If you are planning a wedding or you know of someone who is planning one in the Vaud area, here are a few tips and recommendations to make the special day go smoothly Recommendations If you are looking for hotel rooms for your guests: book 10 rooms or more at Base Nyon (the new apart-hotel in Nyon, see previous article here) and this hotel will offer the bride’s parents a free night on the night of the wedding - just a small help towards the rather large costs of this special event! The hotel can also host a pre-wedding drinks for guests at their Base Balcony & Bar the night before the wedding (numbers limited to a max of 25). This stylish rooftop bar of the hotel is due to open shortly for the summer season and is a great place to view the lake and town from high above. Contact Base Nyon here to ask about this wedding offer. Vom Fass, the oil and whisky shop in Nyon (see previous article here) can supply individual wedding favours, a choice of personalised bottles of spirits or oils to hand out to guests at the wedding. A nice local touch to the event. Traditional wedding caterers can be very expensive so don't hesitate to see if your favourite restaurant arranges catering. Falaque, the healthy takeaway food restaurant in Nyon also provides outside catering for large groups. See their choice here Here are some other recommendations based on a reader's experience plus a brief summary of the official procedure required. ABC taxis in Nyon for friendly service, they can provide a bridal car, minibuses, coaches. Caroline Miles, seamstress in Mies, does an excellent job. Karin Oprach, personal concierge, for logistical running of the day, help with set up and organisation on the day. Discreet, with a calm head and very helpful. Official procedure (please note, this is not an exhaustive list) Firstly, phone the cantonal authorities to announce an impending marriage and they will send you all the forms to sign. If you have a date in mind for the civil ceremony, phone up exactly six months to the day at 08:00! This is important because it's on a first come, first serve basis. You will then temporarily book your spot and it will be confirmed when all the paper work has been confirmed. Foreigners will have to provide papers from their embassies and verified birth certificates. A meeting is required with authorities for non-Swiss residents and they ask the happy couple to attest the truth of their papers and their birthplace etc. They will ask the woman if she wants to change her name or not. In Switzerland, double-barreled names are no longer an option, so the bride to be either takes the husband's name, or the husband takes the wife's name, or they both keep their own. They also have to put down a name for their potential children, this can be either the husband's or wife's, again no double barreling. This can be changed within a certain time frame after the children are born. English speaking churches in the Nyon region. La Côte Church Westlake Church

It's a busy time in Nyon this weekend and there is a lot going on in and around the area. In addition to the Easter family events and Open House at the Ecole Moser (see previous two posts - click here and here), the Zoo La Garenne will also reopen to the public (see video below). It's also Anti Racism week in Nyon and to mark the week, on Friday 18th March, there will be a performance by the "Divadevas" (musical event) at the Salle Communale at 19:00 a vernissage with apéritif for the launch of a photo exhibition entitled "Portraits of The Portugese Women of Nyon - Beyond the Clichés" On Saturday the 19th there will be a multicultural apéritif, food, music and story telling which will take place outside the La Combe shopping centre from 10:30. The photo exhibition will then be on display from the 29th March at the Migros Portes de Nyon (the big supermarket at the top of the town) and it will remain there until the 9th April. Meanwhile over in Divonne this weekend, there will be a Creators Market with hand crafted products, food, flowers, designer clothing, jewellery, homewares and original gifts. This will take place at the L'Esplanade du Lac. There will be children's activities and a café area serving cream teas. On Sunday there will be a visit from Spiderman and a Princess from "Once Upon a Time Parties". On both days there will be a "Fashion Walk" organised by Anila of ShenAnnz at 14:00 featuring items available at the Market. More details here

