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On Tuesday night a new cinema club launched in Nyon with the aim of showing a variety of international films twice a month at 20:00 on a Monday night throughout the year, at the Capitole cinema in the heart of town.   The programme begins on the 10th October and continues through to 26th March 2012.  Andrea Bachmann-Helbling, club president spoke to Living in Nyon about the new club and the film choices the club has made to kick off the new season. Committee members of the new cinema club. L to R  Tanja Mayr, Manu Zirnheld, Serge Roguet, Sophie Page,  Olivier Mayor ( Nyon municipal representative for culture works and environment), Andreas Bachmann-Helbling, club president and Jennifer Siegrist. Andreas - " We know there are lots of film fans here in the town, and Nyon is obviously already firmly on the map with its annual Spring documentary film festival  "Visions du Réel" .  However, we wanted to give film lovers the opportunity to see high quality films throughout the year, to offer debates after each film, hopefully those debates will continue in the bar downstairs afterwards!  We are beginning the season with a silent film called "The"Artist" on the 10th October (see description of this film at the end of this article below). Films from Korea to Sri Lanka to a Coen Brothers film There are six of us on the committee, we have had an interesting time and many discussions choosing the films for the programme, we all have different tastes.  Ultimately though we think we have come up with a good variety from around the world to suit everyone. Amongst the choice there is a film from Korea, a film from Switzerland, a Coen brothers film  ("The Barber"), and a comedy called "Machan", a film about a Sri Lankan handball team which is a true story about a false team! Films will be shown in the original languages either with voice overs or subtitles in French. English speakers are most welcome to join the club of course, it's not only a good opportunity to see interesting films and meet new people, but also it's a chance to practice and understand the French language a bit more outside of the classroom".   Jennifer Siegrist, a member of the programming committee continues: "The other advantage of this club is the possibility to see a style or genre of film that you wouldn't normally see in the mainstream cinema here in Nyon. We have a phrase in French - "A coté de la Plaque" (roughly translated - "off the wall"), some of these films fall into that category but they are all good and interesting films".  The club has a website with the full programme of  the coming up this season. For 90 chf per year, club members get to see 10 films, they also will have the advantage of a reduced price on tickets on the mainstream films  at the cinema (14chf instead of 16chf per ticket, apart from weekends and official holidays). Membership also includes one free ticket to one mainstream film at the cinema and an invitation to an Avant-Première film. Details of  membership are on the club's site or you can sign up at the cinema itself on the first screening on the 10th October. See site here Wikipedia entry on the film " The Artist" below. "The Artist" is a romance film directed by Michel  Hazanavicius, starring  Jean Dujardin  and  Bérénice Bejo . The story takes place in Hollywood between 1927 and 1931 and focuses on a declining male film star and a rising actress, as  silent cinema  grows out of fashion and is replaced by the  talkies . The film is itself a silent film and in black-and-white. Dujardin won the  Best Actor Award  at the  2011 Cannes Film Festival , where the film premiered. Semaine de la Mobilité - 16th - 22nd September - Try out an electric bike for free tonight!  Residents of Nyon may have seen posters around  the town advertising the Semaine de la Mobilité.  During this week there will be lots of events on offer to encourage the citizens of the town to get out of their cars and to use alternative  forms of  transport, not only for the benefit of the environment but also for their health!  The official opening of the week begins this evening  Friday 16th at 18:15 (at la Roulotte, the temporary café on the St Cergue side of the railway station). There will be the chance to try out for free electric bikes, Segways etc, and a solar powered car!  For the full programme of events from family walks, conferences on fitness and health, bike rides, and exhibitions linked to the week Click here.

