democratique du Centre (UDC) 8 members There are normally seven municipaux in Nyon. They get paid on a part-time basis (two days a week), despite the fact that they are usually working practically full-time. If you are a regular reader of La Côte you will certainly recognise their names: Claude Dupertuis - Workers party - Urbanism & Construction, Town Planning, ad-interim mayor Monique Boss - Socialist party - Culture & Green spaces Fabienne Freymond Cantone - Socialist - Finance, IT and Utilities Olivier Mayor - Green party - Social Services, Sports, Schools & Religious Faiths Claude Uldry - Independent - Human Resources & Buildings Elisabeth Ruey-Ray, Liberal - Police, Mobility & Fire Services Here are all their photos Over a dispute concerning his place of residence, (a municipal is obliged to live in Nyon) the last syndic (mayor) of Nyon, who used to be member of the socialist party, Alain-Valéry Poitry, was forced to leave in the spring of 2008 (this was quite a local drama) so for the last few months Claude Dupertuis has acted as ad-interim mayor. On the 28th of September there will be elections to finally bring the number of municipaux back to seven. There are two candidates: Maurice Gay (radical) Here is his site and Daniel Rosselat, (officially without a party but linked to the Green Party), better known as the boss of the Paleo-festival. Here is his site In a second election a new mayor will also be chosen, this will take place on November 9th (with, if needed, a second round on November 30th) Nyon is buzzing with rumours about these elections. The radical party hopes to gain back their position in the municipalité with Maurice Gay, and the left wing parties could strengthen their forces if Daniel Rossellat is elected. There’s a lot at stake for all parties involved and it will be even more exciting when the election for mayor will take place early November. It’s going to be “chaud” this autumn, so we’re looking forward to it! " Thanks Bernadette, it looks like it's "hats off " now with local politics. It's going to be fascinating. Please note: Bernadette and I have tried to be as accurate as possible, but translation errors may occur and some fine and latest details may be omitted, but we have tried to give a broad overview for you.

Patrick Dentan, the cinema programmer at the Capitole Cinéma in Nyon has previewed the film "The Hundred Foot Journey" starring Helen Mirren and says it is "a feel-good" movie and worth going to see. The film, produced by Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey is the story of the Kadam family who clash with Madame Mallory, proprietress of a celebrated restaurant in the South of France, after they open their own  Indian restaurant nearby.  See trailer below. There are 5 pairs of free tickets on offer to the Avant-Premiere of this movie which will be shown in English in Nyon on Monday 8th September at 20:30. To be in with a chance of winning tickets, send an email with your full name, the name of the other person who will be accompanying you and the towns or villages that you both live in to  info@capitole-nyon.ch Closing date Saturday 6th September 2014.

Photo above - Château de Prangins A reader has sent this notice to Living in Nyon of a garage sale taking place at her house this week. "Everything must go! - House and garage full of items to sell or give away; all furniture, all large and small appliances, linens, HD Plasma TV’s, DVD players, tools, tools, tools, as well as a 2005 Grand Cherokee Jeep. The list goes on and on.  Great deals because everything must go!!  So, come along EVERY DAY FROM Monday, July 4th until Sunday, July 10th 13:00 – 20:00 50 chemin de la Bruyère 1197 Prangins -------------------------------------------------------------------   Tout doit disparaître!!   J'ai une maison et le garage plein d'articles à vendre ou à donner : tous les meubles, tous les petits et gros électroménagers, literie, télévision à écran plasma HD, lecteurs DVD, des outils, meubles du jardin, ainsi que d'une 2005 Grand Cherokee de Jeep. La liste s'allonge encore et encore. Offres spéciales parce que tout doit aller !!!!! Alors, venez TOUS LES JOURS DE  Lundi, 4th Juillet au Dimanche, 10th Juillet  13h00-20h00, 50 chemin de la Bruyère, Rez  1197 Prangins.

The book "Le Léman regards de peintres contemporians", features works of art from Léman Swiss artists and the Galerie  Aux Deux Fontaines (up in the pretty village of Bursins) is holding an exhibition of some of  the works of art. The exhibition launches the exhibition today 27th November from 18:00 to 21:00 and then the gallery will be open Thursday to Sunday 14:00 to 18:30.  Living in Nyon interviewed the author Erik Chris Peels last year and you can read more about him and the book here. Gaetan the popular childrens entertainer will be singing to many a child's delight this afternoon Saturday 27th at 15:00 Chavannes Centre.   Somewhere to take young children in this snowy weather! Next Sunday the 5th December there will be a Christmas market down by the Rive in Nyon. Buvettes, Christmas decorations.

