Here's a quick round up of local news taken from La Côte newspaper plus events coming up in the region. Drop in CGN passengers numbers due to poor summer weather CGN (Compagnie Générale de Navigation - the company that run the boats on Lac Léman) announced that due to the bad weather over the summer months, the company saw a drop in its passenger numbers of around 40,000. CGN hopes that the good weather in September will compensate for the lacklustre summer and numbers will increase during this time. However, the company did see a strong rise in passenger numbers on the Lausanne to Thonon route due to passengers travelling to France to shop to take advantage of the strong Swiss franc. Note: CGN switched to their autumn timetable on the 11th September. See timetable here Buvette closed by beach The buvette of La Plage des Trois Jetées in Nyon closed unexpectedly on the 31st August due to various circumstances. However the voluntary Association of the Bains de Trois Jetées will be re open their small café and sauna in mid October. Check out the site of this association to keep up with their latest news. Old building collapses in Coppet Residents living nearby and on Coppet's main high street, were woken up to a loud noise in the early hours of Saturday morning on 3rd September due to a large and ancient "grange" unexpectedly collapsing and falling into the street. Scattering stones and debris everywhere, the street became dangerous and impassable so it was then closed off to the public by the police. Fireman from Nyon's fire brigade attended the scene along with search and rescue dogs to ensure there were no casualities due to the incident. Thankfully there weren't and the reason for the collapse of this old building which dated back to 1784, remains unclear. New playground for children on the Rive There's a new play area for children down by the Rive in Nyon next to the Musée du Léman (photo in banner). This enlarged play area for children (open for children ages 2 to 10 years old under supervision), comes with bright blue equipment, slides, swings, climbing frames and synthetic grass. There are also benches in a shaded area for family picnics. Nyon council have spent 270,000 francs in renovating this area. Note : Want to know more about child and parent related activities in the area? Check out the Moms in Vaud site or click on the Know it all Passport on the right hand side of this site. New Shopping Centre in La Gravette After many years of discussion and debate, the go ahead has now been given for Migros to construct a new shopping centre at La Gravette (where the Migros Brico Loisirs is situated). Plans for this centre include a supermarket of 1500m2, an electronics store of 500m2, a restaurant and a new Brico Loisirs with garden centre. There will also be three commercial areas in the centre which will not be part of the Migros chain. The first phase of work is due to be finished by Autumn 2012. Events coming up Wine train this weekend. On Saturday 17th September Morges's petit train will wind its way from the débarcadère (boat embarkation point) in Morges, up through the pretty wine villages of La Côte. This is a great opportunity for passengers to take in the fabulous scenery and to visit various wine cellars such as Vufflens-le-Chateau among others. For more information see here. Note: Nyon will have its own Fête de La Vigne on the 24th September, more information on this to follow. Circus in town . The Knie circus is in the area and will be in Nyon from the 16th to 18th September. Debate on the future of L'Arc Lemanique at Globiunion. On the 30th September there will be a debate held at Globiunion in Nyon entitled "Croissance de L'arc lémanique - Chances and Risques". As the arc of Lac Léman has seen rapid growth over the past few years with many multinational companies moving in to the area, the region and the local economy has been boosted by this growth. However this growth has brought challenges too in terms of infrastructure, housing, education and the integration of the new arrivals. The debate will discuss these challenges and it is open to everyone (registration required). Speakers include Philip Jennings, Secretary General of the Global Union, both mayors from Copenhagen in Denmark and Utrecht in Holland (they have been invited to recount experience of growth in their own cities). Other speakers include Jennifer Ackermann from UNIA, Frederique Reeb-Landry from Proctor and Gamble, Devendra Rana from WWF, Cyriaqu Sendashonga from IUCN and Francesco Della Casa Cantonal Architect from the Canton of Geneva. For more info see here