There are two films (documentaries) which will be shown in English in Nyon this weekend as part of the Green Film Festival (Festival du Film Vert). The first is "How to change the World" - synopsis below taken from the film's own website. This will be shown in English on Saturday 12th March at 16:00 at the Ferme du Manoir Place du Château in Nyon in the Salle de Conference 1. Note: this building is the council building near the castle. Ticket details here Entry CHF 10 Synopsis In 1971 a small group of activists set sail from Vancouver, Canada in an old fishing boat. Their mission was to stop Nixon’s atomic test bomb in Amchitka, Alaska. Chronicling this untold story at the birth of the modern environmental movement and with access to dramatic archive footage unseen for over 40 years, the film centres on eco-hero Robert Hunter and his part in the creation of the global organisation we now know as Greenpeace. See trailer below. The second film in English "Bikes versus Cars" will also be screened in the Ferme du Manoir on Sunday 13th March at 16:00This film highlights the conflict in town and city planning between bikes and cars. Note: there are other films being screened in Nyon at the Green Film festival between the 10th and 13th March, many are in French and there are some subtitled in English including Autrement (avec les légumes) and Krill, le secret de la Banquise. See programme here Bikes vs Cars from WG Film on Vimeo.

In 2010 we published a post on skiing options near Nyon and in resorts further afield. Here is a new article written by a reader who is also a keen skier. He writes about some of the smaller resorts that are about a two hours drive from Nyon, resorts that are less well known than the “big name” ski resorts but are definitely worth considering if you are looking for new slopes to explore! Photo above -Copyright "Val d’Anniviers" Shorter Lift Queues and Rural Charm The Valais has a variety of small villages with intriguing ski slopes which when viewed collectively provide a real alternative to the larger resorts such as Verbier, Flaine, Villars, Les Portes du Soleil or Saas Fee. Whilst these smaller resorts may not justify the drive from the Nyon area for a day trip, they do make a real alternative for a weekend’s skiing and they can easily be combined to make a week’s ski holiday whilst enjoying much the rural charm, good snow conditions and smaller lift queues. Less well known than the well known “big name” ski resorts, here are two valleys that you may wish to consider. Val d'Anniviers The first alternative is the Val d’Anniviers, a valley which is accessed from Sierre. There are a variety of resorts - Grimentz, Zinal, St Luc, Chandolin and Vercorin covering both sides of the valley and providing over 200 kilometres of slopes. These villages are all about 2 hour’s drive from Nyon. Photo above - Copyright "Val d’Anniviers" St Luc and Chandolin are on the eastern side of the Val d’Anniviers and are linked together, whilst Grimentz and Zinal, on the western side of the valley are connected by a cable car allowing these two distinct resorts to be easily skied in one day (or enjoyed separately). Vercorin is set apart and faces north overlooking Crans Montana. With slopes that face east, west and north, and reaching almost 3000m, snow conditions in these resorts remain good well into March. The scenery is spectacular too with views of the Weisshorn, Dent Blanche and glimpses of the Matterhorn (though from an unfamiliar angle). Photo above -Copyright "Val d’Anniviers" The villages are pretty and offer a good range of accommodation from chalet rentals to a four star boutique hotel and the famous Weisshorn hotel situated in an isolated position at over 2300m. The skiing is varied too. Grimentz has a range of long blue and red slopes, whilst Zinal will appeal more to those who like steeper gradients (whilst at the same time catering to those preferring easier slopes). St Luc and Chandolin are a topographical delight with undulating wide open slopes and vistas allowing a ski-safari up and down the valley. Any of the villages would make good bases, though of course if you wish to ski “the other side of the valley” a short car ride is necessary. Lift tickets are quite a bit cheaper than the larger resorts. Piste map above - Copyright "Val d’Anniviers" Val d' Herens The second option is the Val d’Hérens, a village accessed from Sion and an hour and three quarters from Nyon. The villages here with ski slopes are Evolène, Arolla, Nax (Mont Noble), La Forclaz, and Thyon 2000 (which links to the 4 Valleys resort). The 4 Valleys resorts have 400km of skiing whilst the rest of the villages in the Val d’Hérens collectively have 130km of slopes. Here the skiing is far more informal and low key. These are essentially village slopes, with 4 or 5 lifts but offering great a variety of skiing, spectacular views and charming small buvettes where you can get a drink and simple (mountain) food. Lift prices are even lower than the Val d’Anniviers. These resorts have different styles. Evolène is a pretty village that keeps mountain customs alive, and acts as a good base. The ski slopes face east and provide great views onto the Dent Blanche. Arolla is the starting off point for mountaineers and many of the users of the ski-lifts are getting a head start for ski-touring to nearby peaks. There are only a few lifts though there are long open slopes, no queues and you are in the middle of some wild country. As you ski the groomed pistes its possible to watch off-piste skiers coming down glaciers and pristine vertiginous slopes. This is Switzerland though, so there is of course a buvette at close to 3000m to enjoy the sun and the view! If you want a blast, then head off to Thyon 2000 which has more than enough skiing for days on end.

