Tickets to festivals as Christmas presents.  Volunteers  required. The town of Nyon is reinforcing its slogan and image as the "The Town of Festivals" as it has recently launched a new marketing campaign and teamed up with Nyon Tourism to spread the message. In addition to a new promotional video (see end of this post), there will be cross-promotion of the image on various websites and marketing materials such as bags, postcards, and posters will be produced with the festival slogan. Some of the festivals are offering special ticket prices and gift vouchers at this time of year which are a great idea for Christmas presents. Also, several of the festivals such as Visions du Réel and Caribana are looking for volunteers to help in 2016. Volunteers receive various privileges according to the guidelines of each festival. A reminder that the five festivals are: Les Hivernales Festival ,  the 7th edition of the winter rock festival which will take place in various venues across the town from the 18th - 21st February  2016. Visions du Réel, the (47th edition) of the documentary film festival which will take place in Nyon from the 15th to 23rd April 2016 Note: Gift vouchers are now available for the festival, for either a day pass (40 CHF instead of 45 CHF or a festival pass for 160 CHF instead of 180 CHF). The festival is also looking for volunteers to help at the festival, click here for more details. Caribana Festival , (26th edition) of the rock festival by the lakeside which will take place from the 1st to the 5th June 2016 Note: Caribana have already announced that Brit band "The Kooks" will play on Thursday 2nd June. Tickets are already on sale, and at this time of the year there is a special winter price of 65 CHF per adult ticket . The price of tickets goes up nearer to the time of the festival. The festival is also looking for volunteers for next year. Click here  Paléo, the 41st edition of one of Europe's biggest rock festivals which will take place near Nyon from the 19th to the 24th July 2016. Special Christmas vouchers for a week's festival pass are now available at the Paléo Shop (online passes have now sold out). Far ° festival des arts vivants Nyon, the 32nd edition of the Living Arts Festival which will take place in various venues around Nyon from the 10th to the 20th August 2016. New Video Below

A Very Happy New Year to Living in Nyon readers and a big thank you to all our advertisers:  Ecole Moser (a German, French and English teaching school in the centre of Nyon), the Geneva English School  with its new nursery and library, Brillantmont School, an international school in Lausanne for 11-18 years olds,   Falaque restaurant in Nyon  (healthy food - from their kitchen to your dining table), Rock my Baby nanny and babysitting agency, COV, the Conservatoire of Nyon - musical tuition in English and French, and finally the Usine a Gaz, Nyons's own music and theatre venue. This site would not continue without their support. If your business or company would like to advertise with the site in 2015 and reach thousands of readers, contact info@livinginnyon.com to find out about our reasonable rates. New Year's Eve If you are looking for somewhere to head off for New Year's Eve, to dress up in costume and dance, the Usine a Gaz, Nyon's own music venue is holding a masked ball on the 31st December. See here Alternatively, here is what's happening in Geneva   - dancing in the Plainpalais area of the city from 22:00 to 03:00. Over in Lausanne, gather in the streets with a bottle of champagne and watch the "burning of the cathedral" , at midnight, a tradition since 1904. See video from the RTS website. And finally, next on the Nyon agenda is the "Three Kings" ceremony on the 6th January. The "three kings", parade through the old town in the early evening and distribute cake to adults and children.  The timing of this event has not yet been advertised so keep watching this space.