Do you enjoy reading and want to meet up with other readers to talk about books, recommend books and hear lectures by authors? The next "Rencontre a la Page" encounter is in a series of events that occur throughout the year and which are held mainly in Nyon and Gland and part of La Page Cornée, a local literary events non-profit association. Their next event on Wednesday 19th March  is a "Crime and Mystery Novel Evening" in the presence of Mr Pierre Aepli  who was head of Vaudois police for 20 years. Mr Aepli is now a crime author and international security expert. Also present will be Mr Patrick Delachaux, ex policeman and author of "Flic de Quartier". Note: this event will be held in French, however many people in the group also speak English and the group welcome all nationalities. The event will be held at the Théâtre de Grand Champs in Gland at 19:00. Entry is free. Leave your guns at the door! For more information in English, email info@livinginyon.com.  Note: the Living in Nyon editor is a member of this association and will be present at the event so come and say Hello!  For inquiries in French, call Daniel Bujard 079 750 09 78

There are a lot of urban myths about all the rules to abide by when living here in Switzerland. There is no doubt that many rules do exist, but essentially, good citizenship is what it is all about. You recycle your rubbish, you don't play your music loud after a certain time at night. If you live in a flat (apartment) you may have to do your washing in a buanderie ( the laundry room) on a fixed day. If you hang your duvet covers out of the window to air then there may be a time when you are required to bring them in again, and if you have a small garden with a flat you may not be allowed to cut the grass or do any home improvements on a Sunday particularly if it makes any noise. It just depends on the apartment block or area that you live in and who your neighbors are. Initially you wonder whether you are allowed to even breathe on a Sunday... but things are not as strict as you are led to believe when you first arrive, some expats perpetuate horror stories for fun, but, it is worth checking that you are not breaking any rules. The book " Living and Working in Switzerland " is an excellent book that debunks some of the myths but outlines some of the truths. It also has a section on paying tax, and guidelines when buying and renting property.

Milk and Iron – Leite e Ferro by Claudia Priscilla Goifman  " Brilliant film" showing tonight. Motherhood in prison   Kathy’s seventh and last review at the Visions du Réel festival. “Milk and Iron” will be shown again tonight on 12th April at 20:00 at the Capitole 2 Cinema. This is a European premiere and Kathy says;"I highly recommend this movie.”  Kathy says, “The hall was packed, every single seat was occupied. After seeing the movie I understood why, it was brilliant. This is the story of a women’s prison in Sao Paolo, Brazil. I didn’t know they had special prisons for mother and child to be together for the first four months. Claudia, the film director had the idea of the movie when she became a mother herself. She wondered what it meant to be a mother under these circumstances. Four months with their baby We are taken into the world of early motherhood. This prison is different from other prisons: it is only for mothers and their newborn. Here they can spend the first four months very close to their child. The camera zooms into scenes where the mother dresses, sings, bathes and breastfeeds her baby. The proximity of the mother and child is beautiful. It gives the impression that no exterior element can change that. As the mothers snuggle and play with their babies they express their overflowing happiness. Drugs, Sex and Alcohol Luana, the oldest prisoner, has been in and out of jail many times and this is not her first child. She grew up on the streets, fending for herself when the family could not take care of her anymore. She was always naturally curious and easily went up to people. She began stealing little things to eat and later made friends with an older man who made her steal for him. She slipped into drugs and injected the poison into her veins when she was pregnant with her first child at thirteen. The others mothers listen to her endless stories and laugh, confessing their own experiences. Most of them had similar experiences: bad treatment from men, being infected by aids, drinking, selling drugs and surviving an overdose. Community and Religion There is a strong sense of community in the prison. The mothers are often seen sitting together sharing experiences, watching a movie or music video. They exchange advice, keep an eye on each other and give each other mutual help and companionship. The prisoners in turn clean their cells and the common hallways. Religion is also a strong part of their daily life. Luana and her friends are often seen praying or singing together. Prison routine Even though they are mothers they cannot leave the prison. Their uniform consists of a white t-shirt and yellow pant. Most of mothers are happy to have this protected time with their babies. One woman says it is better she spends her time here taking care of her newborn instead of living on the street selling drugs or stealing. Everything is available for the child: clothes, diapers, soap, baby carriage, and plastic bathtub. The rooms are colourfully decorated with pictures and drawings the mothers have made. Meals are delivered and distributed by the prisoners. The children are continuously being breastfed. Separation Each mother knows that these four special months are bound to end. They can give the baby to be cared for by a family member or friend once the time if up. If the family or friend does not show up on the given day the baby will be immediately be handed over to an institution or filed for adoption. The mothers will then be transferred to their former prison to finish their sentence before they can be united with their child again.  Film in Portuguese, Subtitles in English and French