Thursday 14th April - Image consultant Beatrice Ségerre will share styling and "re-looking" tips at a pop up evening (with cocktail) in Rolle. Details in poster below. There will be a book launch on Saturday April 16th from 15:00- 16:00 at the Temple in Prangins. The book "The Waldensian Story" tells the story of refugees who came to Prangins in 1689. Details in poster below.

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

The April Living in the Know podcast is now out and this month focuses on Lac Léman/Lake Geneva. The podcast was recorded on a sunny day by the lakeside in Nyon and on this recording, listeners can hear (just click on the play button on the podcast link below) about the various types of boat trips that can be taken on the lake ranging from a little-known journey from a private dock for a lakeside glass of Prosecco in canton Geneva, to dancing on a Salsa boat in Montreux. Above: Fisherman Daniel checking his nets. Photo taken alongside the fishermen's huts in Nyon Photo above: Lisa and Catherine by Nyon lake side Lisa from Know-it-all passport talks about a hotel yacht moored on the lake and explains how to use the little yellow boats in Geneva. Catherine (from Living in Nyon) describes how the half-price train subscription on a CGN boat is advantageous and shares some interesting facts about the Musée du Léman in Nyon; did you know there was once a passenger submarine in our lake? No podcast would be complete without : and this month is about common mistakes when talking about certain kinds of fruit. This month's podcast was kindly sponsored by The International University in Geneva. Useful links mentioned in the podcast CGN boats - The spring season start on the 17th April 2016 GB WayPoint in the port of Prangins offers boat and yacht rental The Bol D'Or Sailing Competition Les Corsieres sailing school. Based in Eaux Vives, it has a variety of boats to rent Stand up Paddle in Prangins

The Ecole Moser school in Nyon will be holding an "Open Day" on Saturday 19th March from 09:00 -12:00. If you are currently looking at educational opportunities for your children, this is an excellent chance to find out more about this friendly, bilingual international school which is situated in the heart of the town. On Saturday amongst many other activities, there will be language workshops, iPad workshops, and scientific experiments on show. The school is at 4-6 avenue Reverdil (very near to La Combe shopping centre). For further details, see website or telephone the administration. Tel: o22 593 88 88