If you are looking for an English speaking church service in the Nyon area over the Christmas period, there are several options. On Weds 24th Dec 2014 at 15:00 at   La Côte Anglican church in Gingins  there will be a Crib service for children and at 17:00 there will be Holy Communion. Also on Christmas Eve at 17:00 at Westlake Church in Nyon there will be carols by candle light. In Geneva there is always a big carol service at the cathedral in the old town. Arrive in plenty of time as this is a popular service! Miscellaneous News Here is a selection of miscellaneous local news taken from article from La Côte newspaper over the last few months. Firstly, La Côte has launched its annual competition to find  "La Côte personality of 2014". From local film maker Lionel Baier, to Stand Up paddle champion Steeve Fleury, to Jean-Claude Biver, president of Hublot watches and pianist vituoso Mélodie Zhao there is an interesting selection of 12 individuals on  the list. See here In December the company Tupperware celebrated its 50th birthday. The company has been present in the Nyon area since 1988. First Class on the Nyon/ St Cergue Train Line. In December 2015, passengers will have the opportunity of choosing first or second class carriages on the NStCM line. Also on the horizon (for 2016) is a train service running every quarter of hour between Nyon and Genolier. Opposition to new McDonalds in Gland There have been over 120 signatures on a petition t o protest against the building of a McDonalds in  the Mauverney area of Gland

There are 10 free tickets on offer for 10 lucky people (one ticket each) to a film of their choice at the upcoming Visions du Réel Film festival i n Nyon. The festival starts on the 17th April and continues until the 25th. To be in with a chance of winning tickets, send an email with your full name to info@livinginnyon.com Closing date Saturday 11th April. Winners will be informed on Sunday 12th April. Living in Nyon is now taking a short Easter break and will be back on the 10th April with more news and events that are happening around the Nyon and La Côte area. Happy Easter!

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).

Looking for ideas of where to go and how to entertain children during the winter season?  The following article, " Out and About this Winter" written by Tracey Keenan and Nadia Leone of   "Ready.. Steady..Lausanne and Vaud!"   suggests ski resorts, ice skating , tobogganing and snowshoeing options for families. The article also includes a couple of indoor entertainment options for children. Photo above:  Tracey with her children on the ski slopes Tracey and Nadia both say -  "Our clients appreciate the personal and customised service that we offer when settling in to the region, but the main ingredient to our success is that the information we give is based on the fact that “we have been there, done that and got the T-shirt!” As they are both keen on the outdoor life in Switzerland and they have taken  their children onto the ski slopes from the age of three, they are well placed to give advice. Read on for some great tips, suggestions and places to go with the family this winter. Click on the words highlighted in blue to link to the websites of the places mentioned. Ski Resorts Tracey says  "There are plenty of places to try out skiing or snowboarding and many resorts have diversified their options, offering snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snowtubing, ice skating, curling, husky-dog trips etc. Here are a few of our favourites below. Tip : If you are not planning on a taking a whole week's vacation, make the most of Wednesday afternoons (a free afternoon in Swiss schools), and keep in mind that Saturdays tend to be quieter than Sundays, both on the slopes and on the motorways due to "changeover day". La Givrine Nadia says: "La Givrine (in the St. Cergue area) is ideal for young children and beginners. We recommend you take the little red train  (Nyon-St. Cergue-Givrine)   which takes you directly to the slopes. There is a nice café “buvette” available called La Trelasse  (click here)   022 360 12 89).  This can be found in the middle of the slopes next to the Swiss ski school. It has a nice atmosphere and seats 70 people, has mountain-style décor with log fire. Another nice restaurant is   Restaurant de la Givrine   which is located at the arrival of the train from Nyon and a 10-minute walk from the slopes. Tip: IKEA bags are great for carrying all your children’s ski equipment! St. Cergue is a larger ski area and does tend to get busy St. George is another small resort and is ideal for little ones to learn and practise skiing. Further afield If you prefer larger resorts, there’s a whole bunch of them in the Alpes Vaudoises , such as Les Mosses, Les Diablerets, Villars, Leysin, Chateaux d’Oex  . Note: Children receive a free ski pass and accommodation up to nine years old with the  GoKids Family Club  . There is more infrastructure in these resorts provided for families such as babysitters on hand - perfect if you want to ski with your older child and you have a toddler or baby to keep happy too. Tip: Look out for resorts with the Families Welcome Label, these are places which specialise in catering for families (e.g. family hotels, child-friendly restaurants, playgrounds, childcare facilities) Ice Skating: Most ice rinks are open from October to March and you can find rinks in many places: Versoix, Coppet, Nyon, Gland, Morges, Lausanne. However, a very special place is the  Lac de Joux.    