Here we are for Paléo Festival 2023. So what's new? Living in Nyon were at the Press Conference on Monday where we heard from Daniel Rossellat, president of the Paléo Festival and Mayor of Nyon. A quick walk of the grounds and a sneak peek of all the cool things coming up this year (musical artists aside). Belleville Stage After a huge success of the debut of the electronic music stage last year, it has had a makeover. From the warm pinks and oranges of 2022, it is now cool blues and greens which are sure to create a magical setting at night whilst featuring electro-pop, acid techno, house, drum’n’bass, bass music and synthwave artists. NO Cash There is no more cash at Paléo! Payments will only be accepted via debit or credit card or app. No worries if you only have cash with you – there is a prepaid system that allows you to deposit cash at  exchange banks  on site where staff will provide you with a card or bracelet. There is also an option to load up cash online. Simply create a  No Cash Account  and with the unique number on your card or bracelet, add an amount of your choice. At the end of the night you can also reclaim any remaining balance on your account either in-person at the exchange banks or online. Simple! Quartier des Alpes In this area there are new sparkling structures which will give a whole new atmosphere at night courtesy of light designers T.I.L.T. A great place to chill out when needing some down time in between concerts. Washable Dishes  Paléo being sustainability conscious have introduced a washable and returnable dishes system. A fantastic way to reduce the amount of single use waste.  Similar to returning your cups in the past you can now return your dishes too at return points all around the food stands. Only the cutlery is non-returnable. Hopefully this will reduce the number of overflowing bins. Paleo encourage you bring your own water bottles or dishes too. Especially in this heat! Car Sharing There are lots of different ways to get to Paléo, the little red train that goes from Nyon Train Station as well as the buses. Some prefer to come by car as there is ample parking on site. This year Paléo have introduced Car Sharing. In partnership with Tribugo, Paléo offer a free carpooling platform for the festival! Use Tribugo's interactive map to find the different routes departing from your neighbourhood and get in touch directly with people who are planning their route to the festival. It's amazing how the area in front of the Grand Stage looks so different from when it's full to the brim with festival goers - peaceful even! Charity and Social Organisations Every year Paleo chooses a Charity Partner and this year the two chosen are Aquaverde and Médecins sans Frontières . Aquaverde was founded in Geneva in 2022. The non-profit organisation supports the indigenous peoples of Amazonia in protecting the Amazon rainforest and preserving its biodiversity for future generations, while offering economic and cultural alternatives to deforestation.  Médecins sans Frontières provides medical assistance to people facing life-threatening crises, regardless of their ethnic origin, religion or political beliefs. The organisation's interventions are based on medical ethics and the principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence.   HES-SO The students of HES-SO (the University of Applied Sciences in Western Switzerland) have designed an impressive structure made up of prisms with golden reflections called Hors-Série (special edition) just across from the Vega Stage. This will also serve as a stage for young artists from the HES-SO’s two music colleges. Quartier Libre This renamed free access space is the place to be if you don’t have tickets to Paléo but still want to soak up the atmosphere. There are food and craft stands, four themed bars and lots of entertainment and games. The best bit is, it’s open from 11:00am to 04:00am and to everyone –  the party doesn’t stop! Located between the Festival and the Campsite. Village du Monde Dedicated to Brazil this year with musical genres; samba, bossa-trap, jazz influenced pop and much more. Not to mention the food! Get ready to indulge in the rich flavours and gastronomic treasures from this part of South America. If you don’t have tickets yet, 1,500 are released each morning for the day of at 09:00 (virtual waiting line opens at 08:45) only on paleo.ch For more information on Paléo check out our article on Information for Younger Festival Goers and a round up of last year's Festival and where it all began .