Caribana Day 2 reviewed here by Jonas Parson - Jonas is studying at the University of Lausanne and has written various festival, band and  music reviews  for this site. All photos by Jonas. Although Caribana has a somewhat long tradition of inclement weather during the festival, it looks as though the curse has been broken after a second day of fantastic weather on the Crans lakeside. The grounds filled up gradually, as more and more people arrived to chill out and watch their favourite bands. Spirits were high as people were glad to enjoy the sun at last and sit down in the grass for a drink, some music and something to eat. The grounds are really small at Caribana, set on the lakeside with an amazing view of the lake from two of the bars, amidst trees- some of which are actually used to hold up f the lighting!  consequently, it feels really cosy. But the price to pay for such nice settings is getting here- especially if you have to come by bus. The timetables are rather limited (two buses an hour from Nyon) to get there, and it's even worse coming back! Riding to the festival was quite an experience - even more so as we haven't gotten use to the warmth yet, and a quarter of an hour of stuffy jam-packed bus ride wasn't exactly what anybody was looking for! But what the festival lacks in organisation- you can feel this is a tiny festival, nothing on the scale of Paléo for example-, it makes up for with the settings and very tranquil spirit. This makes for a very composite crowd, families with small children, youngsters roaming around (well, roaming might not exactly be possible at Caribana, say strolling), and festival goers in their twenties - the natural fauna of a festival?- to older folk, here for a nice night out with friends. This unique setting tends to make people quite attached to this little festival, and the faithful are here every year. If you get lost or need some information, these helpful helpers will help you find your way with a smile. Strolling around the grounds, they are easily recognisable by their trendy orange waistcoats. This year's must in term of food are these crazy potatoes- basically a long crisp rolled around a stick. Delicious and rather cool looking!  But the success of a festival is most importantly made by the people, not by the food stalls, (although there are quite a few really nice ones, including a delicious bar), so here's the portrait of a couple of people met on the grounds. First of all, Petros, this lively young man originally from Zambia has been living in Switzerland for 6 years, and spends the festival season going around Switzerland selling hats and sunglasses- the typical festival stall. Last week was Festineuch, then there'll be Greenfield, before Montreux Jazz and Paleo in July. What a life! Dancing and saluting passers by in front of his stall when he wasn't selling a pair of bright pink sunglasses, he was slightly critical of the music coming from the stage, although it didn't stop him from dancing to it. Valerie and Pierre-André came all the way from Fribourg to watch Archive - Pierre-André had seen them in Cannes this year and wanted to take his partner to see them, even in crutches, as this was Archive's only concert in Switzerland! They really enjoyed the unique atmosphere of this small festival, and were appreciating the view over the lake when I met them. Regular festival goers, they then choose the night they'll come on depending on the line-up. They were really impressed with how well they were welcomed and helped, what with the crutches and all. Spread out in the grass, a cloth bag on his head, Jorisse was hard to miss, in a very festivalish attitude. Come from Yverdon with Marion to see The Heavy, it was his first time at Caribana, and he was really enjoying the atmosphere of the small festival. Marion suggested that there should be a holiday after each festival, as getting up next morning was always a bit of a challenge...  The evening kicked off with "Take Me Home", a pop band from Geneva. The three musicians were quite energetic, even though the crowd wasn't very big and a lot of people were just sitting around having a drink. But by the time 77 Bombay Street came on stage on the main stage, the grounds were full and people were pressing forward to watch the Swiss German quartet of brothers. In their trademark uniforms, and with lots of punch they charmed their audience with all of their most famous songs, from " Up in the Sky ", to " 47 Millionaires " and "I love Lady Gaga". Although the crowd was quite calm to start with, everybody was clapping to the music at the end of the concert, and the most dedicated fans at the front were dancing about. The band thanked the crowd and promised they would be back soon! Next on was Andy Burrows. This multi-talented musician from Winchester (he started of as a drummer, and plays the drums for We are scientists, but also plays solo as a guitarist and songwriter) delivered his folky  indie-pop for the delight of the crowd in front of the scène du lac. He made everyone happy, from the enthusiasts who wanted to dance, to the people who were glad to be able to sit down and have a bite while listening to some nice music- neither too calm as to make you fall asleep, nor too loud to make it impossible to have a chat. Burrows himself was quite lively, never standing still - as you can see on the photo below, he even played while standing on one foot for some reason! The crowd had grown constantly since the beginning of the evening, and it was now hard to make your way through the festival, zigzagging between people sitting down or queuing for food. By the way, you can always tell when you're in a festival in Switzerland. It's that place where you can still get to eat a raclette and see people walking around with bottles of Swiss wine and wine glasses. As there are only two stages on the grounds, the schedule is quite tight- one band at a time playing alternately on the main stage and the "lake" stage. Night was falling as Archive walked on stage, with their new and charismatic young vocalist, who brought soul touches to the trip-hop of this British band. Starting off with three of the band on the keyboards, and quite a melodic tune, they then went on to some heavier stuff, to the delight of the crowd gathered to see them. Never too young for a festival! A lot of kids came to watch the music with their parents, enjoying the sweet stall on site and watching the music as best they could, whether on the shoulders of their parents or sitting on a rubbish bin.  As the night fell, I came across two kids fast asleep next to their mother, lying down on a rug behind the crowd in front of the Archive concert The rouge FM bar even has a game of Just Dance! much to the pleasure and amusement of these ladies. Getting warmed up before the real stuff!    What a better way to decorate the entrance to the toilets than to let some graffiti artists come and paint them? People sitting down for a bite-including a very well organised (oh so swiss!) festival goer The lights play tricks on the crowd

