Discovering Geneva on foot

The best way to see any city is by foot, and Geneva is no exception. Geneva is made of two completely different areas, Rive Gauche and Rive Droit (River Left and River Right). Rive Gauch is the section of Geneva on the south bank of the Rhone. This section encompasses the old town and is built around a hill top cathedral. Rive Droit encompasses the suburbs of Geneva. It is in this area that many of the international workers and diplomats live.

The two distinct sections of Geneva are linked by a number of connections. Of these bridges the one of most note is the pont du Mont Blanc. On the rive gauche side, the decorative flowerbeds of the Jardin Anglais are famous for the Horloge Fleurie (also known as the floral clock). On the southern side of the River Rhone, is the cobbled, steeply ascending Grande Rue. In this area you will see second-hand bookshops, antique shops and art galleries of all different varieties. You will also see the seventeenth-century Hôtel de Ville and the arcaded armory. Only a little further on is the Maison Travel, a patrician complex which is home to the city museum.

Among the many exhibits in the museum, and perhaps the most visited exhibit, is a 1850 miniature replica of the town as it stood then. The north tower has excellent views over the entire old town. Just outside of the entrance to the north tower there are a series of steps that will bring you below to the Site Archéologique. The Site Archéologique is contemporary catacomb which has been constructed over the cathedral's foundations. A map of the city and an easy morning of enjoyable sightseeing are to be highly recommended.

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