At 1000m altitude, when the lake freezes, you are allowed to go and walk or skate on the ice - a wonderful experience!  We recommended you drive to a nice little town called Le Pont and park  there. You can hire ice skates and boots (closed Sundays and Monday morning). There is also a small ski area in L’Abbaye.   Note: check snow conditions due to the low altitude of this area. Tobogganing: Tracey says:  "I tried a super place for the first time last winter with my two boys  the Tobogganing Park in Leysin. This is a great little trip to do for the morning or the afternoon, combined with lunch out in the Snow Village at the Park or further up in the resort. You need to reserve a time slot in advance on the day you wish to go (click here, the site is in English)  . This then allows you to have an hour and fifty minutes in the park with a limited number of people. Tip :  make sure you arrive 30 minutes before the start of your slot to give you time to collect your ticket and get ready! There are varying levels of slopes so it’s ideal for mixed-aged children as well as brave parents. If you prefer to just watch, there is a viewing stand and it is easy to keep an eye on your children (above 6 years ) and watch them whizz down the slopes - the park is very well contained. For little ones  under 6 there is a mini area with a limit of one hour from the time you purchase your ticket. Snowshoeing: Nadia  - This season we will definitely go back for our family’s snowshoeing excursion which we tried out in January this year – but this time we will try it during the daytime. We drove to the “Col du Mollendruz” where you will find the shop with rental equipment. We rented snowshoes and set off at about 17:00 h for a thirty minute walk to the Chalet du Mollendruz (1250m altitude – open Wed-Sun from December to March). After our cheese fondue and dessert, we set off back to our starting point, torches in hand – what a wonderful experience! Recommended for children from 6 years old ,  there is a possibility to rent out baby-carriers and pulkas. The family who runs the small rental equipment shop are very helpful. The Chalet restaurant itself is quite small, so it is best to reserve your table in advance: Chalet du Mollendruz, 1344 L’Abbaye, Tel: 021 864 3027 or 078 794 7327. And if you really don't like the cold and snow, why not try these following places Bernaqua Waterpark & Spa During the recent Autumn school holidays, I went to Bernaqua Waterpark with my two older children (11 and 8 years of age). We had a great half-day there. The children had lots of fun on four toboggans and they got to watch a film from inside the pool.  Meanwhile I  was able to relax in the Jacuzzi and different thermal waters. We ate blinis in our swimming gear at the small bar ! My only little regret was that I had not brought my little 2-year old with me, because he would  have had fun in the water jets and the "pirate" swimming pool which is especially designed for the little ones. However he will get his chance before the Christmas break, when I plan to visit the Westside Shopping Centre which is where the water park and spa is located. This place makes a great day-out for the whole family and shopping with or without children. The shopping centre has a childcare facility  called “Kinderland” for children from 0-8 years. Exit 32 Bern Brunnen on the A1 motorway. Indoor playground: Urba Kids in Orbe Guaranteed fun for children from 2-10 years of age.  This   playground is open from Wednesday to Sunday, 09:00- 18:00. Tracey Keenan, is an English ex-pat based in Lausanne. Nadia Leone was born and raised in Lausanne. Both of them  provide settling-in assistance to newcomers to the region with private consultations and in-house seminars. Both have children in the local school system. Their combined experience of moving to Switzerland as an ex-pat and their local knowledge and contacts help their clients get a real head start settled into the Vaud region. See their website here.