The Open Air cinema is back in Nyon this year from 30 July and continues until the 25th August. The first film to be screened will be  "Les Schtroumpfs" (the Smurfs!) Although films do not begin until 21:30, the terrace is open from 19:00 for snacks, "grillades" and drinks. Note - tomorrow Weds (the 31st July) the film will be "Now You see Me" (in English  (details here )  and on the 1st August (note: at the later time of 22:15 due to the National holiday) the film will be The Rolling Stones film "Live in Texas '78" . This film was released in 2011 and was filmed in 16 mm during the US Tour 1978. This live performance was recorded and filmed during one show at the Will Rogers Auditorium in Fort Worth, Texas 18 July 1978 during their US Tour 1978 in support of their album "Some Girls" (details here).  Ticket prices and more details here

Visions du Réel Day 6! Here are three films reviews from Visions du Réel, two by Trish Thalman and one by Fanny Levraz. Two of the films,  Women in Sink and Nosotros Ellas  are about women, the first, " a vivacious, warm hearted funny film" and the other is  "a breath taking close up of womanly lives" .   The Enemy  is about the mosquito, a documentary filmed in Cuba, a "comedic delight" and one "not to be missed" . Films of completely different styles but all worth watching according to their reviewers. All three films will be screened today Wednesday 22nd. Nosotros Ellas at 12:15 and The Enemy and Women in Sink at 18:00  Full details and tickets here . Also today, don't forget  Paléo tickets go on sale at midday so get in line or online to buy your tickets as they sell out very fast! The Enemy  by Aldemar Matias - "Not to be missed". The enemy is actually the mosquito and larvae that is responsible for Dengue Fever. Cuba - during the 80's, there was an epidemic of the disease. People died. Since that time, the Public Health Department Law requires every building, shop, living quarters to be free of the disease carrying insects. In one of the residential quarters of Havana, a team of Health Inspectors set out daily to visit and check homes and businesses, capture mosquitos in glass tubes and deal with copious amounts of administrative paper work, that is, once they have sung the national anthem together to start the day. The good-natured, squabbling team of workers deal with mistakes, wrong addresses, incorrect information, accusations by fellow workers who all answer to their imposing, boisterous supervisor, a woman who is determined to leave no larvae left in the quarter. And don't tell her what to do either! The film follows the workers as they brow-beat citizens about keeping pest free, argue with them about paying fines, making deals for a lower fine, and re-educating them about health laws if larvae and mosquitos are found. One family is designated to be fumigated, but a hilarious discussion follows whether to fumigate or not, as the family is having lunch. The fumigation proceeds anyway, engulfing the tiny living accommodation and courtyard with thick white smoke. The noisy fumigator, belching it's fumes, is a fabulous piece of 'art work' from the 80's, that can only exist in Cuba where everything is 'fixed and maintained', as new fumigators would be impossible to obtain. The closing scene with the buzzing fumigator, the billowing puffs of smoke wafting everywhere through the street is a comedic delight. You can almost smell the putrid poison. Not to be missed. Info and tickets here   Women in Sink   by Iris Zaki – Women chatting together while having their hair washed. Iris has a job in a women's hair salon. She lathers shampoo, washes hair and carries on conversations that turnout to be relaxed and exceptional. Because, the women who come into the salon are a mix of Jewish, Arab and Christian Arab women living in Israel. There is a calendar on the wall with the picture of Jesus holding a Lamb, the writing on the outside of the Salon is in Arabic, and everyone speaks freely about their family history, where they are from, and the always current issues between the Jews and the Arabs. The salon is always filled with laughing, noisy customers, friends, people who drop by (women and men) and the reception desk is usually filled with snacks, cakes and breads being shared with all. It is a comfortable retreat for the customers who enter. We see 'talking