The world really does come to Nyon over the next week, as film makers, producers, film buyers and representatives from TV stations arrive in town for Visions Du Réel, the film documentary film festival. A view of the world through these doors The best part of this festival is that is not exclusive, the general public are also invited to watch the films which are shown in screening rooms across the town. Many films are either subtitled in English, or in English itself, or there are interpreters giving simultaneous translations at each screening. No ties or red carpet at this film festival, just an open mind There are many other events scheduled alongside the films, from debates to workshops to photography exhibitions. Ticket prices are per film (it is good value to buy a daily pass if you intend to see more than one film) Tickets can be bought 30 minutes before each screening. There's bar in front of the Salle Communale to have a snack in between films and another restaurant down at the Usine a Gaz. The festival seems to get bigger and better each year and in 2009 it has reason to celebrate as this year it is the 40th edition of an event that started in 1969 and the 15th anniversary of Visions du Réel itself. There are over 1,500 films entered so its a Herculean task to choose and whittle it down to the 153 that are shown. Some of these films are entered into competition and the end of the festival, juries announce the winners in various categories. Local schools also get involved with special screenings of film for classes. Living in Nyon caught up with the festival director Mr Jean Perret a few weeks ago. "What makes this festival unique, is its international flavour, this year, like every year, we have films from all over the world covering a myriad of subjects. Important events such as the fall of the Berlin wall, and the state of Europe since then, will be the focus of debate amongst film makers from the former GDR. Other events include the Kazakh film maker Sergey Dvortsevoy coming to Nyon to talk about his work, (he won his first international prize in Nyon in 1995 and the prize money helped him to support his family for six months).The festival is proud to have had many film makers show their first films here only for them to go on to be successful in their careers. There's a workshop with some Lebanese film makers and there will be a retrospective of films made by U.S filmmaker Susan Mogul and the opening film on Thursday night is from Venezuela so this festival crosses all borders. We have a film called Traders on the very topical subject of those that work in the stockmarket. As it is a celebratory year, we have also asked film makers for a haiku in film-three shots of their view of the world". From tomorrow there will be reviews on Living in Nyon on some of the films available to see. The full programme is available as a PDF file on the Visions Du Réel site or the printed brochures can be found at outlets across the town, such as the tourist office, the cinema. The brochures ready and waiting for all film fans by the cinema with reflection of Nyon.

First in a series of articles on villages and towns in the Nyon area. This one is on Coppet and is written by Marina Marangos who lived in the town for five years. Coppet The reason for the popularity of Coppet and its surrounding area, is easy to understand. Apart from the town being on the main railway line into Geneva (a 15 minutes journey), it is also very convenient for the UN organizations and major offices (approx 20 minute drive). It is close to France, the auto route and the airport. It has one of the biggest international schools nearby which children can walk or bike to if they live in the area and the town is a short drive to two main shopping centres, Chavannes Centres and Signy Shopping Centre . Coppet has a rich history and a great Chateau . The Chateau is a wonderful “working chateau” as the current owners live there for part of the year. They open the Chateau from Easter to the 31st of October in order for the public to view some of its rooms such as the library, the reception rooms and some private rooms. The stables have been converted into wonderful reception and dining areas and can be rented for special events. The gardens host a variety of activities and functions. There is grand Spring sale of plants and an ice rink in winter at the castle. “Bonsoir Madame de Stael” is a theatrical production that took place outdoors in the grounds last year and was an important reminder that one of the most important occupants of the chateau was Madame de Stael, the daughter of William Necker, Louis XVI’s minister of finance. Since then the chateau has remained in the hands of Necker’s descendents. The current owner represents the 8th generation since Necker and the 10th generation since 1784. The Chateau sits on a slight hill, within a stone's throw view of the lake. The paddle steamers stop in Coppet and the small marina is home to some private yachts. The shack along side the lake (called the Coppet Cabana!) offers cold beers and caprinhas in the summer months. On the Route du Lac you will find the Temple of Coppet which hosts many services, choral and musical evenings. Opposite the offices of the Mairie is a door which very few people know about, but it's worth investigating as it leads out to a small enclosed garden which goes right down to the lake and where the burgers of Coppet can relax and spend some time. The hidden garden in Coppet The Hotel Orange dates back many years but its menu now is more pizza then mediaeval banquets. Across the road is the arcade which has the main shopping area of the village, including an excellent butcher, a chocolaterie, a vegetable shop and a bread shop. Brocante markets and fairs are held under the arcades several times a year and are well worth strolling through. One of the shops in the arcade of Coppet Maison Michel can be found half way along which is open to the public and is an excellent example of a museum home of the 16th Century (see previous post on this museum) At the edge of the main road lies the Hotel du Lac after which many a novel has been named. It has beautiful rooms and a splendid terrace overlooking the lake as well as a restaurant. Further out on the Route du Lac is the Coppet Poisonnerie which has an eclectic variety of fresh fish and offers cooking courses for those who regard cooking fish as a bit of a challenge. There are modern apartment blocks in Coppet too and Domaines de Perierres is one of them. The big communal school is called Terre Sainte. It is one of the best schools in the area and extends from the primary years through to secondary with extra curricular activities taking place on a daily basis as well as offering excellent sporting facilities. Amateur dramatic clubs in Geneva use the theatre within the school to stage their productions. It is very much a local landmark, not least for its dwarf like statues leading up to the school and its great "cake" fairy lights which are switched on in December heralding Christmas and the New Year. The Terre Sainte area of Coppet is particularly sought after. It is a small village of several thousand people and houses amongst the vineyards and the orchards of the area. To the north, the beautiful Jura mountains.To the south, the serenity of Lac Léman.Coppet is a great place to live, I thoroughly recommend it. Photos of Coppet taken 2008 and March 2009 Coppet has a population of just under 3,000 and historically is known as a town (not a village).

