Living in Nyon

Giant African Necklaces, Water Fountains and more - Paléo ready for another great festival

2010-07-20T11:24:00.002+02:00

To the sound of African drums and a little bit of last minute hammering on various stands, the Paléo conference revealed yesterday that all was ready for another great festival. Daniel Rossellat the president of the festival, showed the press round the various installations, the first being the OBOX. This is a giant water fountain, surrounded by pools and footbridges and with stepping stones to jump across the water. The structure, designed by the students of Hes-SO (University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland) will be a great place to cool off if these high temperatures continue. At night time, the installation will be lit up and luminous with various light projections, a place definitely to check out!

Below- Mr Daniel Rossellat and a student demonstrate their agility on the stepping stones

Hes-SO are involved in many other projects at Paléo including the designing of the Paléo poster, the video clips on the giants screens, the play park in the Mielmelo area for children (see last year's post about this area), a project called Have Fun in a responsible way this is an awareness campaign in the car park for festival goers to appoint a designated driver, an ice machine where you can order an ice lolly from the chemistry students prepared by a robot!
As the spotlight on the music this year in the Village du Monde is on South Africa,the area is made up of "giant necklaces" in the form of huts and African stalls selling wares reflecting the sounds, flavours and colours of the region. Each year the festival has a social partner and this year it is the Neuchatel based IMBEWU Suisse. This charity works for the integration of youth through sport.

Below - Finishing touches to the Village du Monde

Flying fish seen above the town and a new Living in Nyon!

2010-07-18T17:08:00.001+02:00

Saturday night in the centre of Nyon saw a fantastic display of flying fish, walking octopus, floating snakes and other aquatic animals all suspended in the sky as part of the celebrations of 35 years of Paléo.

The theatre company, the Plasticiens Volants that produced these fantastic creatures wove their way through the streets of Nyon to the crowd's delight and the evening finished in spectacular style with fireworks above Place Perdtemps.

Paléo begins on Tuesday and as in the previous two years Living in Nyon will be there to report on all the action, music and news of this great festival.

NEWS! From the beginning of this week there will be a new Living in Nyon! The overall look has remained the same, but the design is cleaner and archived articles will easier to search. Living in Nyon is also on Twitter too, have a look at the tweets at the bottom of the page coming from Julius Caesar.

You will be automatically rerouted to the new site once it is launched.

This new design has been produced by Yann Graf, a local designer from Crassier. Yann is one of the founders of the site Café Vert TV, an environmental site which showcases videos on all that is green and environmental. Some of the videos are fun, some are serious and all are worth checking out. Take a look at the the "expresso" section which gives you a short burst of latest environmental news. You can also read about and see Yann's own portfolio here.

Paléo Party in Nyon next Saturday and World Cup referee in documentary

2010-07-11T22:27:00.001+02:00

Although the Paléo music festival doesn't start until the 20th July, this year is a special year as it celebrates its 35th anniversary, so next Saturday 17th July the town will be treated to a special "free" Paléo day and several street theatre companies will be performing in the town centre on that day.

The party begins at 18:00 in Place Perdtemps. Later in the evening, at 22:00 there will be a show from the Plasticiens Volants called “Perle”, at the Place du Chateau.

Photo below courtesy Paléo festival : The Plasticiens Volants (giant inflatable puppets which will float above the town).

The company will then wind its way through the streets of Nyon for a grand finale at the Place Perdtemps, followed by a night of DJ’s, bars and restaurants.

Note the car park at Place Perdtemps will be exclusively reserved for pedestrians so will be closed from Friday at 18:00. All remaining car parks (Duche, Gare, Combe, Martinet, Clémenty, Rive) will be operating normally.

World Cup Over

After four weeks of football, the World Cup is over and for those interested in the beautiful game you might lie to know that Howard Webb, the English referee of the final match was featured in a documentary called "Les Arbitres" which was shown here in Nyon at the Visions du Réel film festival. It was reviewed by a Living in Nyon contributor and you can read it here.

Photo below courtesy Visions du Réel : Howard Webb in "Les Arbitres"

Please note, there will be no posts on this site now until Sat 17 July.

Coming up soon on Living in Nyon, the programme for next season's music concerts at the Usine a Gaz, an article on working for yourself as an independent consultant, an article on the Internet technology club of Nyon, the latest news on local politics and much more!

Advice on swimming in the lake, "duck fleas" and water safety guidelines

2010-07-05T20:40:00.001+02:00

Swimming in the lake – The lake is looking particularly gorgeous at the moment and many people are taking advantage of the hot weather and taking a dip in the water to cool off.

If you are one of those you might like to know that that there is a small publication called “Carte des Plages du Léman” produced by CIPEL (International Commission for the protection of Leman Waters) which has a map of all the beaches and places you can swim around the entire lake. It also lists the water quality around all of these beaches and you will be pleased to know that many of these fall into “good quality water” category, a few fall into the “average quality” mark and only one beach (on the French side) out of a total of 116 around the entire lake falls into “bad quality” and where you cannot swim.

However if you do decide to go for a swim you do need to be aware of the problem of duck fleas. Below is an approximate translation from the publication as to what these are and if you catch them what to do about it. Living in Nyon is delighted that Dr Michelle Wright has helped with this translation and added some other advice of her own.

Dr Wright is an English speaking doctor, a General Practitioner, who works part-time for one of the United Nations Organisations in Geneva. She also works as a medical writer and has a weekly programme on WRS called "Health Matters". As well as this, Dr Wright provides First Aid and Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation courses in English through HealthFirst (website under construction).

She can be contacted on the email drmichellewright@gmail.com

Here is the translation from the leaflet from CIPEL

“The beaches around Lac Leman are practically all favourable for swimming. 50 metres from the edge, the water is of good quality to swim in, however it is not safe to drink. Even on an extremely clean beach, there may be a risk of ‘swimmers dermatitis’ or ‘duck fleas’, especially in shallow waters which are rich in vegetation and where the temperature is over 20 degrees centigrade. This is a natural phenomenon and bears no relation to pollution.

This dermatological problem is caused by the larvae of a duck parasite that penetrate human skin and cause intense itching. Fortunately it is not dangerous. To avoid ‘swimmers dermatitis’, it is recommended to take a shower immediately after swimming and to dry yourself off vigorously with a towel afterwards. It is also advisable to avoid swimming close to the plants and vegetation near to the water’s edge.

If you do get a rash, you should avoid scratching it in order to prevent secondary bacterial infection. The rash should disappear without any traces within 10-20 days.”

Dr Michelle Wright also adds

What are ‘duck fleas’?

‘Duck fleas’ (‘puces de canard’ in French) are actually a relatively common problem that can result from swimming in Lac Leman. They can lead to an itchy skin rash known as ‘swimmers itch’ or ‘swimmers dermatitis’. Swimmer’s itch is not caused by fleas exactly but by a worm-like parasite whose usual host is the ducks that live in the lake. Whilst you are swimming in the lake, immature forms of the parasite larvae can penetrate ‘mistakenly’ through your skin rather than finding their usual host, a duck. So, humans are infected ‘accidentally’. The parasite actually dies when it enters your skin. However, your body develops an allergic reaction to the parasite and it is this that causes the rash.

What are the symptoms?

On your first exposure to the parasite, you may not have any reaction or develop any symptoms. However, you can still become ‘sensitized’ to the parasite and the next time that you are exposed to it, symptoms can develop.

If symptoms do develop, at first you may notice tiny red spots at the points at which the larvae have penetrated your skin. The spots can be tingly or itchy. After a few hours, the spots tend to become bigger and more ‘pimple-like’ or bumpy. Intense itching is usual at this stage. Occasionally, blistering can occur over the next few days. The rash will develop on areas of the skin exposed to the water. So, skin under a swimsuit can be protected and therefore spared from the rash.

If you have developed swimmer’s itch before, you may develop a more severe rash the next time you are exposed to the parasite.

What treatment do I need if I get ‘duck fleas’?

The rash will eventually go away of its own accord but it may take between 10-20 days to disappear completely.

If you have just a few itchy patches, you may not need any treatment. However, most of the time, itching is quite intense. It is important to control itching because scratching can damage your skin further and sometimes lead to a secondary bacterial infection which may need treatment with antibiotics.

Calamine lotion or an antihistamine may help to treat itching. Antihistamine liquid is available for children. However, do take care when using antihistamines as some can make you drowsy and so you should not drive whilst taking them. Always read the packet leaflet carefully and get advice from your local pharmacist to make sure that they are safe for you to use. For example, antihistamines may not be safe in certain medical conditions or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

A mild corticosteroid cream such as 1% hydrocortisone can also sometimes be helpful. Again, get advice from a pharmacist before using this. Rarely, in very severe cases, steroids taken by mouth may be needed.

How can I avoid ‘duck fleas’?

As suggested by CIPEL (International Commission for the protection of Leman Waters):

• Take a shower as soon as you get out of the water. Most of the beaches around the lake have showers available on the lakeside.

• Dry yourself off with a towel after your shower. The brisk rubbing motion with a towel can help to stop the larvae from penetrating your skin.

• Avoid swimming close to the plants and vegetation at the water’s edge as these can be a particular habitat for the parasite

Also some general points about safety around water:

Always take care whilst swimming in the lake or anywhere else. Many drowning incidents could have been prevented.

• Never leave children unattended. If you are watching children playing in or near water, take care not to become distracted by e.g. talking on your phone, reading etc.

• Learn to swim. Teach children to swim.

• Don’t swim alone; swim with a buddy.

• Don’t swim whilst under the influence of alcohol.

• Know the water where you are swimming. Remember that lakes and rivers can have strong currents.

• Don’t dive or jump into unfamiliar or shallow water.

• Everyone on board should wear a life jacket when in a boat.

• At home: use fencing with locked gates around pools. Use pool alarms/pool covers.

Sunday - Evening of readings by writers. Saturday - Play in Divonne

2010-06-30T07:57:00.002+02:00

Each summer the Château de Lavigny welcomes 25 writers from around the world for three week residencies. The château, once the home of the German publisher Heninrich Maria Ledig-Rowohlt, was bequeathed by his wife to be used as an international writers' residence.

The Château de Lavigny

This summer novelists, essayists poets, playwrights and translators will come from 18 countries on four continents. The château hosts Sunday evening of readings for each session. They are open to the public and are followed by an aperitif on the terrace with the opportunity to meet the writers.

This Sunday 4th July the writers who will be reading are Joan Lennon (Canada), Natalia Bilotserkivets (Ukraine), Sandrine Fabbri (Suisse), Togara Muzanenhamo (Zimbabwe), Margherita Russotto (Italie), Mykola Ryabchuk,(Ukraine). The event is from 18:00 to 20:00. If you wish to attend please notify chlavigny@hotmail.com or call 021 807 1931 See Château de Lavigny

Photo below: view from the terrace of the Château

Below: writers from previous readings at the Château

Other dates for readings this summer are 25 July, 15 August and 5th September.

Theatre over in Divonne on Saturday

"Miss Jane Austen Invites" - Miss Jane Austen and Miss Martha Lloyd will be at home and request the pleasure of your company: Sat. July 10th Salle Ausone, Esplanade du Lac, Divonne les Bains at 17:00 and 20:00

An original play devised and written by Susan Leather, Lesley Sherwood & Sue Humphreys. An amusing and accurate insight into the life, times and works of Jane Austen.

Tickets: 12 Euros or 20 CHF. Reservations or enquiries: Sue Humphreys tel: +33 450 20 12 32

Email: theatresomeone@hotmail.com

Best terrace in Nyon competition back again - Prizes to be won

2010-06-28T14:15:00.000+02:00

Once again Nyon Tourisme has launched a summer competition for the public to vote for the prettiest café/restaurant terrace in Nyon. If you have a favourite place that you think fits the bill, then voting for one of them in this competition, gives you the chance to win gift vouchers from 250 up to 1,000 chf to be spent in local Nyon shops. The only place that is excluded from this competition is the Auberge du Château which won the competition last year. Look out for these leaflets below to vote. They can be found in Nyon tourist office and various outlets around town. Good Luck!