The Usine a Gaz - It's often mentioned on this site, but what is the "Gas Factory"?  Just a few steps near the lake in Nyon this building is a venue that is used for all sorts of performances, from rock bands to theatre groups to being the nerve centre of the upcoming film documentary festival. With a capacity of hosting an audience of up to 500 standing and approximately 150 - 200 seated, it is a major local landmark for live music and theatrical events.    The original building on the site, dates back to 1864, and was indeed at some stage in its history a place where gas was sold. The building was transformed and renovated in the 90's and today the place is run by a permanent staff and volunteers, and is backed by Nyon council as an official local association.  Pierre Yves Schmidt the director, talked to Living in Nyon about the " Usine ".  "When we are scheduling our programme we try to choose a variety of acts to suit all tastes, whether this is world music, comedy acts, childrens performers rock, reggae or rap groups. We look for quality and originality in bands and it isn't always based on whether we think they will be just a commercial success, sometimes we take risks with new ideas and I think that's what the public have come to appreciate".  Band Karpatt in concert at the Usine  "I tour various music festivals (particularly in France) to scout for acts and of course agents approach us with their recommendations too. When I go abroad and mention the "Usine a Gaz" in Nyon, those in the business know of us, we have a good reputation. We are in a particularly good stopping off point for bands that are on tour and on their way to Italy or Germany. We also like to promote local bands too and have regular concerts on a Thursday once a month called "Bonsai evenings" for the public to see upcoming new and local talent. The first Friday of every month the evening is free and on that night the band is paid out of a percentage of the bar's takings".  "Ticket prices can vary but we try to keep them reasonable and as we have a rota of keen volunteers this helps to keep prices affordable. Amongst the staff we also support those who want to learn about the business by taking on a "stagiare" (trainee) every six months".    "We also have an active children's programme of mime, theatre, dance and puppetry. We produce a programme per quarter which outlines the main acts of the season coming up and a monthly flyer with the latest additions to the schedule".    Note to readers: the programmes and flyers can be found in Nyon tourist office, many restaurants in the area, local communal offices, and Chavannes shopping centre or check the website out under "programme". Tickets to events can be bought in advance from FNAC, Disques Service, Migros Nyon and other commercial outlets. Details on the Usine a Gaz site.  The Usine welcomes volunteers who speak French (or who speak English and understand a bit of French and are willing to try to speak it!) Volunteers have to work a minimum of sessions per year in various roles such as the ticket office, bar etc to then be entitled to free entry to events.  Of particular interest to lovers of Brazilian music is the concert coming up on the 9th May featuring singer songwriter and guitarist José Barrense-Dias (Nyon resident and world famous musician).

"God of Carnage," the next GEDS production in English is being billed as " A comedy of manners.. without the manners!" This Tony Award best play will be performed on 5- 9 March at the Théâtre de l'Espérance in Geneva and tickets are now on sale.  For booking details click here Synopsis of Play below (in English and French) God of Carnage Two sets of parents meet for a civilized, grown-up discussion about the outcome of their two boys having a playground fight and the result is a very funny black comedy which not only entertains, but sets us thinking about the veneer of good manners which society sets upon us all. Charles Slovenski has assembled the following talented cast to bring this modern hit vividly to life: Robert Bartram, Chaitan Jain, Viki Lazar, and Cécile Van de Voorde. First night patrons may enjoy a complimentary glass of bubbles in the company of the cast and crew. Le  Dieu de Carnage Veronica et Michael Novak, parents du petit Henry, reçoivent chez eux Annette et Alan Raleigh, parents de Benjamin qui a frappé leur fils au visage dans un parc voisin, lui cassant ainsi deux dents. De bonne éducation, les deux couples ont décidé de cette entrevue afin de régler l'affaire avec civisme. Cependant, lorsque le vernis s’émaille et que la colère remplace la bienséance et la politesse de rigueur, chacun se montre en fin de compte très primaire. Dans leur florilège de pensées stéréotypées et sur fond de mauvaise foi parfois grossière, c’est un peu de nous que nous retrouvons dans ces bobos de Brooklyn… Pour interpréter ces duellistes, le metteur en scène, Charles Slovenski, a réuni une distribution exemplaire, chacun cherchant à creuser la singularité de son personnage dans cette comédie grinçante de Yasmina Reza (traduite par Christopher Hampton).