Paléo Music Festival The programme for the Paléo music festival was announced yesterday, with many big names playing throughout the 6 day music fest from Franz Ferdinand to the The Prodigy to Tracy Chapman . This festival which takes place in 84 hectares of ground above Nyon from the 21st-26th July is an important one in the Swiss music calendar when hundreds of thousands of music fans come here to listen to a week of rock, pop, folk, rap, reggae, hip hop and world music. Such is its popularity that tickets sell out fast, so mark next Wednesday the 22nd down in your calendar. Tickets go on sale from midday onwards and those in the know stand in line that day, sometimes up to an hour before, at outlets around the country. You can also buy tickets on line too. The Paléo website has all the details and the full line up, and the site has an English translation. Book Sale Next week on Friday 24th (10.00- 19:00) and Saturday 25th April (10:00-17:00) the Geneva English Library holds its twice yearly annual book sale, it's a great opportunity to pick up second hand books, CDs, DVDs and audio books and collectors items. There's always delicious homebaked goods in the tea room too. Documentary Film Festival The signs have now gone up around the town for the Visions du Réel festival, the documentary festival that takes place in Nyon from the 23rd of April to the 29th. There will be a lot more information on this next week with movie reviews and updates.

Caribana, the first of the summer festivals kicks off from 10-14 June down by the lake in Crans sur-Celigny next to Nyon. New on the agenda for this year is a third stage called the "beach stage" with more singers and more bands. Many of these were winners in the Caribana contest to help promote new and upcoming bands. Sunday is especially a day for children and families with many activities planned and it's free entry on that day! See below The line up for the festival is: Wednesday Main stage -Lovebugs, ZZ Top , Lake Stage -Duff Mckagan's Loaded Beach stage -Kris Dane Thursday Main stage -Editors, Travis , Chris Cornell Lake stage - Poni Hoax, Wipe Out, Full Blast Beach stage - Fink , Fuse Factory Friday Main stage - Dub Inc, Madcon, Stress, UB 40 Lake stage - Junior Tshaka and Didier Awadi, Nneka, Tweek* Beach stage - Hindi Zahra, Projects Saturday Main stage - Dan Black, Katy Perry, Charlie Winston, Thomas Dutronc Lake stage - Yoav, Victoria14, Dorian Gray Beach stage - Licia Cherry, Krystle Warren, Krash on Earth Sunday Caribakids - Gates open at 12.00 and activities start at 13:00 until 18:00 Most of these activities are suitable for children 2-3 years upwards. Events include "Gaetan" - Children's singer songwriter, "Les Halluciments" musical group, disco for children at the surf bar, demonstration by rescue dogs, face painting workshops, bouncy castle, climbing wall, massive soft construction game on the big stage and lots more. At 17:30 it will all come to an end with a massive release of balloons into the air. More details, tickets etc on the Caribana website