This is a second part of a feature "Living and Working in Eysins" (see part one here). Here we speak to the commercial director of the Terre Bonne business park, set just on the outskirts of the village. With over 400 staff already in place, and a planned total of 1,500 due to be established over the next few years, the Terre Bonne Business Centre in Eysins is set to become a major hub for multinationals in the Nyon and Eysins region. Axel Niels, commercial director of Nemaco Suisse SA, the development firm behind the 45,000 m2 business centre, (see brochure) spoke to Living in Nyon about the centre and its future plans. Living in Nyon began by asking Mr Niels why there is still an ongoing trend for multinational companies choosing to move to this area. “There are many factors; quality of life, attractive tax incentives, convenience to Geneva airport etc, and in our case being able to provide efficient office buildings with the infrastructure and facilities all at hand in one place. Most companies have already done their research before they even arrive here, so they know that the Lac Léman area is a dynamic place for business. When the representatives of companies actually visit and see all the advantages for themselves, and then they also see the beautiful surroundings, then they don’t really need much more of an incentive to base themselves here. At the moment we have Shire,Regus and Kraft in residence and Lloyds Bank are due to move their staff here from their Geneva office in the not too distant future. There is no industry on site, it is purely an office based business park, the exception being Kraft who have also an on-site R&D facility”. Niels began his career in the finance industry followed by the real estate business, the combination of the two put him in an ideal position to be part of the development team of the business park, where a total staff of twelve oversee the construction of this massive new project which is due to be completed in 2013. “There are some challenges of course in this business, we can only provide a limited amount of car parking, this is a federal ruling to encourage greater use of public transport. This can be difficult to explain to some companies where their employees are used to living in a car based society and they never think of using any alternatives. We try to encourage companies to use public transport, we have recently agreed with TPN, the local bus company to extend its line to include a bus stop just outside our doorstep, we have a velo pass bike park in the centre of the business park and we encourage car sharing. As for future plans for the park, we hope to have a crèche on site for the children of employees. We already have a restaurant called “Francis’ Kitchen” which members of the public can use should they want to, at the moment it is housed in a temporary building, but it will eventually move to a permanent building. The restaurant serves local food as much as it can, bread, meat, fruit and vegetables are all sourced locally. Asked about some *recent criticism by local residents that multinationals moving to the la Côte region are too prone in bringing in their own staff from overseas and do not hire as many local employees as they should, Niels replied; “This business centre can’t dictate who companies hire as most of them have a global hiring policy, however we are aware of the issue and if we can, we advise hiring locally wherever possible. Having said that, there are some companies in the park that do make an active effort in sourcing local staff and getting involved locally. At Nemaco we are grateful for the tremendous support from the commune and the canton for the development of this park, we already have had positive feedback on the buildings themselves and the quality of construction. I personally look forward to the day when it’s all completed and we have a business park that is full of contented employees. There are a few years to go yet but it is all looking very good so far”. *This criticism was raised by various members of the audience in a recent debate on the 30th September held in Nyon organised by Globunion, Bilan business magazine and the town of Nyon. The debate was called “And now? The Growth of L’arc Lemanique - Chances and Risks” (details of debate here) with videos from some of the participating members). Other issues raised at the debate were the difficulties of locals being able to find affordable housing due to the high prices of rental properties in the area, and how the area can develop sustainably whilst encouraging business. Amongst those present at the debate were Frederique Reeb Landry, Director General of Procter and Gamble, Devendra Rana of WWF, Lise Thorsen mayor of Copenhagen, and Reindert Hoek, mayor of Utrecht (these latter two were invited to pass on the experience of rapid business growth in their own cities and how they tackled similar issues to that in La Côte area).

