Felicity Long
Back in the late 1980s there was an obnoxious shampoo commercial on TV that everyone loved to hate with the catchphrase, "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful." The slogan became the butt of countless jokes, but on reflection I think Switzerland can sympathize with the concept.
More than once and I would argue unfairly I've heard the destination described as too pretty to be interesting.
Naturally, the Swiss would beg to differ. Take the Vaud Lake Geneva region, for example, located in the French-speaking part of western Switzerland. Yes, you have postcard-perfect lakes, the Alps and picturesque cities like Lausanne and Vevey, but this is also an area that is constantly reinventing itself with special exhibitions, attraction openings and hotel renovations.
This summer, the Aquatis Aquarium-Vivarium will open in Lausanne. Billed as the largest freshwater aquarium in Europe, the facility will house close to 10,000 fish and reptile species from five continents. Designed by Richter & Dahl Rocha architects, Aquatis is expected to draw some 1,000 visitors a day and will function as an interactive cultural center, museum and educational institution.
Meanwhile, fashionistas can take in a retrospective in Morges that focuses on the long-standing friendship between Audrey Hepburn and couturier Hubert de Givenchy.
The event, set to run through Sept. 17 in three museums in Morges Fondation Bolle, Morges Castle and Musee Alexis-Forel showcases some 50 original gowns, hats and accessories as well as sketches and photographs.
Also new is the ArtLab, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and dedicated to the connection between arts, culture, science and technology. The facility, which opened in November 2016, is partly housed in the Montreux Jazz Cafe, where visitors can search and listen to the music database, which includes some 5,000 concerts by artists from Aretha Franklin to Lady Gaga.
The entrance to the ArtLab, a facility in Lausanne, Switzerland, with three distinct spaces dedicated to the arts, culture, science and technology. Photo Credit: Alain Herzog
Other ArtLab features include the Experimental Exhibition Space, which hosts revolving exhibitions, and DataSquare, which showcases projects by the sponsoring research facility Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL).
Already renowned for its Jazz Festival, set to kick off June 30, Montreux is gearing up for a new, music-filled Montreux Trail Festival, to take place July 27 to 30. The festivities, which are expected to draw trail runners to several routes along the so-called Montreux Riviera, will also include music by the rock group Queen and a menu of culinary events.
Looking much further ahead, wine lovers can mark July 26 to Aug. 11, 2019, on their calendars for the next Fete des Vignerons, or Winegrowers' Festival, in Vevey. The festival, which takes place just once every 10 years, was first held in 1797 and is listed as a Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage event. The festival involves more than 5,000 professional and amateur actors, singers and dancers participating in ancient and contemporary performances.
Hotels in the region have done quite a bit of freshening up of late. In the past year alone, the 12-room Hotel Valrose www.hotelvalrose.ch in Rougemont reopened after a 20-month, $10 million renovation; the 236-room Fairmont Le Montreux Palace refurbished its top suites; and the Royal Savoy Hotel in Lausanne opened a Skylounge, offering 360-degree views of the Lavaux region, Lake Geneva and the Alps.
The region also boasts serious appeal for foodies, with 12 restaurants garnering a total of 17 stars listed in the 2017 Guide Michelin and 95 restaurants with a combined 1,338 points in this year's Gault&Millau guide.
If this is boring, sign me up.