Photo above - one of the cultural activities of Nyon's Bains de Trois Jetees association. Nyon's main beach,  the "Plages de Trois Jetées",  the "Plage de Promenthoux" in Prangins, and the "Plage de Céligny", have all made it into the list of "Most Beautiful Beaches in Swiss Romande" . This list, festured in the July 7th issue of  "L'Hebdo", was compiled by the magazine itself and names over 40 beaches surrounding Lac Léman, Lac Neuchâtel, Lac de Morat, Lac de la Gruyére, Lac de Géronde, Lac de Joux, the Gouille du Duzillet, Lac Bienne and Lac Noir.   Photo above - a view of Nyon from Prangins beach. Nyon beach The association of  the "Bains de Trois Jetees "in Nyon, (see their website here ) is highlighted for keeping the "Plages de Trois Jetées" area alive during the winter season with the installation of a temporary sauna and for arranging cultural activities for Nyon residents". The beach's changing rooms, showers and toilets  and the famous raft in the water - a big attraction for children, also gets a mention.   Prangins beach According to L'Hebdo, "the beach at the Plage de Promenthoux in Prangins gets two hours of more sunlight and the "bise" doesn't make it to this part of the lake".  The beach is also praised for its electric platform for wheelchair users, it also mentions the stunning view from this beach. Céligny beach The beach at Céligny is mentioned for its "pretty port surrounded by flowers" and for its changing rooms. L'Hebdo likens it to "almost like being in the South of France", although it does say (slightly tongue in cheek), "until we see the inaccessible and private beaches belonging to some of the lakeside residents nearby and then we realise where we are".  However it does goes on to say, "never mind,  you can still just open a bottle of rosé, light one of the barbecues in the area and still feel like you are in the Mediterranean.    Nyon station to get an upgrade Nyon railway station is one of the most busiest in the canton with around 15,000 users per day, therefore travellers will be pleased to know that the station is due to get an upgrade and this will take place in two phases beginning this autumn.  The first phase is more of a facelift - refreshing the walls wth a coat of paint and adding an extra Postomat. In the second phase the public toilets will be modernised and the small supermarket Daily will be replaced by another commercial outlet. Even more upgrading is planned for the station and this will be announced before the end of the year, plans are currently being discussed by the council. Free outdoor music in Nyon each weekend until 14th August. The 1st July marked the start of  "Rive Jazzy". This is the programme of free open air jazz concerts which take place in the summer in various open air venues around Nyon's old town and lake. Venues are the Fontaine de Maître Jacques,  the Fontaine du Molard, and on the lakeside by the  "O? les Terasses du Lac" (ex Café Latino). Photo above : the crowd listening to music near the Maitre Jacques fountain. Here's the programme for this weekend  Friday 8th July   at 20:00 "Atrio plus surprise guest" -  (Modern Jazz )  at the Fontaine Maître Jacques  Saturday 9th July   at 20:00 "Macadam Jazz band"  (Trad jazz) at the Fontaine du Molard  (opposite the ferry embarcation point) Sunday 10th July at 19:30 " Thomas Winteler and his Jazz Serenaders" (Trad jazz) at the "O' Les Terasses du Lac" For the Rive Jazzy's full programme over the summer, see their website here.

Photo above - tulips in Nyon's  lake side park.  There are some spaces left at the next event for expats on Tuesday the 22nd May in Nyon. This evening which is being organised by Nyon tourism, Migros école-club and Living in Nyon, is a chance for newly arrived (and not so new!) expats to meet and get together, to discover excursions that can be done on public transport , to learn how to use the Swiss transport system, all rounded off with a glass of wine at the end of the evening to mingle and chat.  See previous post for full details . The event will run from 19:00 to 21:00 and begins at Nyon railway station.  Please  email   zalokar@nrt.ch to register.  Garden Show It's the big  "Jardins en Fête", garden show in Coppet this weekend (11- 13 May) the seventh edition that will take place in the park and grounds of the Château de Coppet. This year the theme is the "Natural Garden".  There will be 130 exhibitors at this show,  gardeners giving gardening advice, garden furniture, sculptures, gardens in competition and much more! See website for full details. Here's a video from last year's show.  Let's hope the rain holds off!

Photo above - Daniel Rossellat at Paléo 2102 Living in Nyon has begun a new series of interviews entitled "Afternoon Tea with..."  in which we interview local personalities from the Nyon and la Côte region. We find out a little bit more about the professional and personal lives of each individual over afternoon tea. Photo above and below, courtesy - La Boîte à Thé This first interview was held in La Boite à Thé in Rolle. This lovely gem of a place has been previously featured on this site see here.   