The winter season is well under way with temperatures dropping to single figures in Nyon last night. With this wintry weather comes seasonal traditions, the opening of the covered ice rink in Nyon and the big annual pantomime produced by GAOS (Geneva Amateur Operatic Society). This year the pantomime is "Jack and the Bean Stalk". The covered ice rink in Nyon is situated down by the lake side and is run by the Hockey Club of Nyon and entry is free. Skates are available to hire at 3 chf for children and 5 chf for adults. The ice rink is also available to hire for private parties (between 15 and 35 people). New this year is the introduction of curling stones also available for use at the rink including at private events. There is a buvette at the ice rink where amongst other hot food, you can also have a fondue! Opening hours of the rink vary according to different periods throughout the winter and if the rink has been reserved for a private party. There is a website for the ice rink here with more details. For current opening hours look under "hors vacances scolaires" (outside school holidays) and then under the turquoise section section "patinage public" At the opening of the rink tonight some of the players from the famous Geneva Servette Hockey club will be present between 18:00 and 19:00 to introduce the game to novices. It's panto time (oh yes it is!) The winter GAOS pantomime (performed in English) is an annual fixture in the calendar for both adults and families alike. It heralds the start of many Christmas activities for the English speaking community in the Geneva and la Côte region. It's a traditional panto this year - "Jack and the Bean Stalk". Book early as weekend performances often sell out fast! Dates and times of performances below. Full details of the pantomine, access to the theatre and booking all on the GAOS website here25 November at 20:00, 26 and 27 November at 14:00 and 18:30, 1st and 2nd December at 20:00, 3rd December at 14:00 and 18:30 4th December at 14:00

Back in 2008 Living in Nyon met members of Prangins International and reported about networking and living in Prangins and wrote about it here. At the beginning of October this year, we went back to the pretty village near Nyon to meet club members at Prangins International's monthly coffee morning, and discovered that among other new activities the club now has an updated website. This site has a dedicated area for club activities under the "Calendar" section, there is a list on the site of what the monthly book reading group is reading right now, and there is a section called "Stories from Prangins", written by club members. These stories range from taking a tour of Prangins own chocolate Rapp factory, to an account of wine tasting in the area. There is also an online club notice board on the site. Prangins International meets on the first Thursday of every month in the Café du Chateau at 10:00 a.m. They also have a Christmas drinks scheduled for December. There are over 20 different nationalities represented in the group - they are truly international! You can find out more by checking out their site here.Rasing Multilingual Children workshop - spaces left on November 2nd in Geneva.Know it All Passport has informed Living in Nyon that there are some spaces left for the afternoon workshop entitled "Raising Multilingual Children - Foreign language Acquisition and Children" to be given by Tracey Tokuhuma Espinosa in Geneva on Wednesday November 2nd. For full details of this workshop and how to register click here Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa, Ph.D.is a world-renowned specialist in education and neuroscience. She is half Japanese-American, half Irish-Native American and is married to an Ecuadorian. Her 3 children aged 18, 16 and 14 speak fluent English, Spanish and German and some French.

There's a lot going on this weekend in the Nyon and Geneva region. Here are a few of the events on the agenda. Saturday - Cow parade in St Cergue On Saturday 1st October it's the annual "La Désalpe" in St Cergue. This annual tradition is when cows are brought down from the hills by farmers to be wintered in the lower lying barns. The cows are decorated with headdresses and led through the village in a a colourful parade, and it's well worth going up to the village if you have never been to it before. There are other events throughout the morning such as flag twirling, folkloric singing, and there is food available for sale at the buvettes in the village. Note: the first parade parade starts at 08:30 so get up there early in order not to miss it! This is a very popular event and parking can be very tricky on this day, it's easier to take the little red train from Nyon to St Cergue (there are extra trains scheduled for this event). See St Cergue TourismAutumn Fair in Nyon After watching the Désalpe on Saturday morning, you still have time to get down to Nyon for its Autumn fair, this is another colourful event with all the fruits and vegetables of the season on display along with other stands, music and entertainment. Saturday 1st October - Tourist visit of Nyon. If you would like a guided tour of Nyon and want to know a bit more about its buildings, its history and cultural heritage, then why not go to the last guided Saturday tour of the 2011season. Just turn up in front of the castle at 10:30 (tour leaves promptly). The tour is an nice easy one and half hour walk and costs 20chf which includes a drink/apéro, and food (platter of meat) at the end of the walk in the atmospheric old wine cellar of Nyon. Children go free of charge. See Nyon tourism 1 ,500 Classic British Cars in Morges If you are interested in "Classic Cars", then the Swiss Classic British Car Meeting in Morges is also on Saturday from 10:00- 17:00. Over 1,500 classic cars will be at this meeting which takes place along the quayside, the château and the Parc d' L'independance. The invited models for 2011 are the Jaguar E Type and all Jaguars Delorean. If you have a British vehicle take it along, no reservation necessary. The website with more information is in French, English and German. Sunday Expat Expo On Sunday over at Palexpo (near Geneva Airport) it's Expat Expo. This is a massive event for expats, as under one roof you will find information on doctors, accountants, lawyers, schools, day-care clubs, churches, accountants, there are speciality food items on sale, a bouncy castle for children and much more. See website for full information. Also on Sunday over in Rolle by the château there's another autumn market - the Marche de l' Espoir run by Terre des Hommes. Games, music, food and drink stands from 10:00 - 17:00. There are hundred of other activities going in the region, for the full list of events. Pick up the "Agenda de La Côte" from the tourist office, it is also printed inside La Côte newspaper each Thursday. Music There's music on at the Usine a Gaz tonight Friday 30th September with "Brigitte", a pop duo from France and the group "Jerry Can". See Usine a Gaz site for more info and other upcoming concerts.