Play next week 11- 15th November in Coppet On the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth, GEDS   (the Geneva English Drama Society) will present "Much Ado About Nothing", one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays. It contains some of the Bard’s most sparkling dialogue between Beatrice and Benedick and two hours of love, jealousy and treachery. In true Shakespearean style, love triumphs in the end, while villainy is punished. The plot Leonato, a kindly, respectable nobleman, lives in the idyllic Italian town of Messina and shares his house with his lovely young daughter, Hero, and his playful, clever niece, Beatrice. As the play begins, Leonato prepares to welcome some friends home from a war. The friends include Don Pedro, a prince who is a close friend of Leonato, and two fellow soldiers: Claudio, a well-respected young nobleman, and Benedick, a clever man who constantly makes witty jokes, often at the expense of his friends. GEDS is  privileged to have Ben Crystal, an actor, author, director and educator of world-renown, as our guest director. He is staging the play using original Elizabethan rehearsal techniques. Commemorating the 100th anniversary of World War I, the production will be set in Switzerland, as troops return from guarding the borders. For all details/ tickets times and booking see the Theatre in English booking site

La Pl'Asse, Paléo's “off” festival All photos- courtesy Jonas Parson For many people, the festival doesn't end when you leave the main entrance. A whole ecosystem arises around Paléo, giving people who don't have tickets a chance to party, and those waiting for the doors to open something to do. Just across the road you can find the Pl'Asse, Paléo's 'off' festival. This free area, filled with food and clothes stalls, boasts a small stage with different activities organised all day, and ending each night with a Dj set. This is were the festival-goers, forced to flee the grounds at closing time, but still desirous to dance, end up to finish the night in style. A special mention to an amazing tea stall, situated about half way down the right side of the Pl'Asse, which serves wicked Masala Chai and delicious white chocolate and saffron brownies. The camp-site The camp-site can be found on the other side of the Pl'Asse. After having for many years a reputation of a lawless jungle of danger, the camp-site has been cleaned up a bit since Paléo introduced a bracelet access to the camp-site, limiting the entrance to people with tickets to the festival. Around 12'000 festival-goers camp here each year, building some pretty impressive structures. Camping at Paléo is a very serious matter! Activities and games are offered during the day, such as this “Pétong” tournament, a variant of “Pétanque” played with your shoes! The party goes on all night here, and if you find yourself in the camp-site at 4 in the morning, you can find huge groups of people dancing through it with portable amplifiers, inviting everyone they meet to join them. Moving ... Horses are used to pick up the rubbish Wood is given away for free in the camp-site Here are the portraits of three encampments Living In Nyon visited. The Brits Walking along in the camp-site, difficult to miss this big orange structure, covered in graffiti. Made of a wooden structure covered by tarpaulins, it hosts several tents and a lounge area. Alex, Daff, Megan, Olivia, Josh and Mitch , a group of British campers (most of them grew up in Switzerland) live here. It took them a day to build this, harder work than a few years ago, when they were about twenty people helping to set up camp. They were all spending the week at Paléo, a festival to which they are faithful, as they have been coming here for a while now, and it is one of the only festivals they come to. The 'Gipsies' from Zurich One of the most beautiful and impressive sites was made of tarpaulins stretched between an incredible orange caravan and a great old yellow school bus. I met Sidonie and Valentin , from near Zurich there. The caravan and bus belonged to family and friends from their village, with whom they were here at Paléo. They too were only faithful to Paléo,and had been coming for the last three years. Their highlight of the week was Santana, who played last night. The "Blue Goat" ecologists Further on, near a very Swiss group of caravans, complete with letterbox and a row of flowers planted in front, I came across a group of people, living out of a camping car, the (the blue goat camp-site) I stopped because of the sign offering to recharge your phone with solar energy at an open rate (“prix libre” is a concept where the person decides how much she wants to give for what she is paying). I stopped to chat with this group of friends from Valais, who were really into finding alternatives to energy production, and were testing their new construction in the camp-site, with some rather rewarding results! People came and used their installation, often trusting them with their phones for a couple of hours. They deplored the fact that people just came and went without stopping for a chat, as if they were scared or shy. But the “prix libre” worked great, and they had already received things like cherry tomatoes, cool beers, food, and a bit of money, people often paying more than they would if the price had been fixed, supporting this great project. Rafael, Christian, Sophie Mariska and Christophe have been coming for a long time to Paléo, and they explained that this was one of the only festivals where it was possible to build stuff on the camp-site. Apparently all of the other festivals (specially in the German part of Switzerland!) are much stricter, and do not allow fires, etc.... Street theatre in the camp-site A very Swiss entrance Getting good beer somewhere near Paléo As one might have noticed, the stalls here are ruled by Cardinal and its crappy lager, which is just about the only beer sold on the grounds. If you were to want a better beer, it would be impossible to find one, as Cardinal,one of the main sponsors for the festival, forbids the sale of any other beer. But there is one solution! For several years now, “La Brasserie de la Côte” , a brewery from above Morges, has set up camp in the underground terminal to the Nyon-St-Cergue train. This is the perfect place to enjoy a nice glass of craft beer before taking the train up to Paléo. Here is Thursday's video "best of".