Living in the Jura foothills

2010-06-25T11:47:00.001+02:00

Living in Nyon is delighted to publish this article below on the Jura Foothills. It was written by Janet Schiewe-Orchard who has been living in the area for many years. If you live in one of the surrounding towns or villages and want to write about it for this site then just contact the editor on cnp@bluewin.ch

The Jura Foothills

Looking in a northerly direction from Nyon (400m) lies the Jura. At around 1000m, slightly to the left lies St. Cergue and a touch to the right is St. George. The Jura foothills (Pied de Jura) start at about 600m altitude, just above the last of the vines. This region includes communes such as Arzier, Bassins, Burtigny, Le Vaud, Longirod, Marchissy, etc, an area of natural beauty and the subject of this brief article.

These villages sit comfortably between the soft rolling hills and meadows that dominate the landscape. Beyond Begnins and Burtigny, you are captivated by the mass of colour, with the Jura looming over a patchwork of fertile farmlands and trickling streams. The hills are well-walked and the rich diversity of the nature trails, flora and fauna attracts the rambler, artist and photographer.

From up here on a clear day, to the south you can see Mont Blanc which looks even more majestic than from the "plain", especially when it turns pink in the setting sun. To the north, the beginning of the Jura range with its ever-changing colours, to the west, the blue-black dash of the lake and in the distance, the plume of the Geneva Fountain, the Jet D’eau.

The population of this area is well over 10’000 and growing, many villages having doubled their size in a short time. As land becomes more scarce and expensive on the "plain", many families are turning to these charming hills to build their houses and settle, where they get more for their Swiss Franc!
All the communes above come under the Jurisdiction of Nyon - (District de Nyon) - which now comprises 47 communes.

Life is less stressful up here and people are more relaxed and friendly, happy to give you the time of day, Farms dot the landscape, but will they become like those on the "plain", which have swapped cowsheds for concrete? Hopefully not, as they provide us with fresh and reasonably priced produce, chickens, eggs, beef, vegetables and fruits. The water is natural and in most cases comes from the Source.

Several communes have village shops; the mini-supermarket in St-George is open 7/7, closing a few hours on Tuesdays. People come from far and wide to buy their fresh cream and home-made meringues. Marchissy has a good shop too, also open Sundays. Bassin has a nice Boulangerie. La Cézille, not technically a hill village, has an excellent butcher with customers coming from as far as Geneva to buy their highland beef. You can see the familiar long-horned, shaggy creatures, grazing on the hill behind the shop. Quite different from the standard Swiss cow!

There are many good Auberges; the Auberge Communale de Lion d’Or in Burtigny with its friendly, English-speaking Patron (Robert Bubloz) being a favourite. Good food, non-stop cooking on Sundays, "Filets de Perches" on Mondays (as much as you can eat!) Look out for his Sing-Along evenings, Country and Western, Jazz etc.

St. Cergue and Arzier have their cheerful little red-train whilst St.George and Longirod enjoy a good bus service to Nyon station. Marchissy has a peak-hour service to Gland station. Don’t forget the Postal Publicar Service - it picks you up from your door for only 3 CHF more than the normal bus fare. There is also an excellent network of schoolbuses serving the colleges in Nyon, Begnins and Genolier.

As for the weather, it’s about 3° cooler up here than on the plain but we benefit from a lot more sunny days and less pollution. Lac Léman is so often shrouded by cloud in the winter months. Snow-clearing lorries and salters are out by 5:15 am. Local farmers clear your drive for you with their tractors. It’s worth noting that the high passes, on the St.Cergue side (La Cure) and on the St. George side (Marchairuz) bring in hoardes of workers from France. So, the roads must be kept in good shape.

Useful websites: Switzerland Rando in English and Publicar French German and Italian

Janet was born in London of Scottish and Welsh parents and has duel Nationality - British Swiss (naturalised). She studied in London, Lausanne and Cardiff University and speaks English, French, German and Spanish. She worked in various private Swiss companies in Geneva for 20 years as a translator English to French and on occasion as an in-house English teacher. She is currently semi-retired - but still teach English privately and is a councillor in the Conseil d'Administration de Longirod. She is a keen golfer.

Expatriate issues discussed on radio show

2010-06-20T21:01:00.000+02:00

In addition to running this site, the editor also presents a programme on World Radio Switzerland called "The Connectors". Each week, she and a team of other expatriates discuss various issues from "Trailing Spouses" to " How we keep up with our own traditions and celebrations while living in Switzerland, to the "Ins and outs of Swiss Etiquette".

It's a fun show and there is an opportunity for listeners to call in or leave comments on the WRS website. The Connectors also introduce phrases, idioms and words in French, German and Italian, so it's a useful programme to listen to whether you are newly arrived or have been here for a while.

On the last programme (17 June), the team (inevitably) talked a little bit about last week's great result when Switzerland's national football team played Spain in the World Cup, but the rest of the programme is a discussion about all the technology there is out there for keeping in touch with family and friends back home.

If you go to World Radio Switzerland, click on "Programmes" and then "listen" you can listen to them all again or down load them on podcast. If you click on the photos in th section "Meet us" you can find out more about the team too.

Fête de la Musique in Nyon starts tomorrow

2010-06-18T16:02:00.002+02:00

There are scores of different groups and bands playing in Nyon over the next three days, all in different styles and genres providing live and free music for the town. There is a site dedicated to this festival so whether you prefer classical music down at the Conservatoire, or rock in the street or choral music in the "temple" of Nyon then check the site out for full timings and venues.

Also note there is also a classical concert on this Sunday (not part of the fete) at 17:00 in Nyon performed by Theodor Küng on Violin and Matt Bilyard on Piano at the Salle de la Colombiere in Nyon.

Hop Suisse! Scenes of jubilation in Nyon on Wednesday.

2010-06-16T23:10:00.000+02:00

As soon as the final whistle blew in Durban after the Switzerland/ Spain game in the football World Cup on Wednesday, the streets of Nyon erupted into sheer joy with supporters driving and up and down the road outside the station. This is a fun, albeit noisy place to be in town during a football tournament, although if you don't want your car rocked by the over enthusiastic supporters you might want to take a detour after matches!

Stickers needed for Déchèterie in Nyon - Madness close Caribana - Multicultural Nyon

2010-06-15T10:13:00.002+02:00

If you are a Nyon resident and you want to take your recycling to the Nyon déchèterie (recycling centre- dump), from now on you will need to show this this sticker/label in the photo below to enter the grounds. These labels have recently been produced by the council for Nyon residents only. At the moment, people from other communes have also been taking their rubbish and recycling to the déchèterie and it is now reaching full capacity. You should have received this sticker in the post inside an envelope saying "Information aux habitantes et habitants de Nyon -Attention Macarons d'acces à la déchèterie dans cette envelope".

Last weekend in Nyon

Last weekend there was lots going on in Nyon with L'Interculturelle on both Saturday and Sunday, and the final night of Caribana followed by Caribakids on Sunday. If you missed out on either of these, do not despair as this coming weekend it's "La Fete de la Musique" in Nyon with lots on the agenda, so watch this space for more information.

The final night of Caribana ended in superb style to celebrate its 20 year anniversary with large crowds present for both Sean Paul and Madness. Over on the lake stage, fans of Mama Rosin danced away to this very popular Genevan band and their unique sound of Cajun Blues and Rock. The introduction of more seating areas in the food areas at Caribana this year proved popular and the new quieter accoustic stage was also deemed a success.

Thankfully the weather stayed fine for the last night which meant that the moment lead singer Suggs from Madness kicked the set off with "One Step Beyond" , the atmosphere was set to end the festival in an upbeat mood. When they finished with "Our house in the middle of the street", the crowd were ecstatic and happy: another very sucessful Caribana over until next year.

The crowd went mad for Madness

L'Interculturelle

Also on Saturday in the early evening at the Salle Communale, there was a pot luck meal as part of the L'Interculturelle events. The flower displays were decorated in flag serviettes and the tables were full of food from around the world. There was Dolmeh from Iran, Spanish Tortilla from Spain, Bigos from Poland, Nasi Goreng from Malaysia and much more (including treacle tart and shortbread from your Living in Nyon correspondent) plus scones, flapjacks and cottage pie from the International Women's Club of Nyon.

Also at the event were a series of panels outlining the history of immigration to Nyon over the years, it showed the proportion of English speakers back in 1989 and then in 2009. This exhibition is die to be shown again in Nyon in September.There were also photos of old adverts for local businesses too such as this one below for Pizzeria da Mario which is now the Croix Verte!

Sharing wine, food and other cultures in the Salle Communale

Rain didn't dampen spirits at Caribana on Friday

2010-06-12T00:49:00.003+02:00

Even though there were storm clouds brewing on Friday night, a decent sized crowd gathered to watch (albeit under umbrellas) the fabulous "Oi Va Voi" on the Caribana main stage on Friday night. By the time the band were into their fourth number the rain had started to die down, the enthusiasm of the crowd gathered momentum, umbrellas were put away and many in the crowd started dancing.

Oi va Voi are a band that originate from London (they takes their name from a Yiddish-derived exclamation popular in modern Hebrew which translated to approximately "Oh, dear!" (source Wikipedia)

Their music is a mixture of dance, rock, and "world music" and the band itself is made up of a combination of cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and all of them are extremely talented from Steve Levi on clarinet to Anna Phoebe on violin, to name a few. Lead singer Bridgette Amofah is a sublime singer and performer and along with encouraging crowd participation she led the band through some tracks from their old album "Laughter through tears" ( Yesterday's mistakes, Refugee etc) and some from their new album "Travelling the face of the Globe" .

Lots going on this weekend in the Nyon area

2010-06-11T08:26:00.001+02:00

The main event of course is Caribana down by the lake at Crans. Tickets are still available for tonight. The line up on the main stage is Oi va Voi at 19:45 Micky Green at 21:45, Faithless at 24:00. Over at the Scene du Lac is Yodelice at 20:45 and the Asterix Galaxy tour at 23:00. On the new small stage (for a quieter type of accoustic music) Lei Lu is due to perform at 19:15 followed by Thomas Dybdahl at 21:45.

Caribana is one of the main music festivals to start the summer season here in Vaud and even if you are not sure who all the perfomers are, it's worth going along to check out the bands, have dinner from the many international food stands, browse the stalls and soak up the atmosphere.

Loyal Caribana fans

Janice from Gingins, Maxine from Founex and Linda also from Gingins

Soaking up plenty of atmosphere Nicolas (left) from Geneva and André from Duillier

Also on Saturday and Sunday its the Interculturelle weekend (see previous post) with a pot luck supper and its also Biodiversity day, there is a description on the Nyon website about the activities around this day.

For those who like Brocante sales there is a sale today and tomorrow over in Gex

The Brocante Sale at L’Ancienne Ferme,

485 rue de l’Etraz, Gex, France

Friday 11 June 09:00 to 7pm, Saturday 12 June 09:00 to 15:00

Furniture, pictures, mirrors, ceramics, collectables, decorative things for the house and garden. Phoenix greetings cards ; coffee, cake and chat. Invite a friend. For directions contact Sian Sibley on +33 6 81 36 67 23 or by email s.sibley@orange.fr

Kassidy kicks off new Caribana stage in style

2010-06-10T01:46:00.004+02:00

The beauty of going to rock and music festivals in Vaud is not just to see the main big named acts and to soak up the atmosphere, but also to discover new bands. Sometimes these bands already have a following in their own country but are not as well known over here. Most Swiss audiences are open to new names and last night was no different at Caribana. Not only were Kassidy from Scotland new to the crowd but they were also playing on a brand new, small but intimate stage called the Scène du Plage right on the lakeside. A drop dead gorgeous setting and not a bad place for a European debut (they announced it was their first gig outside the UK).