Listed below are a few musical, sports and other events coming up in the area, plus news of a Living in Nyon book launch on the 4th October! Music - On Saturday 24th September Canadian singer/ songwriter Ian Kelly will be playing at the Parenthèse in the centre of Nyon. His second album "Speak your Mind" sold over 40,000 copies and he is currently on an European tour. This is his only concert in Switzerland. See his website here and details of his concert hereJam Sessions at the Plug and Play Studios - Friday nights - From the 23rd September the Plug and Play studios in Route de Champ-Colin 10 in Nyon will be holding jam sessions on Friday nights and members of the public are invited to bring their instruments to jam with an existing studio band. This is the first time this venue is opening its doors for such an event. See Facebook page for more details. Jazz Concert - Note for your diary. There will be a Jazz concert at the Salle Mingus on October 7th at 20:30 at the COV (Les Concerts du Conservatoire) with the Michel Tirabosco Trio. The programme includes Tango pour Claude -Richard Galiano, Suite Buenos Aires - Diego Pujjol, Suite Espagnole - Joaquin Nin, Aria Bourré-Badinerie - Jean Sébastian Bach and more. See COV for more details. Read more about the Michel Tirabosco Trio hereMale "trailing spouse " Beer Night. The next event for male trailing spouses will be held at the Brasseurs pub in Nyon on the 27th September at 20:00. See here for details of previous beer nights. Rugby Match this Sunday 25th September - The Rugby World Cup is in full swing right now and if you are a fan of the game, then why not go down to the Colovray sports ground in Nyon this Sunday to see R.C Nyon 11 Vs play R,C Tcino at 15:00. See Nyon rugby club site here LIVING IN NYON BOOK LAUNCH - TUESDAY 4th OCTOBER! - Regular readers of this site will know that since February 2009 La Côte newspaper (the local newspaper of this region), has carried a Living in Nyon column in its Friday pages. This column is written in English and is a light hearted look at living in the region. A selection of these columns, together with photos and other articles has been complied into a book called "Living along Lac Léman". This book will be launched on Tuesday 4th October at the Villa Thomas in Nyon at 19:00 and readers are invited to attend the launch, where there will be an opportunity to purchase the book. More details to follow about the book itself and the retail outlets that will stock it here on this site soon. If you would like to attend the launch, please email cnp at bluewin.ch to register your attendance ( please note - space is limited in the venue).