Sports Day Fair at Geneva English School on Saturday 6th June from 12:30 - 15:30 The annual Sports Day at the Geneva English School is an ideal opportunity to see the school "in action". It's also a fun day out, there will be a BBQ, face painting and lots more, see poster below and a short video about the school. The event welcomes prospective parents, GES friends and newcomers to the area. Registration required click here "Popcorn" by Ben Elton  The next play by the Geneva English Drama Society will be "Popcorn" by Ben Elton and performed between the 16th - 20th June at the Théâtre Pitoëff in Geneva. Details here - Ben Elton is probably best known for his television series, including The Young Ones, Blackadder and The Thin Blue Line. Popcorn is Ben Elton’s most distinguished play, winning both the TMA Barclays Theatre Award for new play and the Olivier Award for best comedy. The Paris production was nominated for seven Molière awards. Popcorn deals with the serious debate about whether violence in art influences society or whether it only reflects society. Bruce Delamitri is a film director who glorifies violence and sexuality in his films. Wayne and Scout are two of Bruce’s biggest fans who have gone on their own real-life killing spree. As Bruce’s latest film is about a young couple on a killing spree, the obvious comparisons are made. The play deals with the explosive confrontation between Bruce and Wayne. Although Popcorn is a very funny comedy, it does reflect the violence and sexuality of Bruce’s films. The play is adult in content and language. For tickets  - click here

The Commonwealth - Crossing continents and many Countries. (photo of the video screen on an aeroplane seat!)  Here are a few of the events happening around the area, and in Geneva over the next couple of weeks. The first is another meet up of  Male Trailing Spouses at Les Brasseurs pub in Nyon TONIGHT 10th May at 20:00 . Just turn up or email cnp at bluewin.ch for more info. See previous post here about these events.  Don't forget that "The Producers", the Mel Brooks Musical, begins its run this week at the Nyon Marens Theatre in Nyon! See previous post for more info. Talk by Commonwealth Secretary General On Monday 16th May the guest speaker at the BSCC (British Swiss Chamber of Commerce) will be Kamalesh Sharma the Commonwealth Secretary General - He will address the topic "Future Directions of the Commonwealth". This will be at Le Richemond  Hotel in Geneva 11:45 Aperitif 12:15 Luncheon.  Registration by Thursday 13th May 2011. For more info see the BSCC website. Here is some background information on the Commonwealth provided by the BSCC.  "The world’s largest and smallest, richest and poorest countries make up the Commonwealth and are home to two billion citizens of all faiths and ethnicities. Member countries span six continents and oceans. Its nearly 2 billion citizens account for about 30 per cent of the world's population and 25 per cent of international trade and investment. It is bound together by a shared history and by the English language, the world’s lingua franca. Here in Geneva, Commonwealth countries account for 40 per cent of WTO membership. Membership continues to grow.  The most recent members are Rwanda, admitted at the 2009 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, and Cameroon and Mozambique, the first countries to join with no historical or administrative association with another Commonwealth country. Beyond the ties of history, language and institutions, it is the association’s values which unite its members: democracy, freedom, peace, the rule of law and opportunity for all. Kamalesh Sharma, an Indian diplomat, became Commonwealth Secretary-General on 1 April 2008. Previously, he served as India’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom".  Want to know more ? See a video about the Commonwealth here. Welcome Day for Newcomers to this region Another event that may interest readers to be held on May 20th and organised by International Link  is a "Welcome Day".  The goal of the Welcome Day is to familiarise newcomers with this region and give them a first official introduction to their new environment. Various aspects,  politics, economy, culture and tourism in Vaud and Switzerland will be presented in the hope of helping them answer the question – how to deal with everything here?  