Movie reviews - Visions du Réel in Nyon Perestroika - The reconstruction of a flat Saturday 25 11:00 Salle Communale and Monday 27 20:30 Capitole 2 Plane Days - Saturday 21:30 Salle de la Colombiere Perestroika - The Reconstruction of a flat If you think Geneva or Vaud has a housing problem and estate agents have their work cut out finding property for clients, then think again after you see this film. It shows the extraordinary lengths Russian real estate agents have to go to, to sell or buy a flat on behalf of a vendor or purchaser. The reason; an ex state owned seven roomed apartment in St Petersburg may originally have been destined for one family, but now there are seven families living in each room which they they either own or sublet. They share the bathroom and kitchen but retreat to their own flat afterwards, this could be as small as 19 square metres or as "big" as 30 square metres. Thus, when the agent comes to sell the property it is his/her reponsibility to ensure that everyone is rehoused. They spend most of their time driving round the city showing the (usually reluctant) movers to other property to entice them to move. Bribery is sometimes involved. This film focuses on one particular apartment, and we get to see the characters that live there, their personal space, their lifestyle, their concerns and the camera joins them on the hunt for a new place when they are told they have to move. This is film is a real eye opener into the complicated conditions tenants and owners live under (some tenants have separate light switches and bulbs in the kithen, separate toilet rolls in the bathroom). Extraordinary film, extraordinary circumstances. Definitely worth seeing. Plane days This film, although only 15 minutes long, took over three months in the making, so perhaps it was inevitable that its subject matter stayed with one of the directors long after filming had stopped. Director Ewan McNicol was playing tennis when he heard a plane flying overhead so he looked into the skies to see if he could identify it. He could, the plane was an A380. He too had become a plane spotter, (he missed his tennis shot). This delightful documentary points the lens at plane spotters, men (although there is the occasional wife or partner, it's mainly men) who spend their free time at Heathrow looking into the skies identifying planes coming into land. Cargo or passenger plane, Lufthansa or Singapore, they are there with their telephoto binoculars and ready to record all the key facts and figures in their notebooks. There is a lot of waiting around for the plane spotters but in the waiting period they form a camaraderie, sharing wine, information, and humour. It is interesting watching this film in Switzerland, I am not entirely sure whether there is a similar group of individuals at Cointrin airport, I doubt it, however directors Kracun and McNicol have come up with a superb, short film. Some directors could have taken a cheap shot at these individuals but in this film the spotters have has the lens turned on them with subtle observation. It does show a side of British eccentricity which other nationalities may find a tad bizarre, but it succeeds in portraying the plane spotter's enthusiasm with respect, and gives a small insight into their passion. We don't actually see a plane in the film until the very end, along with a dedication to the Wright brothers - a nice touch. This film has just one screening on Saturday 25 at 21:30 (before the film La Vie en 2)

This eclectic mix is an example of what's on in the Nyon area over the next few days. Kate Winslet, as she will be in The Reader which is the Monday night movie in English in Nyon.The movie starts at 20.45. This film won her an Oscar this year for best actress. It is also been shown in Morges on Sunday at 20:30 Hip Hop/Groove, because tonight Friday 27th, the band Tweek are playing at 22.00 down at the Usine a Gaz in Nyon. You can hear some of their music here on My Space. Entrance 10chf Doors open at 21:00 They sing in English. Tulips, because the Morges Tulip festival starts tomorrow and lasts until the 10th May. Hundreds of thousands of daffodils and tulips are planted in the park along the lake side in Morges and when they all come into bloom (the tulips usually around mid-april depending on the weather conditions), then it is a lovely sight. Chocolate because this Saturday it's the Versoix Chocolate Festival. This a chocoholic's paradise and a good day out for families too with choco trains and chocolate egg making workshops. The festival goes on all day, check out the site for the full programme. There are various markets going on around the area this weekend. Sunday 29th The monthly flea market in Nyon dall day down by the lake In Morges, a massive "Vide Grenier" from 08:00 to 18:00 in the CFF Halls Details here Two choir events Choir events and finally Sat 28th in the Salle Polvalente in Trélex. Annual evening with the choirs of Trelex and the men's choir of Givrins. Doors open at 19:30 event at 20:30 Tel 079 648 43 59 Friday 27 and Saturday 28th two "annual village" evenings in Fechy with a mixed choir L'Aurore. Held in the Salle Communale at 20:30 on both nights - Tel 021 821 1240

