It's the Spring market in Nyon on Saturday 24th May, stalls, food and more from early morning until late afternoon. This year, the market has a Caribbean theme! Also on Saturday, it's "Nature in the Town" Day. Lots of activities going at various venues around the town - full programme below. The COV ( Conservatoire de l'Ouest Vaudois ) the music school is now taking registrations for its summer courses, piano, flute, saxophone, harp and more. A reminder that on Thursday 29th May, it's the Ascension public holiday. Most local shops and businesses will be closed on that day.

Here are a few events taking place over the next week in the area.Following up on the "Dieudonné" affair, Nyon council has decided to allow the infamous show to take place in the name of freedom of speech, warning that if racist speeches did take place there would be consequences. The French comic whose show was banned in France last week will be coming in February and March to Nyon. Further along the lakeside, Cully Jazz Festival revealed its lineup for April 2014. You can check it here . Music Pony Del Sol- Friday 24th Pop Folk, Usine A Gaz (free concert) Pony Del Sol delivered her great pop songs this summer at Paléo for an amazing live performance. Discover her own musical world and peppy songs this Friday at the Usine à Gaz. Concert at 21:30 , doors open 21:00 www.ponydelsol.ch Viaggio Quartet- Friday 24 th Jazz, Klezmer, Tango... Part of the concerts organised by the Nyon Music Conservatory. Clarinet, Accordeon, Double Bass and Drums. Concert starts at 20:30 . More information here Fanfare Gilly Bursinel- Tuesday 28 th , Arzier The Vaud Champions, third category Brass Band will be playing in Arzier next Tuesday. You can also catch them on the 1 st of February in Gilly and on the 2 nd of February in Bursins, for a musical start to 2014. More information about the band here Art Photography: Afterglow, Jerome Muller- La Focale Gallery La Focale, Nyon's photo gallery and shop situated just next to the Castle is hosting an exhibition by Jerome Muller, entitled Afterglow. Exploring the social and economical desolation of Andalusia, Jerome Muller presents nearly monochromatic photos,, extremely underexposed. As if the desolation leaked into the camera. The subject of the photo slowly unfolds in front of the viewer, showing him the results of excessive industrialisation and the disaster of ultra-liberalism. 26.01.2014- 02.03.2014 http://www.focale.ch/exposition/remanences/ Local Art: Association La Levratte Work from the the lace-makers of Coppet and Nyon will be displayed in the community centre in La Levratte. Paintings by Claudine Boissard will also be shown. Saturday and Sunday 25-26 January, 1-2 February, 11:00-18:00 Nyon Flea Market 26 th January Browse through the stalls along the lakeside with the dramatic backdrop of the Alps across the lake. The flea market takes place every last Sunday.   Cinemas Here are the timetables for films screened in English in local cinemas this week.   Nyon- Cinéma le Capitole Philomena By Stephen Frears, With Judi Dench, Steve Coogan Aubonne -Cinema Rex Philomena 20:30 Thursday 17:30 Saturday 20:30 Sunday The secret life of Walter Mitty By Ben Stiller, With Ben Stiller, Sean Penn Part of the “English Movie” program: 20:30 , Monday 27 th The Lunchbox 20:30 , Tuesday 28 th , part of the “Les toiles du Mardi”   Geneva- Ciné 17 All the films at Ciné 17, situated in the centre of Geneva, are screened in the original language. You can find the whole program on their website, www.cine17.ch

There is a new brochure out on Nyon (many residents received this in their mail box over the Christmas period - photo of cover above). This 70 + page brochure published by Inedit publications includes lots of  information on the town, from useful addresses in the administration, to the services offered by the Canton.  It has a map of the centre of Nyon,   sections on schooling and working in the area,  health services and many other useful sections. Anglophones will be pleased to know that the brochure also has a four page English Corner!  This section was provided by Living in Nyon and includes an introduction from the site's editor, a chapter on the  English speaking community of  Nyon, it lists useful websites, news sites, busness networking groups, and useful publications, English clubs,  there is also a full page on learning French as an adult and  for children. Also today 14th January, the English speaking column in La Côte newspaper begins again after the Christmas holidays. This column is a light hearted look at living in this area from the view of an expatriate. It is written in English and published each Friday. If you have never read La Côte , buy a copy today at any newsagent, not only does it keep you up to date with local news and help if you are learning French, but it also has useful listings such what's on at the cinema, sports and music events. The title of today's column is called "Fondue Fuddle".