Swiss audiences can take a while to warm up and indeed it took two or three songs before they began to show their enjoyment last night. Kassidy themselves had obviously warmed up in more ways than one as although it's a small stage, it's also a hot one inside a tent and it wasn't long before they began to peel off their outer layers - Caribana being possibly a tad hotter than Glasgow. By now the audience were really showing their appreciation and the tent began to fill up and the crowd were straining at the back to see who was attracting the attention.

It's a testimony to their great sound and tight perfomance that when the time approached for Deep Purple to come on to the main stage nearby, the crowd remained. When Kassidy began to sing "You are everything I've always wanted" from the track "Stray Cat", it seemed four bearded guys with a great sound was everything the audience wanted too. The band did try out a smattering of French words: "C'est magnifique, bonjour Caribana", which is a tad better than previous bands that have performed here who haven't spoken a word of French. Not that the crowd couldn't understand if the band had kept to English, after all this is a country of polyglots, it's just judging by past experience the crowds really appreciate if bands converse a little more with the audience (note for future European audiences guys, pepper your conversation even more local words and you will have the crowd eating out of your hands).

No matter, it was an excellent if too short set and after all it's not about conversation it's all about the music. On the Caribana's festivals own website it says "Go see them now in this intimate setting as it's unlikely you will get this chance again". I think they are right. I reckon Kassidy will be back one day. A wee chat with one of the band members afterward revealed that they had been swimming in the lake just before. There aren't many rock festivals where you can do that, so it should entice them to return. I reckon they will be either on the main stage at Caribana or who knows? Maybe even Paléo one day - remember, you heard it here first....

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Caribana kicks off today!

2010-06-09T11:44:00.001+02:00

Tonight is the first night of Caribana down by the lake at Crans sur Nyon. On the programme for tonight are the Baseballs at 19:00, Hell's Kitchen at 20:00, Kassidy at 21:00 and the headline act Deep Purple at 21:45.

Tickets for tonight, tomorrow and Saturday are sold out but there are still some available for Friday. On that night the line up is Faithless, Oi va Voi, Micky Green,Yodelice and more. If you have never been to Caribana before, it's definitely worth a visit, the venue is in the most stunning lake side setting. If you want to go with young children, then Sunday is the day as its completely free on Caribakids day with lots of activities organised and music for the little ones from 12:00.

You can read all about Caribana in previous posts on the right hand side bar under "Nyon's two rock festivals" and there is more information about the festival from a post from the press conference back in April.

Meanwhile over in Nyon, just below the castle, check out these panels which are part of display called "Parcoura Alpha" as part of a collaboration betwen local museums, a science federation and the University of Lausanne.There is information and questions on the panels, such as, what is a girolle? If you want to know the answer go see the display!

International Pot Luck Meal in Nyon on Saturday/ Local Strawberry picking

2010-06-07T14:24:00.001+02:00

This Saturday - International Pot luck Meal in Nyon

This Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 June, it's the Interculturelle weekend in Nyon. Over two days all the different nationalities in Nyon will be getting together for various events. One of these events is a potluck meal at 18:30 where Nyon residents are invited to take a dish typical frrom their country down to the Salle Communale where there will be a big table with other international food for everyone to share.

The editor of Living in Nyon will be there to share some food too (before dashing off to the final night of Caribana) so if you want to bring a dish to serve approx 4 people then come along!

Also in the Salle Communale on the Saturday there will be an exhibition entitled "Nyon and Immigration" showing the history of all the different nationalities that have come to live in the town, and all the clubs that have sprung up through this immigration. There is a website for information on the weekend.

Strawberry fields forever

The strawberry picking season is a short one but it's a fun activity to do. If you fancy going along to pick some of these summer fruits, then here is a list of local places you can do this. The nearest to Nyon is Genolier. There is a website with picking times and a map of how to get to the strawberry fields.

This list was taken from the Monday update of what's on around the Geneva, France and Vaud area in an email newsletter called "Lisa's Picks of the Week" compiled by the editor of Know it All Passport.

More events are listed on the Know it all Passport website too under the "events calendar" section. It's free to subscribe to this Monday update see the site for details.

Other strawberry picking farms below.
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** Stéphane Kläfiger

1136 BUSSY-CHARDONNAY (VD)

078 924 14 66

fraisesdebussy@gmail.com

Monday to Saturday 8h30-19h00

** Famille Borboën

Route de Denges

1026 DENGES (VD)

Wednesday to Saturday 9h-11h30 and 13h30-17h, Sunday 9h-11h30

** Famille Wyss

Chemin Es-Gogandé

1272 GENOLIER (VD)

022 366 04 04

www.ch-wyss.ch

** Denis et Samuel Pache

Le Taulard, Chemin du Boulard 1

1032 ROMANEL-SUR-LAUSANNE (VD)

079 240 78 36

www.taulard.ch

Caribana starts next week!

2010-06-04T13:21:00.000+02:00

A reminder to music lovers that Caribana starts next Wednesday with Deep Purple scheduled to play on the first night. Saturday night is already sold out but there are tickets still available for other nights. See the site for full details.

Also in a couple of weeks at 17:00 on the 20 June there will be a classical music concert in Nyon performed by Theodor Küng on Violin and Matt Bilyard on Piano at the Salle de la Colombiere in Nyon. Details - see poster below.

Lots going on in Nyon in June

2010-06-01T17:53:00.000+02:00

Nyon's agenda for June is jammed packed with many events happening around the area and music festivals big and small scheduled over the entire month Living in Nyon will be featuring a few of these but if you want the full agenda in its entirety then you can pick this up from Nyon, Rolle or Morges tourist offices. Note: Sometimes there are coipes of the agenda in the racks outside the Nyon cinema.

Gardens Open

From the 1-3 June the gardens of the Chateau de Vullieriens are open from 09:00 -18:00 with their famous collection of 400 varieties of irises, roses, other flowers and sculptures See the site for full details.

Free Sunday lunchtime Music Concerts

This weekend on the 5th June the free Sunday music concerts (from 11:00- 13:30) by the Roman columns in Nyon begin again and continue until the 5th September. See Association de la Place des Maronniers

Book Fair

Book fair on the 12th and 13th June from 09:00 to 18:30 it's the Book Fair down by the lake in Nyon, thousands of second hand books for sale. See Quartier de Rive

Note to all readers, if you have emailed the Living in Nyon editor in the last few months with any questions or if you have sent articles, then please send them again to cnp at bluewin.ch
(the pc of the editor has shortcircuited which has resulted in a loss of data)

Theatre, Comedy and Elastique Citrique

2010-05-29T18:39:00.000+02:00

Nyon circus school

On Saturday 29th May at 20:30 and Sunday 30th at 17:00 L'elastique Citrique (the circus school in Nyon) will be presenting a show by a London-based company called "Like the rain when it stops". Performing in this London based company is an ex pupil from the Nyon school. The circus school is just next to the car parking in Place Perdtemps and two minutes from the train station. Based on previous performances this should be a superb show.

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Play in English The Chalk Garden

Also a reminder that next week Geds (Geneva English Drama Society) will be performing "The Chalk Garden" by Enid Bagnold - Directed by Jenny Buffle at the Théâtre Pittoëff Geneva (rue de Carouge)

1-5 June 2010 Tuesday to Friday 20:00 Saturday 19:00 Written in the 1950s, this play was recently revived in the West End of London to great acclaim. See GEDS

Synopsis - A modern parable about growing up and growing old and combines humour, drama, poetry and passion. In an old manor house on the Sussex downs, an aging London hostess struggles to control her unruly granddaughter and her equally unmanageable garden. When she hires a new governess for the child, she opens the door to more than she bargained for. However, help often comes in unexpected disguises and dark, brooding secrets may resolve themselves in happy endings! First night patrons may join the cast
for a glass of bubbly after the show. Tickets - CHF 28.- (seats are numbered).

British comedy night

The following week on Tuesday 8th June "Funny Laundry" will be bringing two comedy acts to Switzerland with Arthur Smith and Josh Widdicombe. Venue: Le P'tit Music 'Hohl, 54 Avenue Louis-Casai, Geneva. Show starts at 18.30 Doors open at 19:30 Pre-show dinner reservations 022 798 8798. Tickets 35chf in advance from www.starticket.ch or on the door. See Funny Laundry

Spring Market and Classical Concert this weekend

2010-05-29T05:40:00.000+02:00

It's the Spring market in Nyon on Saturday 28th, with lots going on in the centre of town. Shops are open until 18:00, there are stands in the street from a Morroccan souk selling couscous and mint tea and other specialities, to jazz bands to a second hand bike sale in the place du chateau (see post below).

On Sunday there will be a mini Chopin festival of four concerts held in the Conservatoire of Nyon. The first begins at 14:30 and the festival will finish at 19:00 with a performance of Sonata No 2 performed by Jean-Selim Abdelmoula, a former pupil of this renowned music school. See site for details.

Also on Sunday it's the monthly fleamarket along the lakeside.

TGIF Drinks tonight in Nyon

2010-05-28T10:36:00.002+02:00

The "Thank goodness it's Friday" drinks evening tonight will be at the Sixteenth Century Hotel in Nyon in Place du Marche from 18:30 to 20:00. If the weather remains nice we will be in the courtyard of the hotel (chairs are usually out on the cobblestones or under the arches). If it is raining, then inside. Please note because the walls of the hotel are so thick sometimes there can be signal problems when using mobile phones in this area. Click on "plan d'ccess" on the hotel's own website for directions.

Living in Nyon drinks and note to readers

2010-05-24T16:46:00.002+02:00

Please note, a short circuit in the Living in Nyon editor's personal computer has resulted in a temporary loss of data. If you have emailed the editor with a question, sent copy or articles in the last few months then please send them again to cnp at bluewin.ch. Many apologies for this inconvenience. Hopefully the technical issue will be resolved shortly.

Events coming up in Nyon

Friday 28th May - Living in Nyon evening drinks. Drinks for readers to meet each other, venue to be confirmed according to weather. Email cnp at bluewin.ch if you are interested in coming along.

Tuesday 25h May -Neighbours' Day Look out for the posters around your area to see if there is an event organised for you to meet your neighbours.

Saturday 29 May -Day of the Bike - Second hand bike sale, try out a unicycle, mass cycle through town.

Sell your second hand bike 0900 reception of bikes for sale at Place du Chateau, Bikes then go on sale 10:00 until 12:00

Unicycle workshop organsed by L'elastique citrique, the circus school in Nyon.
Workshop from 11:00 -15:00 at the school

Big cycle through town 15:00 - 16:00 leaves 15:00 from in front of the Salee Communale Nyon

Signs of Spring, Local Events, Wine tasting this holiday weekend.

2010-05-17T19:45:00.000+02:00

Despite the recent rainy and cool weather there are still plenty of signs that Spring has arrived here in Nyon.

The council workers were planting up new flowerbeds around the town on Monday and down by the lake many people were uncovering their boats and taking them out on the water.

There are lots of events scheduled for around the area over the next few weeks so here is a small selection for you. A full list of events is published in the monthly agenda which you can pick up in Nyon tourist office or check out the back pages of La Côte newspaper. Don't forget there is another long holiday weekend coming up (Pentecost) so the shops will be closed on Monday 24 May.

Date for your diary- next Tuesday it's Neighbours day in Nyon and Prangins, it's a great opportunity to get to know your neighbours, see if an event is being organised in your building or area. If not, why not organise an event yourself? Look out for the posters or signs around your neighbourhood, check it out on the Nyon site.

Wine tasting this weekend

The first event on the list this weekend is the "Caves Ouvertes" on 21 and 22 May. This is chance to taste the Vaudois wine produced in La Côte region as winemakers will open their cellars up for members of the public. In addition, each region has organised public transport from various pick up points so you can taste the wine and not have to worry about driving! There are some stunning villages along La Côte route and if you have not visited them, this is a great opportunity to see them and find out more about the wine and purchase some to take home.