A Glasgow Rangers football shirt signed by all the current team, Walter Smith and Ally McCoist, plus a signed copy of Jackie Stewart's autobiography "Winning is not enough" (Jackie was a World Champion Formula One Racing Driver and has lived in the Nyon area for many years) are all up for grabs this Saturday at the International Womens Club of Nyon's Bazaar. This bi-annual event is the fruition of of months of work by its members to raise a substantial amount of money for international and local Nyon charities. There are lots of stalls selling a wide variety of goods including an opportunity for expats to stock up on goodies from "home" just in time for Christmas from the International stall. Theres also the chance to sit and have a chat over a bowl of soup or sandwich or slice of lasagne at the "Bistro". A willling helper at the bazaar in 2006 If you are new to Nyon its good to come along on Saturday to meet the women (and volunteering partners) at this bi-annual event. Although the club works in English it has many different nationalities within its membership and holds events and activities throughout the year from French classes at all levels, to a English film cinema club and a financial investment group. There are some new stalls being added to the bazaar this time. At the pets stall there will be second hand items for sale, hamster cages, cat carrying boxes, books on pets, and toys for pets too. If brocante is your thing then there are always some interesting finds at this fair, it's amazing what can be hidden away in peoples attics or in caves. The book and toy stall always prove popular too. If you can't make it on the day but are interested in putting in a bid for the signed sports memorabilia then you can email either junecooper@gmail.com or susanpfluger@gmail.com The Bazaar is from 10:00- 16:00 on the 8th November at the Salle Communale in Nyon in Place Perdtemps.

The snow settled in Nyon on the last day of the 2008. The town was full of folk buying champagne and trudging though the snow to get last minute celebratory supplies. The DVD/video rental shop had a long queue of those planning to stay in and watch movies over the next few days and La Cote newspaper's end of year edition, featured the highs and lows of 2008. In the afternoon on the 31st there was a beautiful light across the lake viewed from the chateau. Living in Nyon will be back on the 12th January with more info, news and photos, although if the weather is good I might be tempted to go and take photos of the brave souls who will be swimming in the lake on Sunday 4th January at 12:00 (near the trois jetées) So keep checking in! Happy New Year to you all.

From peacock feathers arranged in a circle on the floor, to plants casting shadows on a wall, these are just two works of art amongst others at a new exhibition launched last Thursday night at the château in Nyon. The exhibition called "Shadows and Light" was inspired by the works of two Danish artists, Nicolai Howalt and Trine Sondergaard. Their two massive photographs hung against a wall in the castle show hunters lost in the mist of time. As the season of La Chasse (The hunt) is coming to an end this is an interesting coincidence. Check out other works of art such as the paperclip chain armour hung against a wall or the water installation in a side room called "The silence of water". Don't forget that entrance to the chateau is free until December 31st this year. From January onwards there will be an entrance charge. The castle is open November to March 14:00-17:00 (closed on Mondays)

If you are keen to know how to take a great photo like the one of Chateau Chillon below, then Alistair Scott the local author of The Greatest Photography Tips in the World ,will be on hand to give advice at the next Living in Nyon event this Thursday evening. He also will be garnering interest to see if there are enough keen photographers out there in the Nyon area to run a course on the subject in English, so come along and meet him to find out more. If you are a newcomer to the area and love skiing there will also be someone who is passionate about the sport (he managed to ski every month last year) so he can advice on skiing locally and in the Alps. Finally there will be a representative from the Oak Hill School of Nyon, this school is dedicated to supporting children with learning differences all in English, she will be there to answer any questions you have about the school. And of course I will there too. A few readers have asked me the format of these evenings, so here's the answer below. Firstly, the evening is FREE! There is no entry charge, however as it is held in a café/tea room it would be much appreciated that you bought at least one or two drinks, whether it is a soft drink, coffee or wine etc to keep the owner happy, and for us to be able to continue in this lovely, cosy central venue. Did you know you can borrow English books from the large range of books that are on the shelves around the café, and have a sandwich, soup or slice of quiche during the day too? Secondly, although I ask experts in their fields to come along there is no "talk", they are just making themselves available to give advice. Thirdly, I don't ask people to register in advance in order to turn up, but it helps with numbers if you do. Also if you have a specific question about Nyon that needs answering, then email me in advance cnp@bluewin.ch and I can try to get an answer for you by Thursday. And finally, the event starts from 18:30 but come along when you want. I tend to introduce the "experts" to those there at around 19:00 and folk come and go until around 20:30. Even if you have lived in the area for a long time you are still welcome to come along to meet new faces. I hope this answers your question and I look forward to meeting you.