A My Poste 24 hour terminal has recently been installed near Nyon railway station (just near the entrance to the Nyon St-Cergue railway entrance).  These terminals make it easy to send and receive parcels and registered letters around the clock. This is a great idea for those who find it difficult to get to the post office during working hours.  Registration with La Poste and a Swiss mobile number are both required to use the service. Lockers can also be rented as a handover location (for example) for products bought on online auction platforms. Full details in English of how the system works, prices, parcel sizes accepted etc, click here.  Editor's note - the Nyon terminal has only just been installed and is not yet operational but we understand it will be functioning in the next few days.

The gates have now closed at Paléo and the music has stopped. Although there will undoubtedly be some campers who will stay on site for a few more days to savour the last moments of the festival, it all officially ended on Sunday night. Next year's festival will take place from 18th to 23rd July 2017. The line-up will be announced on Tuesday 28 March and tickets will go on sale on 5th April. The theme of the music in the Village du Monde will be from Central America. At Sunday's press conference, Daniel Rossellat said that many people had commented on how they liked the two pubs (the Voyager's bar and the L'Escale in the Village du Monde) this year and asked if they could be recreated in 2017. He wasn't sure whether they would but said "Watch this space!" He also was pleased that the festival went off this year without any major incidents or accidents. This year there were many more children at the event and although they didn't contribute to the budget itself (children under 12 go free), they would hopefully be the paying Paléo fans of the future!

If you've got a bike then you'll need one of these. It's compulsory and its called a "vignette" An annual licence which you buy from the post office. There are bike trails in the area and there are maps you can buy with them all marked on. Parking The main parking in town is at Place Perdtemps. Drive in, collect your ticket and pay on your return. Parking is free for the first hour. If the Circus is in town then it takes up a lot of space in this car park! There are other parking areas scattered all over the town and near the lake. It can get very busy at the weekend, especially in the summer. Unusual fact. Did you know that if you park your car near long grass, sometimes a little animal (not unlike a small stoat) climbs into your bonnet, makes itself comfortable and then begins to eat the engine cooling pies. I kid you not. So, if you see the engine heating up over a period of time this might be the reason.. Your car insurance policy usually covers the repairs for this!

Yesterday the weather seemed to abandon festival-goers, as the sky was grey and it started raining in the evening. People looked slightly less high spirited - you can see a week of wild merry-making starting to exact its toll on some and the rain, falling quite heavily by now, seemed to dampen everybody's spirits. A damp start but the spirit of Paléo carried on  But the dampness and general drabness of it all didn't last for long and after all, Paléo without any rain isn't really Paléo as Rodrigo y Gabriela came jumping on to the main stage, putting smiles to people's faces and chasing the rain away. Accompanied by C.U.B.A, a Cuban ensemble, made of a drummer, a bass player, a pianist, a saxophonist and a trumpeter, they gave an explosive show. Although they have made themselves known for their guitar duo-with nobody else playing with them, the addition of other (very talented!) musicians was really welcome, as it let them revisit their music and offer the audience something more than what they were used to – which is really what concerts are really all about. If you wanted to listen to the same exact thing they did on their album, you might as well stay at home and listen to it in front of a photo of them! It's strange to think that these two met while playing trash metal; they have come quite a way from such music, developing a unique style of music, but the overflow of energy is still there. When the musicians left the stage, leaving Gabriela and her rhythm guitar alone in front of 35, 000 people, it didn't seem to be a problem, and listening to her, it was amazing to think she was alone on stage; the combination of strumming and drumming making it sound like there was a band and not just one person playing. Mind blowing solos from the bass player  They managed to find the right balance between playing with the band, with mind-blowing solos from the bass player and the pianist (not to mention the drummer!), but also playing alone, with the energy and skill that have become their trademark. They had the public clapping to the music, and although they weren't very talkative, they did stop to say how they were happy to be here and thank everyone. One last fun fact about the concert, that people paying attention might have noticed, was the recurring appearance of the same song- with which they started the concert- always in a different form, throughout the concert (I counted at least seven versions!). See video below taken from the Paléo festival blog site of both backstage and of the Rodrigo and Gabriela concert. Paleo 2012 - Concert frontstage avec Rodrigo y... par paleo The Paléo Installations You might have seen the installations above the Quartier des Alpes. Similar in a way to what the Cie Carabosse did for six consecutive years, this year Monic La Mouche has set up camp on the grounds. Big corrugated iron structures and rusty sculptures that look like they have come out of some old abandoned factory, illuminated from the inside, give a very poetic touch to the area. The slope is a favourite spot for a lot of people, and although yesterday's slightly damp weather wasn't the best day for that, there are always lots of people sitting down among the sculptures, having something to eat, chatting with some friends or listening to the concert on the main stage. Finally if you are interested in photography, you can go and see the work of Paléo photographer Pierre Descombes, who took the photos that you might have seen in the book issued for the festival's 35 th edition. They can been found in the Galerie , held by Paléo veterans, right next to the sunflower fields. His photos of the festival are amazing, and really worth checking out!   Note: Reviews of Lenny Kravitz and other Friday and Saturday night concerts on this site soon.