The tea room has two quiet rooms to sit and sip teas from around the world. It also has a good selection of gifts idea for those last minute Christmas presents! For this first interview, we caught up with Mr Rossellat the day before he was due to take a flight to Côte d'Ivoire. Read on to find out why he was making the trip to West Africa, and how he divides his time between his two roles; mayor of Nyon and President of Paléo festival . We also find out which musician he hopes to hear play in Paléo one day, his vision for the future of Nyon and what he will be cooking for Christmas dinner in 2012! Photo above - courtesy Daniel Rossellat Mr Rossellat, you are en route to Abidjan, what are you expecting to find or hear there? I’m going to Côte d’Ivoire for the meeting of the Association of Francophone Mayors. I haven’t had the chance to attend for the past couple of years, and this year the meeting is being held in Abidjan. The Mayor of Quebec asked me to be a member of this association, but I wasn't sure about it. I thought that perhaps Nyon was too small a town and that joining the Assocation didn't seem to be  a logical step to take. However, after I spoke to the president, the Mayor of Paris, he repeated that he wanted Nyon to be a member. He pointed out that Nyon was well known in the French-speaking world and has a good reputation due to its festivals. I think it’s an interesting platform for exchange and dialogue, especially for the Canadian/European francophone mayors to meet and listen to the African francophone communities. H ow many times a year do you travel to hear new music i n  your role as President of Paléo?  In the last twelve months, I’ve been to Nashville to the Bonnaroo Festival, to the Montreal Jazz Festival and the Quebec Summer Festival, as well as visiting Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and Palestine to hear music for the Village du Monde area of Paléo for 2012. This autumn I have been to Madagascar, Mozambique, and South Africa, and soon I'll be going to Zanzibar, to do some research for next year’s festival. Have your tastes in music changed over the years? When I was 15 or 16 I was already listening to an eclectic mix of music, but I didn’t have such an extensive knowledge of music as I do now. Over the years I have discovered a lot more about classical music too, and I continue to listen to  classic rock, folk, pop and world music. I’ve also got to know a lot of styles from Asia, Africa and Latin America, where there are  some music  fusions that are still not that known over here. The first time I went to  China, I thought that the same song was playing over and over again all day, but I've learned  since that  is obviously not the case, it's just that our ears have to get accustomed to new sounds. Have you come across any real surprises when visiting countries? I’m always very moved by countries that are full of history. For example, when I went to Israel, Lebanon and Jordan, no matter how much you read up or look at pictures before you go, you can’t imagine what it feels like to be in a place with such ancient and recent history. It’s the same in the Far East, where there is such an incredible heritage of different civilizations. There is also plenty to discover in places with more modern history. What is the idea behind the Village du Monde? The goal is to look for a wealth of different music and culture. We want to show cultural wealth of places that not everyone knows. This year it was the Middle East, next year it will be the Indian Ocean, and the year after that it will be the Andes Cordillera. We then look for artists that correspond to the different styles of music, find the cuisine and artisanal goods, and then think about décor and the staging. We want people that have already been to the region to recognise their surroundings, and people that haven’t, to be transported somewhere new. Photo above - A volunteer painting the scene for the Village du Monde area. The rumour is that you have a vision board of artists you want at Paleo, including Sting. Who else is on the list? When we first started the festival there was a certain list of artists that we dreamed of hosting: Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Sting. So far we are still missing Eric Clapton, Leonard Cohen and Paul McCartney. We ask Clapton ever year and hope that one year he will make it. What do you personally think the secret to Paléo's success?  I think the secret to Paleo’s success is the values that we have stood by since the beginning of the festival: the respect for the public, the volunteers, the artists and the environment. Being open-minded and tolerant towards other cultures is important to us. I don’t think that it has been difficult to uphold these values, but there is certainly always a risk of arrogance that comes with success. I believe that we should never forget those fundamental elements. How do you divide your time during the week between Paleo and Nyon? On Monday morning, I have a finance meeting at Paléo and then a meeting with the director of Opus One  (an events company) until 09:00.  I then have a meeting with the sustainability team of Nyon, followed by a meeting with the different heads of department of the town. At 11:00 sharp I play tennis, and then it's on to a municipality meeting. On Tuesdays I spent the entire day at Paléo, and Wednesday and Thursday in Nyon. On Friday mornings I’m at Paleo, and the afternoon is flexible. On Saturdays I go through my messages and emails from the week, and on Sundays I prepare for the week ahead. As Mayor of Nyon, d o you have a personal vision for how you would like to see Nyon in 10-20 years time?  