It is an informal, friendly event at which people from different companies and cultures can interact and discover the best way to truly feel at home here. They will have the opportunity to ask questions about anything that concerns them and receive useful documentation. We will also present the advantages offered to expats through International Link , such as specific integration and career workshops. We will conclude by enjoying a buffet lunch together to taste Vaud seasonal specialties. Foreign individuals can attend the Welcome Day. To register, please send an e-mail to  internationallink@cvci.ch  with your contact details.  The fee for foreign individuals or participants from non-member companies is 200 CHF. WELCOME DAY PROGRAMME: 8h30-8h45            Welcoming 8h45-9h05            "Putting Switzerland on the map" presentation by Red Cut 9h05-9h40            Interactive Game 9h40-10h00          Presentation by the Lake Geneva Region Tourism Office 10h00-10h15        How to buy a House in Switzerland? presentation by Credit Suisse 10h15-11h00        Coffee Break and networking game 11h00-11h45        Living in Switzerland: Tips, Politics, Economy 11h45-12h00        International Link: What it is and how to use it 12h00-12h15        Questions & Answers 12h15-13h45        Buffet Lunch The event is free of charge if the company is a member of International Link or in the process of becoming one. Venue CVCI, Avenue d'Ouchy 47, Lausanne (Metro M2: stop at Jordils)  Brocante Sale On the 13th May 09:00 - 21:00 there will be a Brocante sale over in Gex at  L'Ancienne Ferme Brocante and Saturday 14th May 09:00 to 15:00.   Address  485 rue de l'Etraz, 01170 Gex, France. Bring a friend or partner to help select from an unusual range of antique and  brocante items; painted furniture from the Paintsmith and Phoenix greetings cards.  Leave the children to play in the garden and make time for coffee and cake. For further information contact Sian Sibley on 00 33 4 50 41 92 30 or email s.sibley@orange.fr   Park on the road and walk up the drive.

Living in Nyon is delighted to publish this article below on the Jura Foothills. It was written by Janet Schiewe-Orchard who has been living in the area for many years. If you live in one of the surrounding towns or villages and want to write about it for this site then just contact the editor on cnp@bluewin.ch The Jura Foothills Looking in a northerly direction from Nyon (400m) lies the Jura. At around 1000m, slightly to the left lies St. Cergue and a touch to the right is St. George. The Jura foothills (Pied de Jura) start at about 600m altitude,  just above the last of the vines. This region includes communes such as Arzier, Bassins, Burtigny, Le Vaud, Longirod, Marchissy, etc, an area of natural beauty and the subject of this brief article. These villages sit comfortably between the soft rolling hills and meadows that dominate the landscape. Beyond Begnins and Burtigny, you are captivated by the mass of colour, with the Jura looming over a patchwork of fertile farmlands and trickling streams. The hills are well-walked and the rich diversity of the nature trails, flora and fauna attracts the rambler, artist and photographer. From up here on a clear day, to the south you can see Mont Blanc which looks even more majestic than from the "plain", especially when it turns pink in the setting sun. To the north, the beginning of the Jura range with its ever-changing colours, to the west, the blue-black dash of the lake and in the distance, the plume of the Geneva Fountain, the Jet D’eau. The population of this area is well over 10’000 and growing, many villages having doubled their size in a short time. As land becomes more scarce and expensive on the "plain", many families are turning to these charming hills to build their houses and settle, where they get more for their Swiss Franc! All the communes above come under the Jurisdiction of Nyon - (District de Nyon) - which now comprises 47 communes. Life is less stressful up here and people are more relaxed and friendly, happy to give you the time of day, Farms dot the landscape, but will they become like those on the "plain", which have swapped cowsheds for concrete? Hopefully not, as they provide us with fresh and reasonably priced produce, chickens, eggs, beef, vegetables and fruits. The water is natural and in most cases comes from the Source. Several communes