One lap around the lake

I had meetings at the corporate HQ near Lausanne yesterday, a good chance to reconnect with the European folks after the visit to the US headquarters last week.  There really is a different style and attitude to the facility, mirroring the differences between US and European cultures.

The meetings ended early, leaving me with a few hours to drift before my departure.  Lake Geneva was tempting me for an adventure: a bit of mist lay over the water and fresh snow had fallen on the east-end mountains.  Why not?  The roads were clear and dry, traffic was light, and it turned out to be a lovely crisp day to take in the perspectives.  And it was a chance to swing through  Montreux, famous for skiing and jazz.

I hadn’t realized that the south rim of the lake was much more rural than the north side.  Evian is the only major city, surrounded by rolling farms along the hills and quiet little stone villages reflecting in the water.  Maybe it’s all just the French ownership of that shore that keeps it that way.

The stores are full of Nouveau Beaujolais (the young red wine from the last harvest), Emmental Swiss cheese, and thick pates.  The prices are ridiculously low by Dutch standards: Two bottles of wine, a kilo of cheese, and 500 kg of pate was 25 euro.