heads' of all ages with an array of coloured lips, eye shadowed lids, and jewelry, along with skin and teeth defects, glowingly framed by the shiny, wet black enamel and chrome of the washing sink. The conversations run the gamut with eye and facial expressions reflecting emotions. Some customers just lie back, close their eyes and say nothing. We see only their face and wet heads. This vivacious, warm-hearted, funny film gives voice to and a quick snapshot of articulate women with something to say in a relaxed environment, enjoying shampoo and warm water on their heads. The young directors of both films have filmed and told their clever stories in a most humorous yet sensitive manner. Their own personalities shine through. Info and tickets here Nosotras Ellas by Julia Pesce  (Us Women, Them Women) review by Fanny Levraz  "A breath-taking close-up of womanly lives" Somewhere in Argentina, there is a quiet house, with open windows that let the wind in. In this house, there are women. They are mothers and daughters, aunts and sisters, who come together and share, creating an entity even stronger than family in the classical sense. It starts with death and ends with birth. The first scenes of this documentary pull you right in. With unusual closeness, you can distinguish a wrinkled foot held by strong hands. An old lady, in her nightgown and bedridden is having her exhausted body gently rubbed by her daughter. Words fail to convey the powerful sentiment provoked by this attentive care and love. The only other living beings that seem to be tolerated in this close clan are the silent majestic old grey cat that will glare at us without moving, and the slim and curious toe-sniffing dog. In the quiet house, the cycle of life takes place. Some of the women will move in, some of them move out. Filming close-ups of pieces of body, a shoulder with flying hair, tired feet, a treasure-looking hand, the camera creates blurry limits between the individuals of the house. They look alike to a point it makes them difficult to separate at times. The young director and camerawoman of this documentary, Julia Pesce, is actually a part of the family she follows during these changing times. It was a five-year long process, in order to have her family forget that she has holding a camera. This particularity will be immediately sensed, because there will be absolutely no barrier between these women and the spectator. If their world seems secret and sealed, we are welcomed into it, to be witnesses the passing of an old generation to a new one. With an invisible camera, blunt access to the realities of these women is made possible, and the result is stunning. Beautiful, sensible, and generous is definitely recommended to all women, your heart will cry and smile. If by any chance you meet Julia Pesce, you will see an adorable little boy in a baby-sling, the symbol of the new generation starting. Info and tickets here

Raising Multilingual Children - 22nd and 24 March Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa, author of “Raising Multilingual Children” will be giving two workshops in Lausanne on Sunday 22nd March and in Geneva on Tuesday 24th March. Living in Nyon can highly recommend these very useful and informative events.  They are an ideal opportunity to ask Tracey questions and to find out how children learn languages.  For full details and to sign up to these workshops, see Know it All Passport. Conversation in Literature -  8 March Etgar Keret, a leading Israeli writer and film-maker, will be in conversation with Lisbeth Koutchoumoff, journalist at Le Temps, at the Jan Michalski Foundation in Montricher on Sunday 8th March at 15:00 followed by the screening of his film Jellyfish . Born in Tel Aviv in 1967, Etgar Keret is one of the leading voices in Israeli literature and cinema. He is the author of five bestselling collections, which have been translated into thirty-five languages. He has also written a number of award-winning screenplays, and Jellyfish , the first film that he directed - along with his wife Shira Geffen - won the Camera d'Or prize for best first feature at Cannes in 2007. In 2010 he was awarded the Chevalier medallion of France's Order of Arts and Letters. See site here Friday 13th February - Quintet Indigo will perform at the Conservatoire of Nyon   To reserve a seat, see COV s ite here