Thankyou to all those who came along to the tourist office in Nyon on Friday and to the Living in Nyon stand at the Léman Expat Fair in Lausanne yesterday, it was great to see you all and answer your questions about living in the Nyon region. Watch this space for a Living in Nyon "drinks evening" coming up in December. Events happening Monday and Tuesday this week A reminder that tonight the 7th November, the Swiss Film “Nel Giardino dei Suoni” will be shown in Nyon at 20.15 in the presence of the film maker. This film being shown in collaboration with Visions du Réel and the Cinéma Capitale. It has been described as a “magnificent film” by Bernard Koellish of “Box Office”. Also a reminder that a "View from a Bridge" by Arthur Miller performed by the Geneva English Drama Society, begins tomorrow night the 8th November in Coppet. There are still tickets available for every night's performance, the play runs until the 12th November. See previous post here for details of the venue and the play. Booking details here

Photo above: A sculpture in the centre of Eysins. Here is the first article in a two part series on living and working in the commune of Eysins. Part two will be a feature on the new Terre Bonne Business centre which is also situated in Eysins. Eysins is a village which is just on the outskirts of Nyon and has a population of 1,271 residents (they are called "Les Eysinois"). In this article Gaëlle Miani, a resident of the village, tells Living in Nyon why she likes living in the area. We also find out what there is on offer in the village for residents. Included in this post are photos of Judith Stoudmann-Panczél. Judith is a potter who lives in Nyon and has a workshop in Eysins. She gives pottery courses to members of the public (she speaks fluent English) and her work is available for sale through her atelier. Firstly, over to Gaëlle. "Five years ago, I came to live in Eysins, a lovely village with quiet surroundings and a peaceful way of life to boot. Probably very much like any other Swiss village in La Côte but with the added advantage of being very close to Nyon with its schools, hospital, train station and shops. I have also disovered that Eysins and the neighbouring villages have a lot to offer. Phot above: Gaëlle Miani. Eysins boasts a very well-supplied grocery store, a hairdressers and a fair few other services. It also has a pleasant village atmosphere which was very plain to see on the 1st August (Swiss National Day), at the Autumn fair, on Halloween, and at the New Year’s party. Photo above: The local grocery store/ mini supermarket. I enjoy shopping for fruit and vegetables in the surrounding farms. Farms such as la Ferme des Perettes, right in the centre of Eysins, la ferme de Pralies in Arnex and le Panier Gourmand in Signy-Avenex. Guichard Fleurs ( also in Arnex the neighbouring hamlet) is a good place to find both fresh bunches of flowers and potted plants. The Landi store is useful for getting seeds and plants for my vegetable and flower garden. There is a bus line to Nyon (there are two bus stops in Eysins). Photos above: Scenes from Eysins All the conveniences are there to make one’s life easy and comfortable. As a mother-to-be, I particularly appreciated the services provided by the maternity home La Grange Rouge, and the Mère et Terre arcade in Grens. They gave me the knowledge and the tools to become the young mother I hoped to be, with a simple and natural approach to my new role. New book club for Eysins. As I always welcome the opportunity to make new friends and exchange ideas and as I would much rather join in the fun and laughter than watch it from the sidelines, I have taken things into my own hands. After almost ten years of living in Switzerland, five of which were working in international schools, and five others happily married, bringing up two young children and working independently as a private tutor, translator and biographer, I have taken stock and realised that I have hardly made any friends outside my family and work circle. So I have started a book club to reach out towards others, to meet people with similar interests and to widen my horizons (which recently seem to have narrowed down to nappies, milk bottles, teething and the like !) I would like to be more integrated and to contribute to making my village a welcoming and interesting place to live. Photo above: Eysins town hall The book club is open to new members those who would like to meet new people. We get together on the third Wednesday of each month at 8.30 pm. Members take turn at hosting the event". If you would like to sign up or get more information, please contact Gaëlle on 078 742 6176 or e-mail her via her website . There is a contact form on both the biography and the translation part on the website and she hopes to get a page for the book club up and running soon. The next meeting is on Wedenesday 16th November 2011 and the discussion will be on The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett. She looks forward to hearing from like-minded people! Photo above "EysinsInfo" the Eysins newsletter Photo above: Judith, local potter with a workshop in Eysins. If you are interested in attending one of her ceramic/pottery courses you can email her autourdelaterreg@hotmail.com tel 022 361 1642