The Great Gatsby - Next GEDS production. The glamour, passion, and decadent excess of the Jazz Age come to life in this adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel. Synopsis This exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s is narrated by Nick Carraway, an aspiring banker who gets dazzled by the glamorous upper-class crowd of Long Island. The wealthy Jay Gatsby throws lavish parties in the hope of attracting the attention of his one love: the elusive Daisy, who is married to Tom Buchanan, a wealthy man of brutish and self-centred nature. The tragic story of Jay Gatsby unfolds at a time when The New York Times noted "gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession”. Watch the wild parties of the roaring 20s come to life all the while bearing witness to the tragic consequences of the shallow excess and egocentric hedonism that characterised the day. Details here Dates: 25 - 29th February 2020 Tues-Fri  20:00, Sat 19:00 Théâtre Pitoêff, 52, rue de Carouge, 1205 Genève. Directed by Christina Vasala Kokkinaki, adaptation by Simon Levy

A big thankyou to the SPA  (The Society for the Protection of Animals) La Côte for this article. Read on about what this society and its volunteers offers to the public, and the sterling work that includes: dealing with lost and found animals; help with adopting a dog or a cat; and providing boarding facilities. La Côte (SPA)  was founded on 28 November 1968. It now has a membership of around 2,500 and its main purpose is to serve the general public and their animals. The present committee comprises seven members who work on a voluntary basis and meet regularly throughout the year. The Refuge in Nyon is run by a dynamic and experienced team of five full-time employees and two apprentices. They welcome both visitors and clients, and most importantly provide for the animals in their care. The animals are looked after 7 days a week, 365 days of the year. The SPA website provides details (also in English) of its activities and also outlines its main services, which are: Taking in Abandoned Animals Owners may need, or want, to sign over their animal(s) to the care of the SPA for many different reasons. This can include relocation, death of a family member, admission to a care home, allergies, or simply lack of time. These reasons are not judged and the animals, no matter their age, are cared for until an appropriate new home is found for them. During their stay, the animals receive proper medical care and food, a clean, warm and safe living environment, exercise, and affection from the staff. It perhaps needs to be stressed that euthanasia is not a policy of SPA La Côte. Adoption The terms and conditions of the adoption process, including cost, are set out under ‘Adoption’ on the website. All dogs and cats are both vaccinated and neutered prior to rehoming. For those animals who are too young, future owners are required to provide proof of compliance with this requirement. Lost and Found Animals In conjunction with the Police and the Gendarmerie, SPA La Côte operates as the official pound (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) for the reception of lost and found animals for the district of Nyon. If an animal’s owner cannot be found, the animal will be available for rehoming after a regulatory period. Please note that in accordance with Article 720a of the Swiss Civil Code, whoever finds a lost animal is obliged to inform the owner and, if this is not possible, to inform the authorities. Boarding Boarding is available for cats and dogs. Dogs are housed in kennels that comprise a heated indoor section, plus an outdoor section. At different times of the day they have access to a large outdoor exercise area. Cats are housed in the new spacious indoor rooms of the cattery, which are comfortable and also heated in cold weather. They have access to large, totally secured outdoor areas with grass and fresh air. As demand for boarding is high, especially during school holiday periods, it is advisable to make any reservation well enough in advance. To make a reservation or for more information please call SPA La Côte on 022 361 61 15. For information on the terms and conditions, please visit the  website . SPA relies on donations and members' contributions SPA La Côte receives no funding from the State nor from the Commune. To fulfill its tasks, it therefore relies on donations and contributions from its members and from members of the public, as well as from the money generated by the boarding of cats and dogs. Members receive the SPA La Côte leaflet in ‘l’Ami des Animaux’ magazine four times per year keeping them up to date with the activities and issues relevant to the Refuge and animals in general. This yearly membership is fixed at CHF 20. If you would like to become a member or make a donation, contact them in person, by phone - tel 022 361 61 15 or via our website . On behalf of all the animals in our trusted care, we thank you for your kind and invaluable support. The building of the SPA is located next to the SAN at Chemin du Bochet 20 in Nyon, and is owned by the Foundation of the SPA La Côte.

The next Business and Professional Women even t will be a  "A Scent of Change",  a talk on how Perfume Gets Created - 3rd December 18:30 - 22:00 in Rolle. Bénédicte Foucart will share how she decided to leave her successful career in the corporate world to start her entrepreneurial journey in one of the most competitive markets in the world. She will also talk about the “why” that drove her in this adventure. Guests will be invited to open a box of perfume and share how a fine perfume gets created, how to choose your perfect scent and how to train your nose in daily life. Bénédicte founded  Valeur Absolue  following over 15 years of high level marketing and sales experience with global companies, in roles that have given her management experience in Europe, Americas and Asia (Unilever, Elizabeth Arden, Firmenich). Bénédicte graduated from Ecole de Commerce Solvay in Brussels in 1994, as an Engineer in Business and Economy, and spent one year of humanitarian engagement with Doctors Without Borders, before embarking on marketing her career. Details of event here.  AGENDA 18:30 - Registration and Networking 19:00 - Presentation 20:30 - Dinner Further info email eventsbpwlakegeneva@gmail.com Casino Rolle - 1st floorRue du Port 15 1180 Rolle