Here is the timetable of buses for Saturday 22 from various pick up points

Walks

The association of Suisse des Guides - Interprets du Patrimoine organise various walks throughout the year and this Sunday 23 May at 09:15 to 11:45 they are organising a walk along the Toblerone routes from Bassins to Begnins. This walk has nothing to do with the chocolate with the same name! The Toblerones are triangular stones which were used in the second world war as military fortifications. They stretch from near the lake side to the foot of the Jura mountains. More on the Toblerones on Living in Nyon later this week. The cost for this organised walk is 20 CHF and 10 CHF for children 6-16 years old. Register with Estelle Divorne on 022 364 40671 estelle.divorne@asgip.ch See the flyer

Geneva Entrepeneur Network

On Tuesday night 18th May at 20:00 in Geneva at the Pickwick pub there will be a Dragons Lair event based on the popular BBC TV Series Dragons Den. Organised by Geneva Entrepeneur Network. Networking from 19:00

Theatre

17-18-19 June Othello will be performed in the courtyard at the Chateau de Prangins between Nyon and Gland. Private terrace apéro and canapés. See Howard Productions

Further afield in Geneva

1-5 June in Carouge Geneva English Drama Society will produce The Chalk Garden by Enid Bagnold.

Written in the 1950s this play was recently revived in the West End od London to great acclaim. It is a modern parable about growing up and growing old and combines humour, drama poetry and passion. See Geds site for full details.

On the road to rock

2010-05-15T07:50:00.001+02:00

The rain held off last night for the first few hours of Longirock when the fans began to arrive for a second night of rocking. If you want to go up to this three day festival, free buses will leave from Gland and Bassins to take you to the venue. Dress warmly, wear your boots, be prepared to get muddy and have fun as these fans did in the photos below. On the programme for Saturday is the band the Scorpions (their only date in Switzerland) Juliette Lewis and more. Check out the other bands playing on the programme.

Below: Images of the festival from last night

Below: Salome Faure and Vincent Borgeaud from the Valleé de Joux. They are camping at the festival for the whole three days to see all the bands but are big fans of the Scorpions playing tonight Saturday

Longirod - Ready for Rocking from today

2010-05-13T10:15:00.001+02:00

The tents are in place, the bands are beginning to arrive and everything is set for three days of rocking as Longirock begins today. This one off rock festival is taking place up in the beautiful area of Longirod and has attracted some big names of rock from The Scorpions to the Young Gods, Skunk Anansie to Juliette Lewis. There are Swiss bands playing too, so if you want to hear Swiss rock, Longirock is also the place to be.

On Saturday, Gogol Bordello are due to play (this band proved extremely popular when they played at previous rock festivals in the area). See this U tube video of them here.

Some nights are for fans of heavy rock, punk and heavy metal, some nights for a slightly "softer" sound, but rock is the focus of all three nights. There are covered tents for the bands and audience so the weather shouldn't stop the music, but it is obviously advisable to dress warmly and wear sensible shoes. Along with the music there will be stands for food, bars, merchandising etc. There has also been an art contest for this festival with big prize money for the winners. Their work will be shown in an open air exhibition on site.

The Longirock website is in English to find out more about the festival. Tickets are still available online or at the festival site. This is a one off festival when for three days, the village of Longirod and area of just 400 people will host up to 40,000 so don't miss out!

How to get up to Longirod. Free transport has been arranged from Gland and Bassins (see below)

By car:
From Lausanne: Take the A1 motorway direction Geneva. Take exit Aubonne, direction Aubonne and Gimel. From Gimel follow signs to festival.

From Geneva: Take the A1 motorway direction Lausanne. Take exit Gland, direction Begnins / Marchairruz. Pass through Vich, Begnins, Burtigny and Marchissy. From Marchissy follow signs to festival.

Car sharing: you can organise car sharing on e-covoiturage.ch. More information in "Car sharing" section.

Public transport : A free transfer system will be put in place between the train station of Gland and the festival. The same service will be available from the train station of Bassins along the Nyon St-Cergue train line. More details and the time table can be downloaded as a PDF file from the Longirock site.

Preserving the Old Buildings of Nyon - Pro Novioduno

2010-05-10T23:25:00.002+02:00

Anyone who lives in or visits Nyon, knows that part of its attraction is not only its proximity to the lake, but also the character of the buildings, its old town and streets and of course, the chateau. However, not many people are aware that there is a society called Pro Novioduno dedicated to preserving the heritage of the city. Membership is open to all, so check the site out. There is a list of activities that the society is involved in with latest news. Living in Nyon caught up with Georges Darrer, current president of Pro Novioduno who explained more about the society.

"The name of the society derives from the Celtic name of the town, “new settlement”. The society was founded in 1922 with the purpose of ensuring that property owners and local authorities did not destroy or deface buildings of historical or architectural importance.

Over the years Pro Novioduno has had numerous occasions to rise to the defence of the heritage. Alas, it has not been able to avoid some major mistakes, such as the destruction of a landmark building called the “Comète” in the Grand-Rue or the installation of both Manor and later the “Grand Passage” (now “La Halle”) buildings, which have destroyed the harmony of the streets by introducing clashing styles. Nor have we been able to avoid the construction of a decidedly modern and somewhat tasteless building on the promenade du Jura.

Part of the problem lies in the fact that in Switzerland, it is individual buildings that at classified and protected according to a scale of values ranging from 1 (to be preserved absolutely) to 7 (should be destroyed). There is no rule to protect a group of buildings or a whole street except for what each commune can set up as specific area plan (plan de quartier).

After many years of failed communications, the society has been able to set up meaningful and open links with the City Planning services and the result of this new collaboration are very encouraging. For example, a study is ongoing to address the issue of grouped classification of streets or lots and we hope that the outcome will be a comprehensive plan to preserve the city centre.

While the current situation is encouraging, challenges remain and will continue to be raised simply because of the growing demographic pressure as well as the desires of individual owners to improve, refresh or rebuild their properties. Thus our society needs to remain alert and active.

The society has as only means its membership fees and the devotion of its committee members to carry out its tasks. To maintain interest in its activities, local visits to points of interest with access to the builders or architects involved are organised a couple of time a year as well as focused short trips to other cities to view historical or heritage monuments or understand urban planning developments elsewhere.

The society has also tried to focus public attention on heritage in large scale operations. In 1958 it organised a big celebration for the 2000th anniversary of the foundation of the Roman colony ‘Colonia Equestris’. In 2003 it organised a celebration of the 200th anniversary of the creation of the canton of Vaud and in 2006 it coordinated the celebrations of the re-opening of the ‘Château’ after extensive restoration.

We look forward to the opportunity of organising a celebration for the opening of the site of the Roman amphitheatre, date as yet uncertain!

The society has a website: urba-nyon.ch in French but with an integrated Google translator

The site features background information about history and planning issues and includes short articles and is open for comments and questions. A printed bulletin (in French) is also published twice a year for its members.

The committee is composed of 10 members, some of which are consultative members. All the proceedings are in French, but some members speak English.

Georges Darrer is Swiss with a multi-national background. He speaks fluent English and is particularly keen to help integrate local and foreign communities which he sees as a fertile ground for mutual understanding and appreciation.Membership is open to all and very welcome, as are candidates to participate actively in the society. "

Photo below: Georges Darrer - Current President of Pro Novioduno

Jamming in Eysins

2010-05-04T11:10:00.000+02:00

The small village of Eysins just next to Nyon will jamming to the sound of reggae on Saturday 8th May as The Jamaica Association in Switzerland will be having its 6th annual party from 20:00 to 02.00 a.m in the Salle Communale in Eysins.

Jamaican music, Jamaican food rice and peas, fried chicken, DJ William (reggae calypso, ragga, dancehall) For more information : 079 308 93 42 ou 076 575 11 09 More details on Nyon tourist board site

Know it all Passport has new website and events calendar.

2010-04-26T10:18:00.000+02:00

An essential information guide book and community resource to this area, "Know it all Passport" has recently launched a brand new website with a new look and it now has an events calendar too! Take look at their recent listings and you will see a huge choice of events from a lecture on ethical sourcing by GWIT (Geneva Women in International Trade), to a talk by Forth Capital on 4th May on UK Tax Efficient Pension schemes, to the production of "Shakers", a play being performed by GEDS on Thursday 29th (more info on this below).There's also information on public transport, and a free classifieds section, and lots of useful links. "Know it All" is the guide for English-speakers in the Geneva, Vaud, and neighbouring France. So if you can't find what you are looking for on Living in Nyon, then check out "Know it all Passport"!

Photo: Lisa Cirieco-Ohlman - Founder and editor of Know it all Passport

Lisa Cirieco first published this guide back in 1999 and it has gone on from strength to strength and each new edition contains more useful information. The latest edition is due for release at the end of August this year and will contain over 650 pages of entries, the book contains maps of where the listings are plotted, practical checklists on relocating to or from Geneva, there are even conversion charts! Lisa has a herculean task putting all this information together in one book for each new edition, but the result is always worth it. You can pre-order the new edition when it comes out, click on the side bar link.

Fim in English at Nyon cinema tonight

Oscar winning production of "A Single Man" in English at cinema tonight in Nyon."A Single Man" is showing in English every day at 18.30 until tomorrow Tuesday (27 April) at the Capitole cinema in Nyon

Director: Tom Ford Cast: Colin Firth (Oscar nominee for this role) and Julianne Moore.

Synopsis
Set in Los Angeles on November 30, 1962, a month after the Cuban missile crisis, A Single Man is the story of George Falconer (Colin Firth), a middle-aged English college professor who has struggled to find meaning in his life since the car accident that killed his longtime partner, Jim (Matthew Goode), eight months earlier. Jim's family disapproved of his relationship with George and thus refused George permission to attend the funeral. Throughout the single day depicted in the film, and narrated from his point of view, George dwells on his past, shown in flashbacks, and his seemingly empty future

Film Reviews of Vision du Réel

Due to a family emergency here at Living in Nyon, not all the film reviews by the reviewers at the Vision du Réel film festival were able to be posted on this site during the festival itself, however, the reviews are still due to be posted here over the next few days. Some of these films went on to win prizes at the festival which means there is a good possibilty they will be shown on TV or in Swiss cinemas in the future.

Drama production of Shakers

GEDS presents “Shakers” a preview of GEDS entry to the forthcoming Festival of European Anglophone Theatrical Societies. April 29th and 30th.

Synopsis and details provided by GEDS below

Four waitress work at the fanciest cocktail club in town. They work great as a team, their personalities compliment each other. But they are all they're own unique and special character all of which flourish throughout this play. The mixture of fast paced over the top action, mixed with multiple roles, Shakers (re-stirred) is another brilliant play by John Godber co-written with Jane Thornton. Funny, fast and witty – this play was a great success in London’s West End

This production has been condensed to one-act with the kind permission of the publishers. Therefore this preview will be presented on Friday and Saturday the 29th and 30th of April; at the Théatre Les Salons, rue Bartholoni, in Geneva (near the Grand Theatre). Performances start at 20:00 . We advise our audience that since this is an abridged version; the actual performance will last just under one hour.

Tickets CHF 15 (programme included) from theatreinenglish.ch from April 17th or by phone 022 341 51 90 from April 26th (or at the theatre box office on the night). Numbered seating. www.geds.ch

Captivating film on the "Beautiful game" - The referees/ Les Arbitres

2010-04-21T18:12:00.000+02:00

Les Arbitres / The Referees by Jean Libon and Yves Hinant in cooperation with UEFA

Film review by Trish Thalman

Michel Platini never had a red card. It’s true! The iconic French International Football Team member and then manager, Juventus player, and now President of UEFA, Michel Platini gleefuly states his claim of ‘no red card’ to a large group of smiling and relaxed, professional European football referees gathered in Vienna at a kick-off event for the June 2008 UEFA European Cup Championship. He nervously said he had never been in the presence of “so many referees at one time”.

What follows is an exciting, fast-paced, lively, ‘passion-for-football’ film at the June 2008 European Cup Championship which was shared between Switzerland and Austria.

It's not a film focussing on the young, highly talented, sometimes handsome, (not always disciplined ) well-paid football players. What we see is an accessible film relating the impressive and surprising insight into the lives of the world-class, well trained, extremely fit, mature and emotionally disciplined referees, who make the important and final decisions about the rules of playing ‘the beautiful game’.