The ideal would be to have kept the soul and the character of the town along with creating new infrastructure that has met the  needs of a growing population. Combining these two needs is a constant challenge. Photo above - view from the roof of Nyon high school We are trying right now to ensure the town isn't simply a museum where time stands still, but somewhere that is vibrant and interesting to live and visit. We are keen for it not to turn into simply a dormitory town for commuters who work elsewhere. With all the new construction in Nyon we also are trying to ensure that each new area  has a soul and a centre to it with a social life. We also don't want to end up with areas that end up with different classes of areas ie: one is  business class and the other "economy class". What programmes or support is there to facilitate integration between the incomers and the local populace?   There is no specific programme such but we are working on this. To be honest I think  the amount of expatriates that have recently arrived here took us a bit by surprise. We weren't quite ready but we are addressing the issue now and trying to make the town and information on living here more accessible. Some expatriates are only here for a few years. How can these newcomers get the  most out of their time in Nyon?  Whether you are single, married, with or without children, I would say try to join a local club such as a sports club or some other kind: it's a good way of meeting locals. If you can't do that, then I would say keep things "local" as much as you can, go to a  music concert or arts event in your area, and eat in local restaurants: it's a good way of discovering what's out there. I try to do the same when I am travelling, if I have a meeting say in a town in Brazil I don't then eat in a restaurant say in a Hilton hotel, I go out and eat in a local Brazilian place. If you know you have a fixed time here then I would suggest that you explore your local area. When the time comes to leave you will do so having got to know a little bit about this part of Switzerland. Finally as you are such a busy person with your two roles, how will you spend Christmas day? Are you able to totally “clock off”? And what will be on the menu for the day? Christmas day is a rare day when I truly do switch off. I don't look at emails at all and I look forward to being with my  family and having some down time. As I like to cook, then that's the day I will be in the kitchen. I am not sure what I will be serving yet, it could be volaille, it could be something else.  With out any doubt  though the meal will be served with a good bottle of wine. I am very interested in wine, I like a good Swiss wine of course but I'm also fond of wines from the new world such as Argentina or Chile. ------------------- Keep checking out this site for more "Afternoon  Tea with..." interviews coming up in 2013.  If you want to find out more about the Paléo festival or local politics  in the Nyon area, just type in "Paléo" or "Politics" in the search button at the top of this site to read previous articles.

Check out the fun "So British Exhibition" at the C0-op Léman centre in Crissier near Lausanne. Stock up on British products, admire an E-type Jag, play a Sherlock Holmes game, read all about British sports, get your photo taken as a British bobby, ride a red London bus and find out about Cossonnay cricket club . Photo above: Tom Bews young cricketer This exhibition finishes on the 16th June but is touring the country and is scheduled next to be at the Co-Op centre in Allaman later on this year.   Other events this weekend - see below Photo above - Michael Type  of the British Residents Association of Switzerland Fête de la musique This Saturday 16 June it's the Fete de la Musique, lots of free music being played  in venues across Nyon from 10:00 in the morning until 02:00 in the early hours of the morning.  Rock, rap, funk, jazz, classical,  PDF of the full programme here Bol D'or Also this weekend it's the Bol D'or Mirabaud yacht race, the biggest regatta in Europe. 500-600 boats on the lake all racing from the Geneva end of the lake to the other end and back. It's an impressive sight! The race begins at 10:00 am on Saurday and you should be able to see the boats on their way down the lake from the Nyon lake side. See full programme here Theatre Saturday - Final night of the show "Flappers and Rappers" in Founex celebrating 100 years of music hall. See here for more info Art Exhibition Sunday 17 June Art exhibition at the Gallery of the Clinique Genolier by local artist Rita Mancesti from 14:00-18:00  Exhibition entitled "Du Côte de la lumière" . Cupcakes and flowers The Heidi Bakery and Rémy Jaggi, florist and horticulturist will be in  Trélex Saturday 16 and Sunday, 16 & 17 June from 9.30 to 17.00 with an event called "Fleurs et Douceurs". Flowers and cakes showcased in Rémy's flower shop and garden centre.  Browse and buy perennial plants, stunning bouquets or simply sit on a bench under a tree with a cup of coffee or tea and a sweet treat from The Heidi Bakery's Pop-Up Café.