have village shops; the mini-supermarket in St-George is open 7/7, closing a few hours on Tuesdays. People come from far and wide to buy their fresh cream and home-made meringues. Marchissy has a good shop too, also open Sundays. Bassin has a nice Boulangerie. La Cézille, not technically a hill village, has an excellent butcher with customers coming from as far as Geneva to buy their highland beef. You can see the familiar long-horned, shaggy creatures, grazing on the hill behind the shop. Quite different from the standard Swiss cow! There are many good Auberges; the Auberge Communale de Lion d’Or in Burtigny with its friendly, English-speaking Patron (Robert Bubloz) being a favourite. Good food, non-stop cooking on Sundays, "Filets de Perches" on Mondays (as much as you can eat!) Look out for his Sing-Along evenings, Country and Western, Jazz etc. St. Cergue and Arzier have their cheerful little red-train whilst St.George and Longirod enjoy a good bus service to Nyon station. Marchissy has a peak-hour service to Gland station. Don’t forget the Postal Publicar Service - it picks you up from your door for only 3 CHF more than the normal bus fare. There is also an excellent network of schoolbuses serving the colleges in Nyon, Begnins and Genolier. As for the weather,  it’s about 3° cooler up here than on the plain but we benefit from a lot more sunny days and less pollution. Lac Léman is so often shrouded by cloud in the winter months. Snow-clearing lorries and salters are out by 5:15 am. Local farmers clear your drive for you with their tractors. It’s worth noting that the high passes, on the St.Cergue side (La Cure) and on the St. George side (Marchairuz) bring in hoardes of workers from France. So, the roads must be kept in good shape. Useful websites: Switzerland Rando in English and Publicar French German and Italian Janet was born in London of Scottish and Welsh parents and has duel Nationality - British Swiss (naturalised). She studied in London, Lausanne and Cardiff University and speaks English, French, German and Spanish.  She worked in various private Swiss companies in Geneva for 20 years as a translator English to French and on occasion as an in-house English teacher.  She is currently semi-retired - but still teach English privately and is a councillor in the Conseil d'Administration de Longirod. She is a keen golfer.

There are going to be a few changes on the restaurant scene in Nyon in the next couple of months with a "musical tables" in ownership and cuisine.  Firstly, Tom Watson the (British) head chef who previously worked at the  Le Maitre Jacques restaurant has now taken over the  Le Café du Marché (in Place du Marché in Nyon). He plans to open the restaurant with a new menu in March. Tom told Living in Nyon that he has some exciting things planned for the menu including introducing "long lazy brunches" that will co-incide with the Saturday market nearby.  See a previous Living in Nyon interview with Tom here.  Meanwhile, the previous owners of the Cafe du Marché will be re opening the Auberge du Chateau as an upmarket venue/trattoria serving Italian food including pizzas etc. Down on the Rive the owner of the Le Débarcadere restaurant and the Le Léman restaurant has now taken over the Café des Moulins in the old town. This is very good news as it has remained closed for the past five years. At the moment (according to La Côte newspaper) the owner has not decided whether to run the place as a traditional bar or a restaurant. This fresh look to three new restaurants can hopefully only mean good news for those looking to eat out and Living in Nyon will be there to report on any further news including an interview with Tom Watson about his plans for the Café du Marché and those brunches.... Music events this weekend in Nyon include a concert over at the 1306 Club tonight  (21 January) " Syane - Chansons françaises passionnées" at 20:30  Entry free - contribution encouraged for the artist. See site for more details. Over at the Usine a Gaz it's free entry too (a hat will be passed round) to hear Balimurphy from Belgium ( folk and country music).  Note next Friday 28th January at 20:30 there will be a jazz concert at the Conservatoire in the Salle Mingus see site for more details. Don't forget to check for other cultural and integration activities going on at Le Café Vivant (see link on side bar of this site)