These referees are the generally unacknowledged, often threatened, men on and off the field, who spend their professional careers running backwards, while looking forward, reaching into their shirt pocket to pull out the dreaded red or yellow card, writing a name in their pocket notebooks, or standing very tall and still, firm jaw, arm extended with finger pointing to the exit tunnel and ordering a player or team manager ‘out, get out’.

Using modern recording technology, the referees and their assistants (the ‘trios’) wear radios and headsets, so we have the ‘front row experience’ of hearing uncensored swearing, out-of-breath players yelling at a referee in their native language (what did he say?), and personal conversations between referee and assistants during the matches making sure they agree on the calls.

The filmmakers and recording technicians are given agreed, liberal access to the referees during the entire four weeks of the Championship. We get clear, in-depth telephoto shots of the referees on the playing fields dealing with decisions and disputes, facing up to the adrenalin-fuelled, often aggressive, players who hope to change the decisions by using either charm and pleading body language, or if that fails, down-right ugly language. Yellow card!

We are taken into the quiet hotel rooms where the referees-as-fathers are wistfully looking at photos on the TV screen while missing their children, the referee’s stadium dressing room with high tension before a match, the half time rest/discussion concerning a call, “good game” and celebratory atmosphere among the ‘trio’ at the end of the match. The film is spontaneous and ‘happening now’, with close-up shots of referees and players, hand-held cameras bumping along following referees into and out of the stadiums, or panning across the tight-knit brows of the men at the critical referee meetings where the names of those who will go forward into the next tier of match play are announced.

We enjoy the captivating, leading-edge audio and visual technology that goes into the production of this very ‘organic’ film. But we also learn at a major UEFA meeting concerning the persistent call for ‘video replays’ of referee’s decisions, that the players still do not use any technology during a game. They know the rules. They make mistakes. The game has referees who know the rules and make decisions according to what they know and see at the moment of a rule-broken. They make mistakes. The game is not foolproof. Football is not perfect.

A remarkable achievement for a film that looks into the professional (and in a few cases private) lives of the extraordinary men who devote their lives to ensuring that football is played to the highest standards of fairness and success for all. Some of the referees even receive a handshake and “thanks” from delighted players at the end of the match - when they win! I think that was a smile on the face of Roberto Rosetti after the last whistle of the Euro Cup Final match.

This film was shown on Monday night in Nyon as part of the Visions du Reél festival and there were questions and answers afterward with the film makers and two of the referees featured in the film. A DVD of the film will be on sale in Switzerland from 18 May 2010 in French and German. You can see a clip here on U tube which gives you a good flavour of what it is about.

Get in line or online! Paléo tickets go on sale today!

2010-04-21T10:17:00.000+02:00

Paléo tickets go on sale today at midday, so if you don't want to miss out, then get inline at ticket outlets across Nyon and area or get online and print them out at home! Tickets sold out in record time last year.

From Mali to Nepal - Two films in International Competition at Film Festival

2010-04-20T09:43:00.002+02:00

Two films at a glance from the International Competition at Visions du Réel. Reviews by Emma Johnson

Intérieurs de Delta by Sylvain L’Espérance is showing at 13:30 today, Tuesday 20 April, at the Capitole 2 Fellini cinema and La Montée au Ciel by Stephane Breton will screen in the same theatre tonight at 20:00

Intérieurs de Delta, directed by Sylvain L’Espérance, is filmed in the area surrounding the dramatic Niger River in Mali. It documents how entwined the Bozo peoples’ live and livelihoods are with the river and surrounding nature, as well as recording the Bozos’ stories. The film opens with two local men talking and sitting in the shade against a clay wall - one is a fisherman who the director will follow, and one is a dugout canoe maker. As their tales pour forth, we quickly understand that Mali is stuck somewhere between the demands of the modern world and a traditional way of life.

The audience learns that the global economy has had its effects on this region of dusty earth and humble villages. With the rising costs of petrol and wood, the drop in the river water levels and the amount of fish, and a lack of education, the men lament how they have inherited a situation that cannot be undone nor improved upon. The fisherman speaks of the backbreaking labour required just to make ends meet, and this sense of futility is explored throughout the film.

Travelling along the river, we arrive at the fisherman’s family home, a small hut on the dry banks of the Niger. His wife, speaking to the camera, her modest belongings around her, repeats that the work of the Bozo is never finished. The audience soon sees her pounding grains; the rhythm of her work highlighting the relentless rhythm of her life.

Perhaps the most heartbreaking tale is when the fisherman’s oldest son sums up the situation. He states that his grandparents and parents have "left us nothing", and that each generation starts back at the same point in their struggle for subsistence living. We see the family bringing in the fishing nets, and the solitary fish that flaps in the net drives home the point that these people spend their waking hours trying to feed themselves, doing hard physical work from childhood to old age. Their lives are reminiscent of the Myth of Sisyphus, where the Greek hero is condemned to forever push a boulder up a hill, only for it to roll back down upon arrival at the top.

In addition to capturing a way of life and the incredible and sometimes bleak surroundings, Espérance also beautifully films a powerful storm in the night sky. We see the family huddled in their small hut as lightning rips across the sky, once again victim to forces beyond their control.

La Montée au Ciel, directed by Stephane Breton opens with a close up on the incredible, weathered face of a Nepali shepherd, whose life is mapped out in the fine lines - this is fitting for a documentary that was made as part of a series called Visages du monde (Faces of the World) in memory of Nicolas Bouvier, the Swiss writer and traveller. The next shot shows this sole Nepali shepherd quietly smoking a cigarette under an umbrella amidst the green mountains. A feeling of solitude is instantly created, as is a reflective, meditative atmosphere.

The documentary then moves to a poor Brahman village, where all are bickering over the exact dimensions of their land. Oppressiveness is thick here as we see the worn faces, worn clothes, thick mud and ever-present flies. These conditions and the density of population concentrated in this one place, despite the enormous surrounding space available, create a desire to get away and head for the hills.

Breton himself is never directly present in the documentary, leaving the villagers and the place to speak for themselves. This is total immersion, and beside the occasional looks at the camera from protagonists, the audience could almost forget the director is even there. After the screening, Breton told us that he wanted to show these people as they are and he does so very successfully.

After the heated scenes in the village, the director follows two shepherds in their ascent up the mountain with their herds. Silence and solitude are built upon as we first see one of the shepherds slowly making chapatti in his room, and then later lying down to sleep on the mountain slopes as his herd grazes, sheltered from the rain only by a sheet of plastic. As the film moves up, it also moves to the interior. The ascent is a meditative trip, filled with a quiet spirituality, timelessness and pastoral solitude. It is quiet beautiful.

The Dog Hill - A Summer in the Polish countryside for a shepherd.

2010-04-19T23:49:00.000+02:00

Film review -The Dog Hill This film will be repeated on Tuesday at 17:30 at the Capitole 2 Fellini

This year as in every year, there are variety of films on offer at Visions du Réel. Some of them are big budget, some are shown with a lot of fanfare and publicity, some of the films are complex and deal with profound issues ie: elections in Iran, corruption in Africa, the use of pesticides on crops in South America. Others films are smaller ones and cover simple subjects and come to the festival with not as much pomp and ceremony, but are nevertheless are good films.

Photo: Courtesy-Visions du Réel

The Dog Hill is one of them. It is a quiet and lovely film. Its main premise; a simple subject, the life and conversations of four shepherds working in the Polish countryside and filmed over a summer. They shear sheep, they smoke, they make cheese, the older ones give advice to the youngest shepherd amongst them, they argue amongst themselves, they make up. They hand out words of wisdom to each other, and what words of wisdom these are. When one of the shepherds tells another that his wife has been unfaithful but he is learning to forgive her, the other shepherd says “ You think you have forgotten but trust me you won’t, when another man has drunken another man’s soup you will never want to touch that soup again”. They continue on this vein with home spun homilies.There are some amusing moments and there is tenderness too, when one of them talks about the sadness he feels due to the recent death of his mother, the other shepherd is sympathetic.

The cinematography in this film is simply beautiful, the soft colours of the surrounding nature, the earthy brown of the shepherds clothing, the white of the sheep’s coat, very few colours jar on the screen and we really feel and see the beauty of the Polish countryside. It’s a quiet film and a short one, just 39 minutes long, but every minute is sublime.

Photo: Courtesy -Visions du Réel

Salaam Isfahan - Graceful and moving documentary exploring Iran's political and social climate

2010-04-19T15:05:00.000+02:00

Salaam Isfahan (Good Morning Isfhahan) - Film review by Emma Johnson

This documentary is part of the International Competition and is screening again on Tuesday, 20 April at 20:00 in the Capitole 2 Fellini cinema.

In this graceful and moving documentary, Sanaz Azari quietly explores Iran’s political and social climate in the days surrounding the 2009 elections. Subtle and respectful in her approach, the director remains in the background, leaving room for the people of her birthplace to express their thoughts. This is not the story of tumultuous crowds or outright politics, nor are we told how Iran is. Rather, it is about individual voices, personal hopes and the all too human need for self-expression.

Under the guise of a photo shoot, the crew takes to the city streets in order to capture a glimpse of peoples’ daily lives. The film opens with a shoot already in place on a quiet, shady road. The majority of people pass by quickly, refusing to be photographed. One neatly dressed man, who has himself posed for several photos, remarks “they don’t want any trouble with the elections coming”. This aside introduces the political undertone that flows through the film and grows in importance with greater proximity to the elections. While the political situation is not often directly referred to, it is always there – we can feel it.

Many participants in the film are all too keen to have their photos taken for a European documentary. Their willingness indicates their need to be heard, their need to be recognised as an individual. What is perhaps most poignant in this documentary is the fleeting moments captured before the click of the shutter, where people’s reactions and gestures allow brief insights into themselves as they nervously look at the camera or unabashedly pose. These silent moments reveal much and give weight to a very human story.

By asking simple, disarming questions like “What did you do today?” or “Where are you going?”, Azari gives the participants room to open up and reveal something about themselves, albeit unknowingly. In doing so, she offers the audience a privileged position – one where they are not told what to think but are able to see and interpret for themselves.

Tender hopes for what might have been, and vulnerabilities are also exposed. One man who poses before the camera speaks of his childhood dream to become a Hollywood action hero. Others reflect on lost musical heritage or other changes in the city. A young girl wants to know when the documentary will screen, so that she can tell her friends.

Parts of the documentary are filmed in various interiors, allowing the audience entry into a more intimate, secret world - one where private thoughts can be spoken aloud. In a particularly touching scene, a female protagonist demonstrates how to wear the different headdresses that are obligatory in a post-revolution Iran. Showing the camera the “latest fashion” and the different styles, she implicitly touches on the need for self-expression and the way this manages to emerge, even within the most limited confines.

In a beauty salon, three women talk and joke about what they are still able to do in Iran under the current regime, in between applying make-up and swapping beauty tips. We visit them again after the results are announced. Here the violence surrounding the politics is explicitly addressed – they speak with sadness about the young people who have died in the demonstrations, “for nothing”. Yet the sense of futility soon dissipates as a philosophical note is struck with humour – one of the women who is preparing for a wedding notes that at least there will be no official raids at the wedding party to verify if there is dancing, as the army now “has bigger fish to fry”.

On election day, the documentary moves outside the city and up to the nearby hills. People stroll in the soft, fading light, far above the city spread out below. A reflective, peaceful mood reigns here, seemingly far away from the political tensions below. Families and friends pose for photos as they talk about their days. Yet at the same time, just as the city remains in the frame, politics loiters in the background – it is an ever-present reality. Many talk of having gone to vote or the general climate, but their worries about the current situation remain unspoken. Two friends are asked what they love about Iran and respond that it is home, that is the only place where one is not a foreigner. Then one of them concedes that you can be a foreigner even in Iran, depending on the political climate.

In one of the most striking and beautiful shots of the documentary, the camera slowly follows the gondola’s descent back down the dark hill to the glowering lights of the city. The noise of the crowds shouting political slogans rises, (though we do not see them) signalling an inevitable return to the city and to all its problems.