There are lots of events happening in the first weeks of November in the Nyon region, here are a few listed below. Plus, the Living in Nyon November newsletter is due to be sent out in the next couple of days, if you would like to receive it, just sign up in the subscription box in the box to the right of this post. English play in Coppet - November 8 -13th.Friday 4th - "Living along Lac Léman"- book signing at Nyon Tourist Office, Saturday 5th - Troc in Crans, plusTable Top sale in Dully. Sunday 6th - Léman Events Expat Fair in Lausanne,Also on the 6th -Classical Music at the Conservatoire in Nyon. Mountain First Aid Courses - 10th and 15th NovemberFriday 11th November - "A Flavour of India" evening in Nyon.Saturday 12th - "Souper de Soutien" Fund raising event for the Maisons des Enfants in Nyon From the 8th to the 12th November GEDS (Geneva English Drama Society) will present "A View from the Bridge" by Arthur Miller. A little bit about GEDS - The Geneva English Drama Society provides a diverse theatre programme with a wide variety of styles and periods. A typical season includes 3-4 full stage productions and 20 fortnightly staged playreadings, plus workshops and social events. The play readings normally attract 50-100 people, and provide onstage roles for both experienced and aspiring actors. Once a year they produce and perform a play in Coppet, just a few miles from Nyon at the Théâtre de Terre Sainte. This is a lovely theatre with lots of parking , it is also not too far from Coppet railway station. The theatre has a bar for a pre theatre drink . Note - if you book first night tickets you can enjoy a glass of bubbly and meet the cast ! The play - About "A View from the Bridge" - This American classic is very well known and a standard text for schools and scholars: probably one of the four most frequently seen by one of the three or four leading American playwrights. Longshoreman Eddie Carbone lives in Brooklyn with his wife Beatrice and orphaned niece Catherine. Two Sicilian cousins arrive in the country illegally seeking work and are sheltered by Eddie. Catherine and Rodopho fall in love. Eddie is violently opposed without realizing his own motives. Tragedy ensues, with an almost Greek-Chorus figure helping recount and comment on events in an imaginative script and production. It is an enthralling evening, funny by turns and always involving, as it moves to an inevitable end. The cast includes: Pilar Diaz Quesada, Fabrice Drouin, Bernard Giovannini, Undine Groeger, Howard Hornfeld, Neil-Jon Morphy, Cristen Schroer, Chuck Slovenski, David Stieber, Herman Westebeeke, and Jona Zeschke. First-night patrons are invited to join the cast for a glass of bubbly after the show. Tickets: CHF 30 (seats numbered) Students CHF 19 on presentation of student card at the box office on the evening of performance, subject to availability of seats. Book at Theatre in Englishon choose your own seats, pay by credit card or bulletin de versement / e-banking and print your own tickets. Friday November 4th BOOK SIGNING AT NYON TOURIST OFFICEIf you missed the launch of the book "Living along Lac Léman" in October there will be another opportunity to purchase a copy and have it signed by the author on Friday 4th November between 16:00 and 18:00. Come along and say "hello", you can also pick up a copy of the new (free) winter tourist brochure to find out what activities are going on in the Nyon and St Cergue region this winter. Saturday 5th November Troc de Crans 11:00 -15:00. There will be troc (second hand sale of goods) in Crans at the Salle Communale de Crans ( Rue Antoine-Saladin). Sunday 6th November The International Women’s Club of Nyon will be holding a Vide Grenier (Table-top Sale) at the Salle Communale in Dully from 10:00 - 15:00. Info: Anne-Marie Ramu Tél. 021 824 13 03. Bénéfices pour la Fondation Vaudoise “Le Cube de Verre” Sunday 6th November17:00 Classical music concert in the lovely lake side setting at the Conservatoire de L'Ouest Vaudois - Barocco Guitar duet - Michel Borne and Claudia Gave See COV Also on Sunday 6th November, it's the big Léman Expat Fair in Lausanne, plus this year a recruitment/career fair will be held in the same building on the same day. Check here for more details - more about this fair coming soon on this site. Mountain First Aid Courses in November - Learn how to deal with injuries whilst skiing or hiking in the mountains. Get advice about when and how to call mountain rescue Understand the principles of adult Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and practice delivering this on manikins Practice the safe positioning of an unconscious adult Understand the importance of head, neck and spinal injuries and what to do Practice how to deal with broken bones and sprains Learn how to recognise and manage hypothermia, frostbite, altitude illness and much more Next dates: Module 1 - 10th November 2011, 18:00 - 21:30 Module 2 - 15th November 2011, 18:00 - 21:30 Both modules must be attendedCost: 180 CHF per person in total Registration: via Health First (please register for both modules) Venue for both seminars and Mountain First Aid course: Rue des Racettes 2, 1213 Onex. This is the Paroisse Saint-Marc building. 11th November " A Flavour of India" - Evening in Nyon - A celebration of Indian culture, welcome drink, Indian feast, traditional Indian dance and fashion tips. Full details in poster below. See Friends of India Saturday 12th November -There will be a fund raising supper at the Salle Communale for the Maison des Enfants in Nyon from 18:00 - 24:00. Apero followed by hot and cold buffet, musicians and dancers, tombola. See site for more details and registration.

