Side Trips

To France by Lake Steamer

With its scenic beauty, it's hard to beat Switzerland. But for a change of pace, you can visit Evian-les-Bains in France. It lies on one of the southern shores of Lake Geneva and is the leading spa resort in eastern France, its lakeside promenade fashionable since the 19th century. Bottled Evian is, of course, one of the great French table waters.

Lake steamers to Evian are operated by CGN (Compagnie Générale de Navigation; tel. 0848/811-848; www.cgn.ch). They depart from the lakefront quays of Lausanne every hour in summer (mid-May to mid-Sept), and about three times per day in the dead of winter. Transit takes only 35 minutes each way. Once you get to Evian, you can wander, lunch, and kibitz on your own, as there are no guided tours available. Round-trip cost of passage from Lausanne to Evian is 31F in second class or 42F in first class. Note that the midsummer departures that leave either city around noon (there's usually a 12:30pm departure from Lausanne) offer more comprehensive restaurant service than what's available at other times, when there's just a snack bar operational.

A Dramatic Ascent to Les Diablerets

For a high-alpine view of Switzerland's highest heights, consider a day trip from Lausanne to the high-alpine village of Les Diablerets, which is rather confusingly designated as the geographical and spiritual centerpiece of a high-altitude and rocky Les Diablerets region. To reach Les Diablerets, visitors take a conventional train from Lausanne to the town of Aigle -- a 30-minute, relatively high-speed ride, priced at 30F per person round-trip. In Aigle they transfer onto a relatively slow narrow-gauge train that carries them to the village of Les Diablerets -- a 46-minute ride priced at 24F per person round-trip.

In Diablerets you can wander around the alpine village, site of about 10 hotels, including 2 in the government-rated four-star category. There's an attempt to maintain old-fashioned aesthetics in this town, and it does have some alpine charm. Diablerets village is the centerpiece of three distinct regions: the D'Ifenau ski region, the Le Meilleret ski region (which funnels into yet another ski region known as the Villarf region), and the Glacier region (Les Diablerets Glacier 3000). It's also the site of a 7.2km (4 1/2-mile) bobsled ride (piste de luge) that's among the most thrilling (terrifying?) in the region.

After visiting Les Diablerets village, you can return to Lausanne or continue on to see the Glacier des Diablerets at 2,997m (9,830 ft.). In winter a free minibus hauls you to the door of most of the hotels in Les Diablerets Village. Then continue to the base of one of Switzerland's newest (inaugurated in 1999) cable cars at Col du Pillon, which will carry you on to the Glacier des Diablerets. The minibuses take 15 minutes for the ride. In summer there are no free minibuses; instead, you'll board any of five daily departures aboard a Swiss Postal Bus for the 15-minute ride to the base of the cable car at Col du Pillon, and pay 15F per person each way. Or if you want to walk through the village, it will take you about 90 minutes from the railway station to the base of the cable car.

Once you reach Col du Pillon, departures on the cable car to the glacier are continuous between 8:30 and 9am, and ending between 4 and 5:30pm (times depend on the season). The 15-minute uphill ride (very steep, very dramatic) requires one change of car at a midway point up the mountain. The cost is 60F per person round-trip. For cable car information and confirmation that the car is running, call tel. 024/492-33-77.

The summit is the site of a futuristic-looking aerie designed by Mario Botta, resembling an angular Inca temple or a spacecraft, depending on your point of view. Inside, there are two eateries: a self-service restaurant and a more formal sit-down restaurant. The aerie is also the departure point for winter skiing (Dec to mid-Apr), summer skiing (late June to late July), and lots of hiking trails on or near the edges of the glaciers. There's also a snow-bus excursion, priced at 18F for a 30-minute outing, in a vehicle with very big snow tires and big windows. There might be a group of husky dogs on-site practicing dog sledding, Alaskan style, but don't count on it. The entire site, including the cable car, is closed during May for annual maintenance.