In a final series of photos, a young couple poses on a bridge that traverses a dry riverbed. They express frustrations about the fraudulent election that touch the audience and make them wonder about Iran’s future. When asked where they are going, the young man replies that they are off to join the demonstrations and to “get beaten up”. A heartbreaking sense of futility is evoked, as is admiration for their resolve.

Beautifully filmed, Salaam Isfahan documents the lives, reactions and feelings of normal people living under extraordinary circumstances. By giving room for people to knowingly or unwittingly tell their own story, Sanaz Azari opens up various personal Irans and gives the audience another experience of the country, one that we can access and relate to, despite the foreignness of the circumstances. And she does it with a moving grace.

Director - Sanaz Azari

Simple but sumptous - film set in China "My Village 2007"

2010-04-19T00:32:00.002+02:00

Living in Nyon is reviewing a selection of films on at the Visions du Réel film festival which is on in Nyon until this Wednesday 21 April. "My Village" had just the one screening, but other films reviwed in previous posts will be shown again.

My Village 2007 China by Shao Yuhzen - Film review by Trish Thalman.

“Are you filming again”? The question asked by nearly all the people in the rural village of Shaziyun near Beijing had become used to the assertive, kind-hearted, sensitive woman with the video camera who was there to “record my life and my village" and because she wanted to "see the changes”.

Photo: courtesy - Vision du Réel

This delightful, sumptuous, yet simple film about the daily lives of people in a hard-working farm community is eye-catching, humorous, and sensitive and gives us a vital glimpse into the constant modern changes being made at breath-taking speed for the majority of people in rural China.

Photo: Courtesy - Visions du Réel

The film captures the activities and changes during the year 2007. The old way of life is passing too quickly. A specific change is measured with the main road that goes by the village. In January, with icy fog and hoar frost on the trees, the road is mostly dirt and partially paved. It supports the cyclists, a few trucks and cars. By late summer heat, there is a four lane, paved, marked and divided road with many more trucks and cars, but few cyclists. The road is too fast and dangerous for them. They have to find alternative routes to travel.

The staple crops of the village are healthy looking watermelons, twice the size of footballs, with light green, delicately patterned rinds and ‘Barbie' pink interiors. Weighty sweet potatoes and abundant clusters of peanuts are planted in the early, cool spring and harvested in the hot and humid summer and autumn, The village committee reluctantly welcomes a young, recent graduate from the Beijing Agriculture University who has been sent to live and work in the village. He will “help to improve the way you farm for better income returns”. With the expected increased income, a tantalising concept is promoted: they (the men) will be able to afford Western style T-shirts and suits to wear when they go into town. That way people will be unable to tell they are from a farming village. Modern times.

The greatly anticipated Spring Festival involve outdoor rehearsals in winter weather by local women who will perform the songs and dances dressed in village costumes while singing Communist party songs. One of the women in the group is also the village ‘stand-up comedian’ telling her greatly appreciated and applauded, earthy jokes at the festival.

A visit to the village’s ‘oldest person’, a spunky, tiny woman of 92, painfully hunched over after her life in the melon, potato and peanut fields using old farming methods, fiercely insists on having a drum to beat while she joyfully performs her song and drum act. Greatly frustrated that she can no longer sing like she used to, she informs the camera that years ago she was better than the singers in the Beijing Opera.

It’s voting day in the village to elect a District director and Committee members. Shao Yuzhen and video camera are there to record the men with their ever-present cigarettes, casting their vote in order to receive the 10 Yuan they are paid to vote. They cynically already know who has won the ‘election’.

New babies drinking from plastic bottles, old women slowly dying, small children riding fluorescent-coloured tricycles, husbands sleeping on the couch, a woman grieving after the death of her daughter. Men painstakingly folding the plastic covering they will reuse next year to protect the melon seedlings, young educated communist party leaders visiting the village to see who is a registered member. The Down’s Syndrome children helping with the harvest, and Shao Yuhzen confronting the Beijing TV crew who want to rehearse the village people before doing an interview (she refuses!), all feature and contribute to the reality of changing life in small, rural villages of China.

Shao Yuhzen is well known to Beijing Radio and TV journalists, as part of the ‘Villager Documentary Project’ which began in 2005. Fools and charlatans beware – she is filming life and truth.

The Chaos of a Courtroom in the Democratic Republic of Congo - Superb film.

2010-04-18T14:14:00.000+02:00

Kafka au Congo this film will be shown again on Tuesday 20:00 in the Salle Communale

The wheels of justice turn very slowly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, very slowly indeed, particularly for Gorette Mawazu who has resorted to jurisdiction to evict a squatter on her land. She has been trying for 15 years.

At the start of the film we see Gorette having her shoes polished outside the court room before going inside to have her case heard. What follows is an instant entry to another world, watching this film from the well ordered, organised life of Switzerland, we are thrown in the chaos of a Congoloese courtroom, we hear all the noises of life inside and out as we watch the postponement of cases, documents produced from worn and tatty files, seemingly indifferent or apathetic court clerks and judges, files lost, lawyers deliberately misrepresentating facts. Kafkaesque indeed.

When Gorette is back at home her daughter ask her; "Why it taking so long Mum, why do they hate you?" "It's not hate daughter", she says, "It's about money. The longer the case drags on, the more money the lawyers and everyone else can get out of me."

We have already seen her pay a deposit of 20 dollars to a court clerk to enable the judges to visit the land in question. No receipt is given to her even though she ask for one. It's not suprising that the visit never materialises and she never sees her money again. You can only assume that this kind of thing has happened before, many times.

There is a phrase that goes "pot calling the kettle black", meaning we can't really criticise others before we look at our own mistakes. So for a British person to comment on the corruption particularly amongst the politicians that is seen in "Kafka au Congo" would indeed be a like a pot calling a kettle very black in the light of the expenses scandal amongst some members of parliament in Britain. However, the sheer amount of corruption that goes on in society in ths film, from the bribery in the courts to bribery in electioneering is astonishing. What is even more astonishing is that it all happens so blatantly in front of the cameras.

This excellent documentary, like many films at this festival immerses us in the life of others abroad and here often in humorous scenes. From the small minutaie of daily village living; the monkey painstakingly picking the fleas out of a pet dog, to the frequent power cuts back in Kinshasa. Then there is the sight of a sports programme on TV blaring away in a minister's office during meetings, his brother in law coming to him to ask for money to pay for his daughter's wedding. Later on in the countryside, the repeated scenes of a minister putting his hand into the inside pocket of his smart suit to give out dollars to villagers (many of them barefoot) before getting into his 4 x 4 car are all very telling and speak for themselves.

When Gorette the main protogonist in the film goes to a tribal leader to find a different way of solving her legal problem, she asks for his advice. He says; " There are three ways of doing this, the legal way, the amicable way and the ancestral way".

She continues with the legal way and during the course of filming we see the final verdict after 15 years of legal action. As this film is being shown again on Tuesday at 20:00 at the Salle Communale. I won't reveal whether Gorette wins her case. Go see for yourself. A superb documentary.

Sensitive insight into the realities of circus life - Film review of " The Tight Rope"

2010-04-17T22:25:00.004+02:00

La Cuerda Floja – The Tight Rope - An intimate and beautifully filmed story of people with "circus in their blood".

Film review by Trish Thalman. This film can be seen again on Sunday night 18 April at 22:00 at the Capitole 2 cinema in Nyon.

Photo courtesy: Vision du Réel

“What people want to see at a circus is a clown, animals and trapeze artists”. The wise words of the ‘clown/ringmaster’ who is head of the family-run, travelling Aztlan Circus in Mexico. Their show has all of the above. Everyone in the family is dedicated to defined, multi-tasking roles: from animal trainer, to ticket taker, to trapeze artist.

We see an intimate and beautifully filmed story of people with ‘circus in their blood’ as they go about their daily lives, moving from town to dusty town in rusted vans and trucks creaking from the weight of the tent poles, miles of ropes, an aging canvas tent, the hair-sprayed ‘pink’ poodle that rides a pony, and a talented goat that rehearses every day and therefore does well at each performance.

Practice and more practice for every one of the circus performers is daily routine. The ingrained philosophy is: "ability conquers danger". This keeps the circus disciplined, honourable and energetic.

Click here to see trailer: film courtesy Instituto Mexicano de Cine

The details devoted to raising the tent, caring for the animals, preparing beans for breakfast in the cramped, converted bus that is the family home, scrambling to find false eyelashes and rhinestones at the last minute for the trapeze artist are reflected in lingering, slow-moving shots as well as the frantic, blurred vision of ‘last minute details’ from the hand-held camera.

The variety of colours, warm and luminous, dark and dreary, provide sensitive insight to the realities, passion and energy of the harsh, yet dignified and honest circus life, which is changing.The daughter of the family has married a young man who comes ‘into’ the performing family and is not necessarily talented in the skills of circus acts. He does have modern technology skills, as he happily downloads the musical overture from the classic 1952 film, ‘The Greatest Show on Earth, onto his iPod. The music is used as background for his noisy, voice-over, recorded publicity announcing that ‘the circus is in town’. Life under the big top and on-the-road is not for him. He would like to leave the circus in spite of his love and great respect for his wife and her family, and his improving juggling skills.

The filmmaker is given free and unlimited access to the family and their sensitive life events during the critical stages where the young couple discuss leaving the circus to live another life together without the family. The confusing emotions of the daughter’s loyalty to her family and love for the circus that is her life, and practically, the consequences for the family’s existence without her are poignantly and tenderly resolved. Do the young couple have the ability to conquer the dangers that lie ahead for them outside of the circus.

Even with the ever-present red ants that bite everyone at the circus ground, there is a cheerful, humorous solution: rub raw garlic on the bite to stop the stinging.

This elegantly crafted film can be seen again on Sunday night 18 April at 22:00 at the Capitole 2 Cinema in Nyon.

Trish Thalman is an American from California living in Gland, near Nyon and will be reviewing a selection of films throughout the festival.

Tracey Emin's work - Inspiring reaction, good and bad

2010-04-17T11:35:00.002+02:00

This year, Living in Nyon has a team of reviewers at the Visions du Réel film festival. Last night Emma Johnson went along to see eight short films by Tracey Emin. Another selection of Tracey Emin’s films are featured as the focus of tonight’s Grand Debate at the World-Dreams Capitole 1 cinema at 19:30 and there is also another Tracey Emin session screening on Monday at 16:00 in the Salle de la Colombière.

Inspiring reaction, good and bad

Tracey Emin, one of Britain’s most well known contemporary artists, has a string of words associated with herself and her work: provocative, daring, shocking and unflinchingly honest. Last night in Nyon, a small crowd gathered at the Salle de la Colombière to find out if she had something to say. While they were not all there at the end of the screening, those who remained certainly had something to think about.

Tracey’s collection of documentary films is part of the Vision du Réel’s "Reprocessing Reality" category. True to form, her work pushes the blurred borders between art and documentary making. Indeed, the woman who introduced the session warned the audience that the films could be quite challenging.

The screening began with "The Crystal Ship", a 4-minute home video clip where Tracey dances in her kitchen to the famous Door’s song of the same name. The camera follows Tracey swirling around in an ecstatic trance, almost Sufi-like. Some members of the audience were already shifting in their seats – nothing else seemed to be happening. Yet what seemed to be a case of someone just picking up the camera and filming was in fact a carefully crafted moment. What was Tracey trying to do?

Tracey Emin - Photo courtesy Visions du Réel

The next couple of short films, "Finding Gold" and "Niagra", continued with the feel of home videos and were more autobiographical in nature. Both are personal, coming-of-age episodes in her life. With its super-8 footage from home videos, "Finding Gold" is thick with nostalgia for the end of summer and for another, lost time that Tracey recounts in a voice-over. Niagra, documents another period in Tracey’s life when she and a group of friends visit the falls in the middle of winter.

