So we officially arrived in Switzerland at the end of November 2011, but actually we stayed in France for a couple of weeks while waiting for the key to our Swiss home and for our air shipment of supplies to arrive. Just to be clear, France is about 5 mins away from our current home in Bogis-Bossey, Switzerland so it made perfect sense to stay at an apartment hotel in France rather that in Geneva.
Map of French/Swiss border
The kids got a kick out of saying "Now we are in France! Now we are in Switzerland!" each time we crossed the border.You wouldn't really know you'd left the country except for the border control kiosk (which you simply drive thru) and the fact that the currency changed. Oh, and that in France, some stores are open on Sunday. Notice the line up at the local Divonne bakery; it goes out the door.
While the kids and I recovered slowly from the terrible jet-lag, Bernie didn't have that luxury. He started work at the WTO almost immediately, but was happy to go to the office to meet people and learn about his new role. During the day, the kids and I would sleep until at least 11am and then set off exploring the area. One day, we walked the perimeter of Lac Divonne (about 3 km). I couldn't believe they had the energy for it!
Beautiful Lac Divonne with the Jura mountains in the background
Tribute to Canada
Our hotel (La Villa du Lac) was very close to the lake
Actually, the jet lag worked to our advantage as the pool wasn't open to children until after 7pm. Ethan and Trevor were not impressed by this policy to say the least. Divonne-les-bains is famous as a spa town with natural mineral springs in the area. We have come to understand that any French town with "les-bains" attached means that they also have mineral springs or hot springs in the area i.e. Evian-les-bains, Yverdon-les-bains.
Pool time, finally!
Divonne is also famous for its open-air Sunday market. Note: grocery and retail stores are closed on Sundays in Switzerland so you can see how a farmer's market with fresh produce, cheeses, and meat would be ultra popular.
Bernie was determined to explore the market even in the rain
The candy stall where you pay by weight, so 7 euros later,
the boys (Bernie included) got one candy each
My cone of roasted chestnuts- my favourite winter treat
And you can see the rotisserie chicken truck in the background, it also had a line up!
As it turned out, our air shipment was delayed so we stayed at the hotel longer than planned. It was a small space, but comfortable. Bernie and I got the bedroom while the boys shared the sofa bed in the living room. It had a small kitchen/dining area as well. Overall, a great stay in Divonne!
Our apartment was on the 2nd floor, or
le premier étage in French (meaning first floor) - a bit confusing
Passing the time playing Hokm (Persian card game)
Supper time at the hotel- taco night
Once we got the keys to our unfurnished home, we surely missed this dining table! Actually, we missed many of the comforts of the hotel- especially beds! A big thank you to Bernie's co-worker for lending us an extra camping mattress and to some Bahá'í friends nearby for a table and chairs. The "picnic" meals on the floor quickly lost their appeal.