Photo - True Live - courtesy Usine a Gaz Here is a selection of events coming up in the region. Plus, a reminder that you can now buy the "Living along Lac Léman" book at Nyon tourist office, or you can order it through this site, just click on "Living in Nyon book" on the top side bar. End of season event for the Roulotte On Saturday 15th October the Roulotte will close its doors for the winter season. There will be a "boom" (a dance), music and entertainment from 17:00 onwards. The Roulotte, the converted railway carriage behind Nyon station, has grown in popularity and has now become a favourite spot for Nyon residents and commuters to have an alfresco meal or an afterwork drink . Above - La Roulotte Indian Dance - Friday night There will be a dance performance tonight Friday October 14th at the Theatre de Marens, Route de Stand 5 in Nyon. The performance is called "A Journey to sacred sites through dance" and will be performed by senior students of the "Omkara school of Indian Classical Dance". Doors open at 18:30 , performance starts at 19:30 ends at 21:30. Price 40 chf to include Indian food and chai (children go free). Proceeds of this performance will go towards the conservation, management and restoration of Selected Sacred Natural sites in the Himalayas. For tickets call 076 377 7283 email lisa@diversearth.orgChestnut festival There is a seasonal event going on in the Valais this weekend with the "Fête de la Chataigne" in Fully (chestnut festival). There are lots activities planned at this festival see here for full detailsAustralian band play in Nyon on the 22nd On Sat 22 October Melbourne Aussie band "True Live ", will be headlining at the Usine a Gaz in Nyon along with Swiss band "Tweek" for an evening of "hip hop- jazz and nu soul". See Usine a GazUseful audio clip and radio programme for expatriates Want to know about the numbers you need to call in a medical emergency here in Switzerland and other useful safety advice? You can find out more here on a World Radio Switzerland audio clip. This was recorded on the Connectors in August this year with Dr Michelle Wright, the station's in house medical expert and the host of the "Connectors" (the Living in Nyon editor). The Connectors are a team of different nationalities (plus Swiss members!) and they discuss all kinds of expatriate issues from relocation to culture shock, to language, and the fun news items about Switzerland. It is broadcast live just after 18:30 on a Thursday on WRS, repeated on Fridays on Sunday just after 12:30, or online at any time. Starting a business Thinking of starting up a small business here in Switzerland? Listen to two entrepreneurs who did just that and what they have to say about the experience. Thi show was recorded live at Expat Expo in Geneva . Here is the audio clip

Photo above Heidi, a stall holder at the Saturday market in Nyon selling cupcakes. See Heidi Bakery There are two jazz concerts on this weekend in Nyon, the first is tonight Friday the 18th November at 20:30 in the Conservatoire de l'Ouest Vaudois with a performamce by "Antwork". Click here for more details of this concert. The second concert will be held tomorrow night the 19th at the underground venue of Novidonium (entry via the Mumbai Bar) this is a venue where local and international artist perform. Details of this concert here Concert begins at 22:00. Living in Nyon at Saturday market tomorrow Also, tomorrow the 19th November, why not come along to the morning Saturday market in Nyon and say "hello" to the Living in Nyon editor who will be at a stall there. Ask her questions about living in the region and take the opportunity to pick up a copy of the "Living along Lac Léman book" at the same time. The position of the stall is not yet known so just walk past them all until you find it! The market operates from 08:00 to 14:00. Photo below, another store holder at the market.

There was a large but peaceful demonstration in Nyon on Saturday morning in protest against the recent announcement from Novartis that it is due to close its factory at its Nyon/Prangins site, with the resulting loss of over 320 jobs. An estimated 2,000 people including councillors, members of the municipality, Philip Jennings,General Secretary of UNI Globiunion (which has its world headquarters in Nyon), plus concerned Nyon and other local citizens came to show their solidarity for the campaign and Novartis staff . The crowd marched around through the town finally ending up at the chateau in the centre of Nyon. Pictures from Saturday's protest below. Solidarity from young and old. For some citizens though the solidarity only went so far, until nap time......