"Riding for a Fall" is a 3-minute film that shows Tracey on horseback on the beach as the sun sets. In a role reversal, the cowboy is female this time and the shots used in it are a little reminiscent of those often seen in video clips. But just what is going on here? Then Love is a Strange Thing provided light relief from the artist’s demanding films – it is a fun parody of desire, and of taboos, as a drooling dog tries to pick Tracey up in a park.

"Emin & Emin Cyprus 1996" shows clips of both Tracey and her dad swimming in the sea. Once again a sad nostalgia is created with the use of home videos in this surprisingly touching affirmation of love. "Conversation with My Mum", on the other hand, was perhaps the most accessible of the films shown. It documents Tracey and her mother discussing the subject of having children, abortion and childlessness. A personal conversation is made public and its content challenges certain ideas about women and their having children.

Watching "Hard Love", a seven-minute film of Tracey attacking and pruning her garden in preparation for spring, part of the audience impatiently moved around in their seats again. With not much happening in the film, it seemed really self-indulgent. Yet across her films, there is a fearless self-exposure and self-exploration that perhaps invites the audience to look at themselves.

The apparent carefree approach to making these films is one thing – they make you ask what is a documentary? Why is this considered as good art? Why does this matter? It is important to remember that a specific frame has been chosen – a particular part of the truth, of the real, has been selected to be shown. We never get the full story. Both the content of and the way the films are made are challenging. Tracey Emin’s work inspires reactions, whether good or bad. And it certainly makes you think.

Emma Johnson is a writer from New Zealand and is currently based in Geneva.

When Gaza met Geneva and Nyon in one night - Superb start to film festival

2010-04-15T11:01:00.001+02:00

Wow! What a superb way to start a film festival. The avant première film of Visions du Réel that was screened in Nyon last night, not only brought a standing ovation from the audience, but kicked the whole evening off with a great atmosphere as it came with a few surprises too.

One of the surprises and certainly the most exciting one, came after the screening of the film "Aisheen -Still Alive in Gaza". Here the audience was treated to a satellite link up to Gaza itself on the night. As we sat in in our shiny new seats in Nyon (another surprise as the seats have now finally been updated), and were waving at our cameras, we were able to see a whole group of people sat in their seats in a club setting in Gaza waving at their cameras. A truly great collaborative affair and and an exchange of bonhomie between nationalities. It didn't matter that there was a considerable time delay in the sound, the idea worked and worked exceedingly well.

The film itself is an intimate look on life in Gaza after the war. The film maker Nicolas Wadimoff filmed various families going about their daily life over a relatively short time frame. From the clowns entertaining the children in the schools to cheer them up in hard times, to the frustrations of the zoo keepers who had no food to feed their animals, to the humour of the boys who named one of the monkeys "Sharon" ("he's vicious and he attacks"), these individuals stories were superbly documented. See a U Tube trailer of the film here.

Then we saw the patience of the mechanic on the fairground who stoicly kept on repairing bits of machinery in order to get the fairground running. There was a sublime ending to the film at the sight of a solitary happy teenager as he spun around on a finally working fairground attraction.

Filming in Gaza obviously comes with risks and we saw and heard these risks as a bomb fell very close by when the cameras were turning. Daily life also meant that the Gaza citzens had to queue for food supplies and the chaos and claustrophobia of people becoming squashed in the queue was palpable. We could see their obvious and painful discomfort from the comfort of our new Nyon seats.

Conversations among families were captured, the poignant talk from a grandfather to his grandaughter who had lost her mother in a bombing. He advised her to take heart and look positive and to try to look after her brothers and sisters. There were students who talked about their demotivated teachers, but we also saw teachers trying their best in the face of adversity, encouraging acting and role playing to ease tension and one teacher getting her little pupils to dip their hands in bright coloured paints to create wall hand paintings.

Then we saw what was to become one of the main focusses and highlights of the show, a rap group called the DARG team rehearsing in a small room and on that particular day with no electricity. Improvisation took over and the boom box was created by their voices, the rappers worked on a song along while a toddler in the room accompanied them banging out a beat with her balloon. The rappers were then later interviewed on Gaza radio and had to listen in to a barrage of criticism from listeners who said that their music wasn't representative of the people, the rappers took it all in good grace They have now gone on to record an album and this is where the evening last night really came into its own as they then performed via satellite for the Nyon audience. A collaborative group of rappers from Geneva then came on stage to accompany them. The audience loved it and responded by standing and clapping, some danced and the theatre resounded to the sound of rap. A great inaugaration, a great film.

You can catch the film again on Monday 19th at 17:00 in the Salle Communale and Wednesday 21 at 14:00 in the Théatre de Marens. It will also be shown in cinemas in French Romandie from May 19th.

Note: Films that are shown in both the Salle Communale and the cinema screening room Capitole 1 will be provided with interpreters giving simultaneous translations if the subtitles are not in English. In the other venues including the Theatre de Marens this is not guaranteed.

The full list of programmes is available in the Visions du Réel brochure which can found either in the tourist board or in the Usine a Gaz (central area of the festival) or at the cinema itself in an outside rack on the exit.

Paléo 2010 - A mix of music for all ages Crosby, Stills and Nash to Paolo Nutini

2010-04-13T12:22:00.003+02:00

A mix of music to cater for all ages and with an African feel to it is the line up for this year's Paléo Festival.

From Jamiroquai to M to Diam's to Indochine to the John Butler Trio to Johnny Clegg and Hugh Masekela, once again Paléo has brought out an interesting and eclectic mix to the music for the festival this year. Check out the programme here

At least a quarter of the bands that will be playing are Swiss bands, so good news for Swiss rock and pop music. 80% of the bands that have been chosen to be on the programme have never played at Paléo before either. If you have never been to Paléo before then you are in for a treat. Tickets go on sale on Wednesday 21 April at midday and there are tickets to win on the Paléo website, look at some of the tongue in cheek questions to win tickets.....

More on Paléo and the line up and buying tickets here on Living in Nyon.

"Afrique Australe" is the theme of the music that will be played in the Village du Monde section of Paléo. Bands include Ladysmith Black Mambozo, Mahotella Queens, Ben Sharpa and more.

Spiced fish from Durban at the Paléo press conference

Are you a mother living in Nyon? Do you have questions on child related issues?

2010-04-13T08:19:00.002+02:00

Then you might like to know about two groups of English speaking mothers in the Nyon area.

The first is a group of mothers who met for the first time last week through this site Living in Nyon.

They linked up through the Mamicafé link (see right hand side of this site) and then in person when one of the mums kindly hosted a coffee morning for everyone..

That morning there were quite a few mums who are new arrivals to Switzerland so it was a great opportunity for everyone to ask questions about living here. If you have just arrived in the area and are a mum or even if you have been her a while then check out Mami Café and join up, it's free! Members can post questions on the discussion board too.

The other group of Mums is a group called "Mums in Vaud", they have a site with an active membership and they meet up from time to time.. Here is the link

The founder of the group Michelle Eriksson (in photo to left) has kindly agreed to answer any questions about child related issues for Living in Nyon on the Mamicafé site and via email.

She and another mum, a Living in Nyon reader will also be writing the occasional article with useful information on child related issues, playgroups, places to take children etc.

Upcoming events in April and local news

2010-04-09T05:55:00.001+02:00

Flowers, sculptures and wine festival in Morges, The Sound of Music in English at the theatre, Classical music at the Conservatoire. Living in Nyon talk/future films in Nyon, parking in Nyon, late local shopping hours and thankyou to a reader in Neuchatel.

Finally, if Shakespeare were alive today would he be on Facebook? (see sidebar)

An eclectic mix of events and news for you below.

Tulip festival in Morges - Morges High Street with flags out

The Tulip festival in Morges has now begun and will continue until May 16th. Over 200,000 tulips have been planted in the Parc de l'Indépendance near the edge of the lake and when they finally come into bloom there will be a spectacular display of flowers, (blooming is a little late this year due to the cold Autumn). However there are also daffodils, hyacinth and crocusses too and they should be coming into flower very soon (if they are not already).

This year marks the 40th Anniversary of the festival and there are many special events organised over the following weekends. This year there will also be 15 sculptures in the park in an exhibition organised by the International Symposium of Sculpture.Tulip festival brief round up below, see the site for full details

Park keepers preparing for the festival

This weekend 10 to 11 April Weekend for families

Bouncy castles, Clown puppets, Captive flights in hot air balloon, climbing wall, bicycle race,

17 and 18 April Swiss Weekend

Orchestra, Accordions, carriage rides, raclettes,

23, 24 and 25th April Turkish weekend and International children's festival

Processions, result of contest of giant tulips, folk dancing, shadow theatre, workshops for children Turkish food.

1st and 2nd May Dutch Day

Bike rides guided tour on bicycle, Circus Klomp, Songs from Holland

8th and 9th May 80 potters in the Tulips

Ceramic artists on site in the park, pottery demonstrations and pots for sale. Brass band music etc

15th and 16th May Medieval animations

Reconstruction of craftsmen from the 15th Century. Stringed instrument maker

Boat parade 16 May

Morges Harbour

Note, each year in a different town along the lake there is a Naval parade of all the "Belle Epoque" boats from the CGN company. This year it is the turn of Morges and on Sunday 16th May from 13:30 to 15:00 there will be a naval choreography which will be visible from the quays at 14:15. It's quite spectacular and worth a visit.

Photo below: sculptor Ewald Brigger, organiser of the International Symposium of Sculpture

Wine fair

Also in Morges on the 14-19 April it's the Arvinis wine fair which is open to the public, lots of stands and tasting of local wines, this year the "guest of honour" wine at the fair is Californian wine.

Sound of Music

The hills or rather the Theatre du Léman in Geneva will come alive with the sound of music in a couple of weeks with the GAOS production in English of The Sound of Music on 23, 24 and 25 April. If this show is one of your favourite things, then check it out on the GAOS website

Classical Music Concert

Bach and Handel will be played by Georges Kiss at a clavecin Sunday afternoon recital at the Conservatioire of Nyon on Sunday 18th April at 17:00

Living in Nyon - Documentary Film talk

Thankyou to all who came to the last Living in Nyon event on Tuesday night. Mr Jean Perret and Madame Gabriela Bussmann (Director and Deputy Director) of Nyon's upcoming documentary film festival Visions du Réel gave a very interesting talk about the festival to a full house of Living in Nyon readers. They explained all about the festival, the logistics of choosing films amongst the 2,000 submitted. Mr Perret talked about the diversity of the films the aim of the festival and what is on the agenda for this year. Madame Bussmann talked about the market and pitching of films, she explained that this festival is rated highly in the documentary film world and how film makers come from all over the world to Nyon. The event was held in a new venue down by the lake, a perfect setting for a glass of wine and a chat and an interesting discussion. Watch this space for another Living in Nyon event!

A short round of some news items taken and translated from La Côte newspaper

Park prettily please

From next Monday drivers who park their car in the Place Perdtemps car park will have to park in the designated parking areas. Those who have been sneaking their car into other parking places such as on the grass will find these areas blocked off, and if they discover a sign at the entrance saying "Car park full" it will mean just that and drivers will have to look elsewhere and not try to park illegally. Those who do, will be fined.

Late shopping hours

Discussions are under way at the moment between Nyon council and the commercial organisations to come to an agreement to enable the shops in central Nyon to open until 19:00 from Monday to Friday and until 18:00 on Saturday. Nothing is decided yet but when it is, this site will keep you posted!

There are also seperate ongoing discussions as whether to install CCTV cameras around the town.

New art installations by the castle until the 10th October

There are some new shapes on the ground near the chateau, one is called "Formations" by Adriana Stadler and the sculpture hanging near the castle is called "Collier de la Comtesse" (the countesse's necklace) by Roland Heini.

Thankyou very much to the reader who is moving to (or has moved to?) Neuchatel and contacted me with a very nice email after a visit to Nyon. Many apologies as I seem to have lost your email (amongst the many I receive) I was going to reply but your email seems to have disappeared into cyber space. So if you would like to send an email again then that would be great and I can reply!