Polluting Cars, Early season skiing, La Côte, Helicopter pilots in Alps, Ice Climbing, Nyon TV and more. From time to time, Living in Nyon highlights articles from other websites in Switzerland that readers may find interesting or useful. Photo above - C.Nelson-Pollard. Coppet as seen from the train, en-route to Geneva. Ban on Polluting cars in Geneva This first one here from Swiss Info (the international unit of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation) brings the news that from January 15th 2020, Geneva authorities have approved a measure to ban the most polluting vehicles driving through the city centre when air pollution reaches certain levels. See  article here. Early Season Skiing Here's an article from Le News on places to go for early season skiing in Switzerland Scrabble in English in Switzerland Did you know there is a Swiss English-language Scrabble Association (SESA)? Know-it-all passport has an article on their website about this association. Click here to read an interview with the president, details of when the club meets etc. La Côte - Column in English and What's On in the area. A reminder that there is a Living in Nyon column published (in English) in La Côte newspaper every Friday. It's a light hearted column that takes a look at Swiss life from a British point of view and it also explains a little bit of Swiss life, customs and culture to the expatriates who live in the La Côte area. La Côte's Friday edition also has a section dedicated to what's happening around over the weekend in Nyon, Gland, Morges, Féchy, Begnins, Allaman, Crans-Près-Céligny and other surrounding villages. Looks for the section called "Sortir sur La Côte".  You can pick up a copy at any newsagent, or read articles on line for a small subscription. Note, La Côte is currently offering a trial 2 months subscription for the price of one. Dates of the Christmas Markets in the area Nyon Région Television has produced a useful little video listing the dates and locations of all the Christmas markets in the area. RTS TV  RTS produces a fantastic TV programme called "Passe moi les Jumelles" (Pass me the Binoculars). Each programme contains some fabulous reports (with superb photography and filming) of Swiss places and of individuals who work (particularly in nature) in this country. From the work of wildlife photographer Vincent Munier   or the king of  ice climbing  who climbs in Zinal, Kandersteg and Saastal - scroll to 32.50 on the link here,  to a report on the work of two helicopter pilots working in the Alps (scroll to 32.20) link here.  They are well worth watching!

Nyon's ice rink is now open and on Saturday 23rd November it is holding a Silent Disco from 18:30 - 23:00 Entry is free - just CHF 5 for adults, CHF 3 for children to rent skates. There will be three different kinds of music on offer on Canal Bleu - électro, pop-rock, hip-hop, 90’s, Canal Rouge - fast and slow music Canal Vert - music from films and today's hits Details here

The Geneva English Drama Society will be performing "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (in winter!), in English, from the 26th - 30th November at the Théâtre de Terre-Sainte in Coppet. Details, timings and tickets here.

The Christmas lights were being strung up around Nyon on Monday afternoon. The festive season is around the corner! For those new to Nyon and would like to meet other people. Did you know there are several Meet Up group events in the area? Improve your Public Speaking skills The first is on November 27th from 19:15 -21:30 and is organised by Toastmasters in Nyon.  This is a nonprofit organisation that operates clubs worldwide for “the purpose of helping members improve their public speaking and leadership skills”. This will take place at the  HQ of Uni Global Union  8-10 Reverdil Avenue in Nyon.  Note - Toastmasters in Nyon has been established for many years, see our article from 2012! New Meet Up Group The second is a brand new Meet Up group, a "Meet-Up for Nyon Wine Lovers" - this is for  new (and old) people in town!  This event is for women only and starts at 19:00 at the Barawine in Nyon. Details here IWCN Did you know, there is also an International Women's club of Nyon? This has been established since 1987 and it currently has around 480 members.  Its purpose is to "promote friendly contacts among women of all nationalities through multiple activities and to help facilitate the integration of newcomers".  The IWCN has more than 50 interest groups, in the club ranging from cookery and culture to sports and languages.