All Weather courts, Sunny restaurant, and Friendly members!  Living in Nyon last wrote an article about Nyon tennis club back in 2008 ! Much has changed in the club since then. The club has invested in four "all weather" courts enabling players to play tennis all year round, and the club now has a modernised kitchen for the club's restaurant. The outdoor terrace of this restaurant is one of the places in Nyon that catches the last rays of the sun in summer and the restaurant is also open seven days of the week to members of the public. You do not have to be a member to eat here. See restaurant opening times here The club itself now has a modernised online court reservation system for members and it is also popular with some of the "big named" stars in tennis, who use the courts if they are in the area. The club will be holding an Open Day on Sunday 17th April for anyone interested in checking out the facilities. On this day there will be a demonstration of elite junior tennis, children's tennis workshops, a tennis competition between the club's players, a sports clothes fashion show and the day will end with an apéro offered to all.  On the Open Day there will be a 50% reduction in the inscription charge for those who sign up on the day.  Details in poster below.

There's lots of music on the agenda in the upcoming weeks in the Nyon area. Let's hope the weather improves so we can enjoy all the concerts on offer! Sunday concerts by Roman Columns in Nyon Throughout the summer months there are Sunday concerts that take place from 11:00-13:30 by the Roman columns. Country, reggae and other music is on the line up this year. These free concerts are organised by the  Association Places des Maronniers.  There will be a buvette in place by the columns to purchase drinks and snacks.  This Sunday the 13th July, Geneva band (Reggae, Ska, Dub)  Rootstudy  will be playing to the public.  Learn to play an instrument  If you are interested in learning how to play a musical instrument, the Conservatoire de Nyon offers summer courses from the 16th to 22nd August in singing, playing the saxophone, piano, flute and other instruments and more.  See here  Music Events Rive Jazzy  Rive Jazzy is an annual fixture on the local calendar in which jazz music (traditional, modern, swing etc) is played outside (for free!) on Nyon's "terraces" every Friday and Saturday during the summer months (apart from during Paléo). This year, concerts run from the 4th July to the 16th August at the following venues: O' Les Terrasses, Place du Molard, Fontaine du Maitre Jaques and Place de Savoie (see the illustration below). Check the Rive Jazzy website for the  full programme. Paléo schedule is now out The full schedule for all Paléo concerts is now out. Plan your days and meetings around the bands you want to see!   See website here    Still looking for tickets?  Note:  the official Paléo ticket market closes this Sunday 13th July! See here Luna Classics - Nyon  This prestigious classical music arts and dance festival is coming to Nyon from the 19th to the 31st August with some stellar names on the line up from Nigel Kennedy to Yuja Wang  (see previous post with more info here ) Variations Musicales Tannay Just a little further along the road from Nyon in the pretty village of Tannay, "Variations Musicales"  will welcome various artists from the 24th to the 31st August.  See website here

Photos below from the world's first Fondue Festival which took place in Tartegnin last Saturday. The event was a great success and attracted thousands of visitors. You can read Living in Nyon's observations about the day in Thursday's (26th November) English column in La Côte newspaper. The Living in Nyon column is published every Thursday throughout the year. Pick up a copy in the news stands and check it out!  More local events and news coming up on this site shortly. Photo above: Left to right - Happy fondue festivalers, Willem and André Photos below: Scenes around Tartegnin Musicians from the Guggenmusik band that played at the fondue festival