Les Arbitres / The Referees  by Jean Libon and Yves Hinant in cooperation with UEFA Film review by Trish Thalman Michel Platini never had a red card.  It’s true! The iconic French International Football Team member and then manager, Juventus player, and now President of UEFA, Michel Platini gleefuly states his claim of ‘no red card’ to a large group of smiling and relaxed, professional European football referees gathered in Vienna at a kick-off event for the June 2008 UEFA European Cup Championship. He nervously said he had never been in the presence of “so many referees at one time”. What follows is an exciting, fast-paced, lively, ‘passion-for-football’ film at the June 2008 European Cup Championship which was shared between Switzerland and Austria. It's not a film focussing on the young, highly talented, sometimes handsome, (not always disciplined ) well-paid football players. What we see is an accessible film relating the impressive and surprising insight into the lives of the world-class, well trained, extremely fit, mature and emotionally disciplined referees, who make the important and final decisions about the rules of playing ‘the beautiful game’. These referees are the generally unacknowledged, often threatened, men on and off the field, who spend their professional careers running backwards, while looking forward, reaching into their shirt pocket to pull out the dreaded red or yellow card, writing a name in their pocket notebooks, or standing very tall and still, firm jaw, arm extended with finger pointing to the exit tunnel and ordering a player or team manager ‘out, get out’. Using modern recording technology, the referees and their assistants (the ‘trios’) wear radios and headsets, so we have the ‘front row experience’ of hearing uncensored swearing, out-of-breath players yelling at a referee in their native language (what did he say?), and personal conversations between referee and assistants during the matches making sure they agree on the calls. The filmmakers and recording technicians are given agreed, liberal access to the referees during the entire four weeks of the Championship. We get clear, in-depth telephoto shots of the referees on the playing fields dealing with decisions and disputes, facing up to the adrenalin-fuelled, often aggressive, players who hope to change the decisions by using either charm and pleading body language, or if that fails, down-right ugly language. Yellow card! We are taken into the quiet hotel rooms where the referees-as-fathers are wistfully looking at photos on the TV screen while missing their children, the referee’s stadium dressing room with high tension before a match, the half time rest/discussion concerning a call, “good game” and celebratory atmosphere among the ‘trio’ at the end of the match. The film is spontaneous and ‘happening now’, with close-up shots of referees and players, hand-held cameras bumping along following referees into and out of the stadiums, or panning across the tight-knit brows of the men at the critical referee meetings where the names of those who will go forward into the next tier of match play are announced. We enjoy the captivating, leading-edge audio and visual technology that goes into the production of this very ‘organic’ film. But we also learn at a major UEFA meeting concerning the persistent call for ‘video replays’ of referee’s decisions, that the players still do not use any technology during a game. They know the rules. They make mistakes. The game has referees who know the rules and make decisions according to what they know and see at the moment of a rule-broken. They make mistakes. The game is not foolproof. Football is not perfect. A remarkable achievement for a film that looks into the professional (and in a few cases private) lives of the extraordinary men who devote their lives to ensuring that football is played to the highest standards of fairness and success for all. Some of the referees even receive a handshake and “thanks” from delighted players at the end of the match - when they win! I think that was a smile on the face of Roberto Rosetti after the last whistle of the Euro Cup Final match. This film was shown on Monday night in Nyon as part of the Visions du Reél festival and there were questions and answers afterward with the film makers and two of the referees featured in the film. A DVD of the film will be on sale in Switzerland from 18 May 2010 in French and German. You can see a clip here on U tube which gives you a good flavour of what it is about.

It's the annual chocolate festival in Versoix this Saturday 24  and also on Sunday 25 March. This festival is hosts to lots of chocolate makers and open for the public to try out, and buy all sorts of chocolate.  There are workshops for children, there's an egg hunt on Sunday, a choco train, and lots more. This festival is a great day out for families and for chocolate lovers.  Open 09:00 to 18:00 both Saturday and Sunday. Note: this is a popular event and parking can be tricky, so best take public transport to attend the event. The 23 minutes past the hour train from Nyon (change at Coppet) only takes 17 minutes to arrive in Versoix, and the festival is next to the station. The 33 mins past the hour train takes longer as you need to change in Geneva to get to Versoix.  Details of festival here The opera "Nabucco" by Giuseppe Verdi will be performed by a professional opera company from Poland in Nyon on the 6th July. This will take place in the magnificent setting of  the grounds of the place du chateau in Nyon.  The prisoners chorus in the open air!  Tickets via Starticket   or at Manor, the post office, and at the CFF train station. Hear more about this production from Olivier Mayor (the municipal in charge of culture for Nyon), in a news item on Nyon Regional TV  in this short video below.  Vues sur l'Actu du 20 mars 2012 par nyonregiontv