Here is a summary of the "Swiss Politics for Dummies" evening event held at the Ferme du Manoir in Nyon in January. This was written by John Tracey who lives in Coinsins and who amongst the audience that night. " Swiss politics for Dummies " Does living in and around Nyon engender low self esteem ? How amazing that a hundred of us freely flocked to declare ourselves publicly to be a dummy at this excellent event on January 28th. Reality is that we were all there under false pretences and were very wise to have come out that evening and return home even wiser. If Swiss Politics doesn’t turn you on, you certainly haven’t heard Jordan Davies’ scintillating synopsis which, in his inimitable light-hearted way, paints a clear – even attractive – picture helping us all make sense of it. You’d immediately recognise Jordan from World Radio Switzerland 101.7 FM. His grasp of international politics and the Swiss structure was as enlightening as entertaining. Our political system reflects Switzerland’s diversity in language, culture and geography. The basic precepts of the people’s sovereignty, direct democracy and leading by consensus has devolved Swiss political power into today’s three tier structure; Federal, Cantonal and Communal. Each level operates on the same principle of an elected executive, broad-based council and is tempered by the individual authority of the electorate. Federal Council comprises of Seven members The Federal Council comprises seven members of equal status who each serve as President for a year on a rotational basis. While this has the advantage of avoiding ‘personality politics’ prevalent in other countries, it can yield slower legislation since the traditional drive is to seek agreement, understand and respect others’ positions. It also fosters a sense of decorum and politeness in government/politics (“being nice to each other !”) – somewhat unusual in modern day democracies…. Interestingly, recent attempts to change (modernise ?) this way of operating failed in favour of retaining fundamental consensus. The next level of national legislative is the Federal Assembly split into two Chambers, the Council of States and the National Council. A similar structure is found at the cantonal level, with the elected executive State Council and more rank and file Grand Council, and in the communes, the Municipal and Communal Councils. On this local level, we were treated to an impressive array of councillors encouraging us to feel free to get involved. We enjoyed brief presentations from some of Nyon’s cream originally hailing from New Jersey, Newcastle, the Nederlands and even Nyon. Our entertaining evening culminated in a gracious endorsement of the base message to get integrated and involved from Nyon’s Municipal Councillor Elisabeth Ruey-Ray. She praised and thanked Catherine Nelson-Pollard for her excellent work in promoting understanding and integration and went on to win unanimous acclamation by pronouncing the much-loved traditional invitation - - “au Carnotzet !”

Below is an update of recent local news taken from the newspaper La Côte . Kofi Annan, the former Secretary General of the United Nations and a former winner of the Nobel Peace Prize has moved into a house in Founex (just a few kilometres from Nyon). Transport News Eleven public and private transport companies in Vaud have come together to offer seamless transport across the regions with just one ticket. Mobilis allows a passenger to buy a single ticket which will enable her or him to (for example) go straight through from St Cergue to the hospital in Yverdons les Bains just with one ticket. For more information on the ticket and the zones that it covers, see Mobilis . Arts and Music News There is a plan by the mayor of Rolle to honour the renowned film director Jean Luc Godard in a ceremony in January 2011. Godard went to school in Nyon and has lived in Rolle for many years. Doris Leuthard, the President of Switzerland chose a work of art by the Nyon artist Bernard Garo to presented to Kare Bryn, the secretary of the European Free Trade Assocation in honour of its 50 year anniversary. The work entitled "Blue Solfatara" was inspired by Bernard Garo's travels to Alexandria, Reykjavik, Lisbon and Istanbul. Living in Nyon interviewed Bernard Garo in October 2010 and you can read the interview here . Aliose - the Nyon based singing duo represented the Francophone part of Switzerland in the Swiss national final for the next Eurovision song contest, singing their song " Sur les pavés". Unfortunately they did not make the final selection but Nyon can be proud they made it so far! See their video here Business News Ineos a British petrochemical company established its headquarters in Rolle in December. Ineos is one of many companies that have chosen this area to set up business. See a previous post about the A1 Business centre in Rolle here on this site or watch the video about the centre made by World Radio Switzerland here . Aldi a German discount supermarket opened a new store in Vich ( just above Gland). Click here for directions to the new store and opening times . Photos above - Cooling off after a sauna down by the lake last Sunday. Icicle formations on the lake. Below - A place to warm up in the "Balise", the café of the Bains de Trois Jeteés , open at the weekends.