On Saturday the 12th March from 11:00 - 13:00, there will be a free culinary tasting and demonstration  by  Manuella Magnin  the "culinary" journalist for L'Illustré  magazine. This will take place at Vom Fass, an oil, vinegar and spirit shop in the centre of Nyon. On Saturday, members of the public will be able to taste three different dishes created from  Vom Fass products and from the Les Delices de Manuella range. The tasting is free and a glass of wine will be offered at the demonstration.  A large range of oils for salads and culinary use. Gift vouchers for presents. Spirits sold in small bottles.  The Vom Fass shop itself has been open in Nyon for just a year and sells a large range of oils, vinegars and spirits. It is also known for its super friendly service from manager Marco Carichino!  Read on to discover more about the products on sale and the Vom Fass concept. The concept of the shop is very simple - customers can purchase any of the products by the bottle (starting at 100ml) by bringing their own bottle from home or they can buy one from the large range for sale in the shop itself. The bottle is then labelled and carefully wrapped with a handwritten description of the product on the side. Note - bottles of 100 ml can be wrapped to meet airline requirements, a perfect idea if you are short of inspiration of a gift to take to relatives or friends living in other countries! Try before you Buy The oils and vinegars on sale are made from natural ingredients, if you are unsure of the taste of a product, you are welcome to try it out before purchasing. The Vom Fass philosophy is "Regardez - Goûter - Appréciez!" In addition to culinary oils on sale (including oil of Argan, avocado, Nigelle, pistachio etc) there are also oils for "well-being".  Click here for the full range. Click here for the range of vinegars. There is an interesting range of whiskies from Scotland, Switzerland, India and Ireland including a 14 year old  Irish Single Malt called "Brothers in Arms" produced exclusively for Vom Fass. Gift Vouchers are available and the shop is open from Tuesdays to Saturday from until 18:30 "Non Stop" (open over the lunch time period!) Gift Vouchers Available A small selection of the bottles for sale in the shop The shop is in Rue St-Jean 15, not far from the Place Perdtemps car park

Living in Nyon has been skimming through the back copies of La Côte newspaper to catch up with the local news. Here is a small and eclectic selection of news items and information from the last few months. Don't forget, there is a Living in Nyon  English  column every Wednesday in La Côte newspaper. It can be found in the inside of the front page of the newspaper 20,000 residents In December 2014,  a small ceremony was held in Nyon to welcome its 20,000th resident. The ceremony, attended by Mayor Daniel Rossellat and Mr Claude Uldry, (municipal in charge of contrôle des habitants), welcomed Filipe Mathez, the 20,000 resident to the town. Nyon has seen a substantial growth in its population over the past few years. In 1989, there were just 13,306 residents and 15,000 in 1995. According to the local authorities, Nyon is expected to have 24,800 residents by 2020. Passenger Submarine under the Lake!  Did you know that at la grande Expo 64" (the 5th national exhibition in Switzerland in 1964), one of the main attractions of the exhibition was a massive mésoscaphe/ submarine ? This submarine took paying passengers and members of the public on trips under Lac Léman!  Sadly, this submarine is no longer operational, but you can discover more about it, see the publicity posters for these underwater trips, see the inside of a mésoscaphe and learn lots more about life on and in the lake itself at the museum.    See website here (info is in English)   Note -  there will be a presentation to the public on Monday 2nd March 2015  at 2015 to show the plans for the projected extension to this museum.  There has been some controversy over the design of this planned extension. Take a look at the designs entered into the competition here   and see the proposed winning design here. What do you think of this design? You can have your say at the presentation. First Class Carriages due on Nyon - St Cergue train line First class carriages are planned to be installed on the Nyon- St Cergue train line by December 2015. "Aunt Agatha" biscuits now made in Nyon!  "Tante Agathe" biscuits, the  Swiss biscuit company, celebrated its 60th anniversary last year and has now moved its production from Lonay to a factory on the route de Stand in Nyon. Info from other news sites - With the ski season well and truly upon us, Swiss Info (the international service of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation) asks the question "Are Swiss Ski Slopes too fast?" See video here.   Go Junking/ Brocante hunting with Lisa! Are you a collector of brocante/ antiques and do you enjoy enjoy bargain hunting when looking for second hand items?  Looking to meet some new people? Then you might be interested in Lisa's "junking+ mornings and days out in Geneva.  See details here  The Nursery and Playroom at Geneva Airport The website called Lausanne Mom has recently updated one of its articles on the Nursery and Playroom at Geneva Airport. This is a useful article for parents who are travelling with young children and flying out of Geneva!