Skatepark inaugurated, La Roulotte opens, La Jetée Bar Opens on the "beach", Balcony Bar at Base Nyon, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang -musical in English, CGN ferries start Spring schedule, Open Days at Tennis Club and at Music Conservatory, There is a lot on the agenda this month in the Nyon area and many outdoor venues are opening up now that the warmer weather has arrived. Here is a selection of news and events coming up over the next few weeks. Skatepark in Nyon inaugurated on the 16th April. The skatepark in Nyon has been open since last December, however there will be an official opening on the Saturday 16th April from 10:00 onwards with skateboarding demonstrations and a skate contest at 13:00 (register on the day). There will also be a design competition. The winner will have their own design printed on to a skate board in a limited edition produced by Boarders Park in Nyon. The skatepark is at the eastern end of the car park at the the swimming pool in Colovray. Note the outdoor swimming pool itself will open on the 4th May. If you want to buy a season pass for the swimming pool this year you can now buy this online. Click here La Roulotte opens for the season La Roulotte, the café created out of an old railway carriage and parked outside the railway station for the summer season is due to open on Sunday the 10th April from 15:00 onwards. The band Pelicans of Death will perform and there will be a "balloon" workshop. The Jetée Lounge Bar on the "beach" is now open in Nyon. This bar is situated on the western end of the lake side in Nyon. Also, the Balcony Bar at the Base Nyon hotel will open on the 21st April from 17:00 to 22:00 - More info on this coming up on Living in Nyon. Musical in English Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is the latest musical to be performed by GAOS on the 15th, 16th, 17th, 22nd, 23rd, 24th of April at the Casino theatre in Carouge. Details in poster below - Book tickets here Synopsis - Eccentric inventor, Caractacus Potts saves an old race car from a scrap dealer, and restores it forhis children Jeremy and Jemima. They soon discover the car has magical properties, including the ability to float and take flight. But evil Baron Bomburst from Vulgaria wants the car or its inventor. A beach outing becomes a wild adventure, batty Grandpa is kidnapped, the rescue trip to Vulgaria sees the children enticed away by the Childcatcher. With the help of the magical car and lovely Truly Scrumptious, Potts and family defeat the baron, his child-hating wife and cohorts, with lots of laughs, catchy music and dancing on the way. Ferries start Spring Schedule The CGN ferries start their Spring schedule on the 17th April. Want to know about a little known boat journey that leaves from a private dock or find out about the salsa boats on the lake? Then listen to the Living in the Know April Podcast. Open Days at Music Conservatory and Tennis Club Also on Sunday the 17th April, it's Open Day at Nyon Tennis Club. This is an ideal opportunity to discover more about the club and its facilities. Note - article coming up shortly about the tennis club here on Living in Nyon. On Saturday the 23rd April it's Open Day at the Conservatoire de L'ouest Vaudois. Discover more about this music academy that is situated right along Nyon lake side.

The signs and posters for Visions du Reél are up around Nyon, the programme is out and the town is now ready for a week of documentary films which will be shown at various venues in both Nyon and Gland. This festival is for both film professionals and the general public. There are different categories of films: Long Métrage, Moyen Métrage and Short Métrage, "first films" by new film makers, there are films about Switzerland and "Grand Angle" films, this year there will be a selection of films from Chile, there will be workshops and the invited guest for 2016 is film maker Peter Greenaway. Many of the films are in English or subtitled in English and vary completely in subject matter from films such as "Trading Paradise" about the practice of trading commodities in Switzerland, a film called "Wild Plants" on urban gardeners in post-industrial Detroit, to "Like Dew in the Sun" by local film maker Peter Entell which was filmed in the Ukraine (review coming up of this film), a film called "Foreign Affairs" about Luxembourg's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs to the new Michael Moore film “Where to Invade Next” . Tonight the 14th April, there will be a free “avant-première”screening of the film "Jesus Town USA" at the Théatre de Marens at 19:30. See trailer below.

The March Living in the Know podcast is out and can now be heard online. These podcasts are a collaboration between the website Know it All Passport and Living in Nyon. In this month's recording, Lisa and Catherine do a quick analysis of the customs allowances for shopping over the border in France, and discuss how the rules and regulations have changed over the past couple of years. Lisa also takes a look at discount shops in France, while Catherine talks about a great App that lets you send FREE printed postcards within Switzerland. There will be a classical music concert tonight, Friday the 4th March at the Conservatoire of Western Vaud. To reserve a ticket call 022 994 2360 between 15:00 to 17:00 Details in poster below

There are four pairs of tickets to be won to see the Oscar nominated, acclaimed film "Brooklyn" which will be screened in English on Monday 7th March at 20:45 at the Capitole cinema in Nyon. Quick synopsis - An Irish immigrant lands in 1950s Brooklyn, where she quickly falls into a romance. However, when her past catches up with her, she must choose between two countries and the lives that exist within. See trailer below. To be in with a chance of winning tickets, send an email with your full name to info@livinginnyon.com by Friday 4th March 2016 Names will be chosen at random. Winners will be informed on Saturday 5th March.