Next Living in Nyon event this Thursday evening A reminder to everyone that there will be another chance for readers to meet up on Thursday November 13th over at Bibliothee. Present on the evening will be the author of the " Know it All Passport" book Lisa Cirieco, and Bernadette Nelissen (the writer behind all the political insights and commentary on this site) Both will be on hand to answer questions. Everyone welcome, whether you are new to Nyon and area or have been here for years. Do pass the message on and invite friends and colleagues to come and join us for a glass of wine at any time between 18:30 and 20:30. If you have any more questions about the evening then email me on cnp@bluewin.ch How to find the tearoom. The Bibliothee website has full directions and a map. The address is 1, chemin de Crève-Coeur (Ecole Club Migros), 1260 Nyon. It's below La Combe Shopping centre. Walk out of revolving doors at the entrance to the centre, turn right and walk past the sign saying "Bibliothèque de Jeunesse". Carry on further down to the Silhouette sign, here you will see the sign Migros Ecole and BIBLIOTHEE is next to it. Go in through revolving doors turn left past the Migros Ecole reception and voila! Don't forget that Bibliothee is also open throughout the day for coffee, panninis, soup, quiche. Its a non smoking venue and also has a stock of English speaking books available to borrow ! Looking forward to seeing you on Thursday!

Two events are coming up in Nyon this weekend. The first is the local elections when the citizens of Nyon vote on Sunday (along with other issues) for their new mayor. This is the culmination of months of campaigning by all three candidates including a public debate last week. Bernadette Nelissen was at the debate and has written about it below. The result will be anounced here on Sunday. The second event is Noviodurun This a run through Nyon where adults, families and children follow a course through the town and down by the lake. The objective of the run, now in its second year is to encourage folk to get out more by walking, running and exercising. The first phase starts off with families running from Place du Marché at 11:00. See the Noviodurun site for inscriptions and further information. That final debate before the vote - by Bernadette Nelissen. The three candidates Daniel Rossellat, Fabienne Freymond Cantone and Claude Dupertuis met in the Usine à Gaz in front of a full house. Isidore Raposa, editor in chief of La Côte led the debate. Daniel and Fabienne fought for attention on different subjects. As all candidates are left wing a member of the audience asked who would be the best candidate for a voter that usually vote for a right wing candidate. Will the red and the roses win over the public? Fabienne explained that she would always work from a socialist point of view but through her work in auditing and banking she would have no problems communicating with people from other political horizons. Daniel stressed he has worked as an employee but also as an employer, He stressed that good ideas have no political colour and that he could operate far better than the two other candidates, in the political centre. Claude said that as mayor he would automatically be the syndic of all Nyonnais. It was great entertainment to watch the three of them and to see which candidate could think on their feet and which candidate lost itself in the details and lacked a global vision. Or will the green and the sunflowers convince them? And the end of the debate Isidore asked who the candidates should vote if they could not vote for themselves. Claude said that he would throw a coin in the air, because he has no preference. Fabienne said that she wouldn’t need to vote since she will finish first in this election anyway. Daniel said that in the past he had voted already for Claude and for Fabienne but that they had never voted for him and therefore should do so. He also said that if he had to choose he would vote for Claude because he would like to take over Claude’s current job (urbanism) and was less interested in Fabienne’s current job (Finance). The evening ended late with a drink at the bar and with everyone in excellent spirits. Editor's Note: You will see above that all three candidates now have their own websites (Rossellat was the first on the scene with his). It's worth taking a look at them to see the different styles of each candidate, the questions and answers, and foind out about their biographies and backgounds.