Once a year, the Château of Prangins hosts two important photo exhibitions: World Press Photo and Swiss Press Photo . The World Press Photo exhibition showcases the best press photos taken across the world. For the 2019 contest, 78,801 photos were submitted from 120 countries. They were then whittled down over a period of three weeks by 17 jurors and the winning photos are now on display at the château. There are some extraordinary and poignant photos in this exhibition, such as this below of a child collecting recyclable material whilst lying on a mattress, and surrounded by garbage on the Pasig River in Manila (this river is one of the 20 most polluted rivers in the world). Photo above -  Mario Cruz 3rd prize in Environment category There's a series of photos of different sets of twins in Nigeria. Nigeria has one of the highest occurrences of twins in the world, particularly among the Yoruba people. Photo above - Bénedicte Kurzen and Sanne De Wilde, 1st Prize Portraits This below is of an unidentified man trying to hold back the press as Saudi investigators arrive at the Saudi Arabian Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, amid a growing international backlash to the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Photo above - Chris McGrath - 1st Prize General News . These superb photos are intended to provide visual journalists a platform to be able to share their stories with the rest of the world, and to make people, stop, feel and think. Note - This exhibition tours the world and will only be in Prangins until the 8th December 2019, so see it while it's here!  The second exhibition, Swiss Press Photo, being shown in the same building, runs until 23rd February 2020.   There are some amazing photos here too. Here's the photo that went viral of Alain Berset (Swiss president in 2018) perching on a kerb, whilst perusing his notes during a break at the UN assembly in New York. Berset was perceived as humble and diligent across social media. Photo above - Peter Klaunzer - (various news agencies) News This below is of The Santa Clauses of the St Nikolaus Society Zurich. They don't just visit children during the advent season, but criminals too. He they are visiting the Pöschwies prison. They tell conventional stories and hand out traditional baked goods. Photo above - Christian Merz, Zürcher Unterländer - Winner - Daily Life category The photo below is of 74 year old Tzvetana Messerli living her childhood dream: she dances classical ballet performing in Swiss cities such as Geneva and Zurich. The native Bulgarian doesn't care that her performances are not perfect. Her father advised her against ballet as a child as he said there was no money in it. Now she is finally now a ballerina. Photo above - Rolf Neeser, L'illustré, Schweizer Illustrierte. Note: one of La Côte's own photographers Sigfredo Haro has a selection of photos in this exhibition under the category Daily Life . These photos are of an awards ceremony for school certificates at the secondary school in Morges, plus photos from those graduating with the Maturité from the Gymnase de Nyon. Note to photos above - all photos are Living in Nyon's iPhone shots of the main pictures. To see the photos in large format, better quality and to appreciate them in their full glory, visit the exhibition! Opening times of the château. Tuesday - Sunday 10:00 -17:00 closed on Monday. Click here.

The 3rd World Fondue festival will take place in the pretty village of Tartegnin from Friday 15 - Sunday 17th November 2019. There will be a series of events over the three days and a competition to find the world’s fondue making champion! Sunday is family day at the festival. More details on the website (in English).

A reminder to all readers that Nyon's own public library at Avenue Viollier 10, has a small, but interesting selection of English books and CDs that can be borrowed for free by members of the public (not just Nyon residents). The adult library has a room with a photocopier, a coffee machine, newspapers, magazines, Wi-Fi and comfy chairs in a reading room!  Opening hours here There is also a children's library at Chemin de Crève-Coeur 3 in Nyon. Click here for the library's website and to find out about library events for both adults and children.

The Christmas season is approaching and to get us all in a festive mood, Miss Daisy Fresh Dutch Flowers are e holding a "Noël à la Gare" fair at the old train station of Céligny, on Friday 15 November from 10:00 -20:30 and Saturday 16 from 10:00 -17:30. See our previous article about this local business here. It's a great chance to take a bit of Christmas stress away by ordering festive arrangements ahead of time. Customers can then pick them up just before Christmas. You will also find a large selection of other beautiful and affordable gifts and Christmas decorations. Flower arrangements and flowers subscriptions are a great gift idea for partners, colleagues or family. There will also be the chance to enter into a tombola. Enter your name at the fair itself and be in with a chance of winning a free flower arrangement. Rose Mensing and Yvette Donkervoort look forward to welcoming Living in Nyon readers and their friends on the 15th and 16th.