Easter Images of Nyon

2010-04-03T10:42:00.000+02:00

If you are wandering around Nyon this Easter weekend, look out for the decorated fountains. They are an annual tradition in the town. Decorated by local groups and associations, they are always a popular attraction. The local butcher's shop in the centre of the high street, (the photo directly below) also has an Easter display this year. To all Living in Nyon readers. Happy Easter!

Down by the Rive yesterday in Nyon, the weather was (just about) warm enough for an ice cream.

Check out the small but interesting photo exhibition by photographer Bertrand Reyon Burma at the Focale gallery. Exhibition on until 13 April

Comfort at Caribana and Lou Reed coming to Nyon.

2010-04-01T09:57:00.003+02:00

Latest news - April 1st Caribana first night Wed 9 June now sold out!
(this is not an April fool's joke)

Comfort at Caribana.

The Caribana music festival, due to take place at Crans sur Nyon from 9-13 June, has revealed its full line up of performers for the five day music fest by the lake. On the agenda are Deep Purple, Madness, Hell's Kitchen, Sum 41, Micky Green, Faithless, Yodelice, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, Sean Paul, Mama Rosin* Polar, Thomas Dybdahl, Neil Halstead and many more bands and singers, plus a special guest still to be announced.

A still lake by the Caribana pitch last week

This year Caribana celebrates its 20th birthday and to mark the big occasion, the organisers have decided to put the emphasis on comfort for the festival goers. There will be fewer tickets sold to provide more space on the pitch; there will be a series of "unplugged" concerts within a quiet area called Scène de la Plage, right on the lake side; and the concerts on the different stages will be timed so each group's music doesn't run over and clash with the other bands on other stages. Also there will be more seating near the food stalls to allow festival goers to enjoy the different food in comfort.

Caribana last year, music amongst the trees and by the lake

Caribakids day.

Sunday the 13th is Caribakids day (from 13.00-18.00), where there will be lots of activities for children including a quiet corner for them to listen to stories read by volunteers from the library at Crans. There will be a workshop for children held inside a yurt, including an opportunity for them to make music. As ever there will be a boum (dance/disco) for the children and face painting, bouncy castle, climbing wall and a mass release of balloons.

Caribana on iPhone

New to Caribana this year is the availability of the programme on an iPhone app.

Also, ticket holders will be able to use regional public transport free of charge to and from the festival from the Wednesday to the Saturday (including the NStCM train) Buses to Geneva and Lausanne will be available for a special price of 10 chf per journey.

Environment

Around half of the buses that will bring in the sponsors and artists to the festival will operate on natural gas.

This year as in the last two years, there will be a deposit of CHF 2 on the gobelets (the drinking containers) when purchasing beers/drinks etc. This is to encourage less rubbish in the ground and to enable the containers to be recycled.

It promises to be a fabulous festival, more details on the daily line up will be posted here on Living in Nyon nearer the time.

Tickets are now on sale. The Caribana website has details of all the ticket outlets, and you can also buy them online. Tickets don't sell out as fast as they do for the Paléo music festival but they do sell out, so don't leave it too late!

* Living in Nyon has been following Mama Rosin since they first played in Nyon many years ago in the small venue in the old town called Club 1306. See previous post. They are superb live! Check them out.

News from Nyon's film festival - Lou Reed coming to Nyon

Latest news from Visions du Réel is that the singer (and now film maker) Lou Reed will be coming to Nyon to present his first film called "Red Shirley" for its world premiere. (note there are still a few places left for the talk by Mr Perret director of Visions du Réel on 6th April here in Nyon, see post below)

This is what VDR's press release says about the film.

When Lou Reed, the singer of the group “Velvet Underground” and author of the albums Berlin and Transformer, stood behind a camera for the first time at the age of 68, one might have thought he would seek to probe the world of music. Not at all. His first documentary film will focus on something else: the face and the narrative of his cousin, on the eve of her 100th birthday.

Photo:courtesy Visions du Réel

Sitting next to her, sometimes even kneeling, whispering his questions close to her ear, Lou Reed, assisted by Ralph Gibson, records the story of an incredible destiny. Often showing amazement, like a child, at the events Shirley has lived through, laughing at her quirky, frank or irritated replies, frequently asking her to repeat just to make sure, he films an affectionate and moving portrait, interspersed with some photographs.

While Shirley’s narrative first touches on the ordeal of two world wars and the disappearance of her family “whom Hitler took care of”, it takes an unexpected turn. We learn that she left Poland on her own in 1938 at the age of 19 years, with only two suitcases and a few dollars in her pocket to travel to Montreal – where in six months she learnt not French but the mandolin before finally slipping off illegally to New York, buried under the goods on a truck. There she was to become a dressmaker and to lead the workers’ demands hence her nickname Red Shirley, which gave the film its title. An extraordinary figure of women’s emancipation, captured in all her authenticity.

The film will be shown on Tuesday, April 20 at 20:30 at the Théâtre de Marens.

Book your place for talk and new brochure out on Vaud in English

2010-03-29T10:09:00.001+02:00

DON'T FORGET - Talk Tuesday 6th April - Reserve your place for the talk in English by Mr Jean Perret of Nyon's Visions du Réel film festival. He will explain all about the festival, the history about it, the story behind some of the films and what's on the agenda for this year.Spaces are limited for this event and there will be a small cover charge for room rental, however this is a great opportunity to meet other Anglophones and to chat after the event too. Please email cnp at bluewin.ch to reserve a place. This event will be held in a new venue near the lake called Libre Espace. The venue will be open from 19:00 and the talk will be at 19:30

New brochure out on Vaud in English

The Bureau Cantonal pour l'intégration des étrangers et la prévention du racisme (the Cantonal represtentative responsible for the integration of foreigners and prevention of racism) has now produced its "Bienvenue dans le Canton de Vaud " brochure in English. This brochure includes some very good information, from useful contacts for advice and information, to information on health insurance to housing to financial matters to administrative formalities. Living in Nyon has 20 copies of this brochure, at the next Living in Nyon event (talk above) there will be some available. Alternatively you can download the brochure as a pdf file from their site here

From Mongolia and Nepal to Nyon

2010-03-22T11:31:00.000+01:00

There was a steady drizzle yesterday at the Easter Market in Nyon, yet despite this, the stall holders made a big effort to inject some colour into the day, with interesting and bright coloured products on sale. In particular was the stall that sold soft shoes for children and adults, bright bags with funky designs, hats, cases for storing glasses and flower decorations for the house, all made out of super soft felt.

The owner of the stall Ulziibat, is from Mongolia and she her partner Hartig Alexandre, travel to Nepal and Mongolia to bring back the soft felts from both countries to make into bright products here in Switzerland. Nyon is one of the towns "Modern Nomad" (the name of her stall) visits, along with other venues across the region. To find out where they are next visiting call 076 278 0818

Photo above: Ulziibat from Monglia

At the market on Sunday there was also the more traditional Easter goods on display, from the decorated fountain by the Maitre Jacques to the stalls selling decorations for Easter including a stall selling plates with the names of various Swiss cheeses hand painted on them.

What do referees talk about during a football match? Upcoming film in Nyon's documentary festival

2010-03-18T17:55:00.003+01:00

When there are tens of thousands of football fans all waiting for the referee's decision in an important match, wouldn't it be interesting to listen in to what the ref is saying to his colleagues, to hear the process of the decision making on an crucial point?

Photo: Courtesy Visions du Réel

Thanks to a film (Les Arbitres- Kill the Referee) due to be screened at the upcoming Visions du Réel documentary film festival in Nyon, film goers will be able to listen in to these all important conversations via the personal microphones of the referees on the field filmed during the Euro 2008 championships. They also get to see the sheer solitude of the referee amongst the crowd. "Les Arbitres" will be followed by a debate in the presence of Swiss referee Massimo Busacca. This film will be shown on Monday 19th April at 20:00 in the Théatre de Marens in Nyon.

This theatre is a new space for film screenings at the festival (see map). Previously it was called the Aula du Collège de Nyons-Marens. At the moment the theatre area is being revamped and refurbished and will be ready to take up to 500 spectators. This should go a long way to ease the problem the festival has previously encountered of not enough venues to see the films and demand for seats exceeding supply. Free navette buses will be provided from the centre of Nyon to the Théatre de Marens.

"Spoilt for choice"

Les Arbitres is one amongst a wide selection of films scheduled for the festival. At the press conference last Tuesday Mr Jean Perret announced they had been spoilt for choice in choosing films amongst the 2,000 that had been submitted to the festival, a record number. Many films will be making their world premiere at this festival and some of these will be entered into the various competition categories.

Other highlights in the festival include workshops and film screenings by renowned documentary maker Alan Berliner from New York and Wu Wenguang from China. There will also be screenings by the video work of British artist Tracey Emin and she is scheduled to be present here in Nyon for a debate on her work on Saturday 17th April .

As ever there are an interesting selection of documentary films on the programme for this year.
Such as "Beyond this Place" Read the synopsis below (taken from the Docmine site)

"Stoned for 40 Years" is how Cloud Rock La Belle describes his life. Taking drugs and intense cycling are the only things to which Cloud has remained faithful throughout his life. Now his son, Kaleo La Belle, challenges his eccentric father to a bike trip. Cycling through the Pacific Northwest, Kaleo questions his father's search for truth and demands justification for his absence in his life. "Beyond This Place" explores Kaleo and Cloud Rock's failed father and son relationship and questions whether the hippie concept of freedom ultimately failed." You can see a trailer here

The film chosen to open the festival on the 15th April is "Kinshasa Symphony " this film "shows how people living in one of the most chaotic cities in the world have managed to forge one of the most complex systems of human cooperation ever invented: a symphony orchestra. It is a film about the Congo, about the people of Kinshasa and about music" (Synopsis taken from the film's own website)

As ever Living in Nyon will be there reviewing the films and updating you on latest festival news. The programme with full timings of screenings will be published shortly for the public.

Don't forget this festival has many films that are either screened in English, or have simultaneous translations in English or subtitles in English. If you are new to Nyon and you want to find out more then read all about it here in last year's summary. The World at your door for seven days in Nyon

DON'T FORGET - Talk 6th April - Reserve your place!

There will be a talk in English by Mr Jean Perret of Nyon's Visions du Reel film festival on Tuesday 6th April. He will explain all about the festival, the history about it, the story behind some of the films and what's on the agenda for this year. Spaces are limited for this event and there will be a small cover charge for room rental, however this is a great opportunity to meet other Anglophones and to chat after the event too. Please email cnp at bluewin.ch to reserve a place. This event will be held in a new venue near the lake called Libre Espace

The venue will be open from 19:00 and the talk is provisionally scheduled for 19:30 (to be confirmed).

The Bise, Looking for a barn, and Living in Nyon talk

2010-03-12T17:14:00.000+01:00

The Bise wind has now finally died down but it left some pretty spectacular sights in Nyon when it was here. Take a look at this video by Brian Thomas filmed near the lake during the very cold and windy spell this week. (Mute your speakers if you want the video without music). Meanwhile, a few icicles still remained around the area of the lake front.

Below is an eclectic mix of events and information for you all, plus details of the next Living in Nyon event

The next Living in Nyon evening event will take place on Tuesday the 6th April.

There will be a talk in English by Mr Jean Perret of Nyon's Visions du Reel film festival, he will explain all about the festival, the history about it, the story behind some of the films and what's on the agenda for this year. Spaces are limited for this event and there will be a small cover charge for room rental, however this is a great opportunity to meet other Anglophones and to chat after the event too. Please email cnp at bluewin.ch to reserve a place. This event will be held in a new venue near the lake called http://www.libresespace.ch/ The venue will be open from 19:00 and the talk is provisionally scheduled for 19:30 (to be confirmed).

GEDS is looking for space, a barn, garage etc.

The amateur volunteer theatrical group Geneva English Drama Society must leave its present storage and workshop area and is seeking 100-200 sq. metres. with ceiling height 4 metres and large door, with truck access. Preferably a disused barn, old double garage, hangar, etc. in Geneva countryside or nearby Vaud (not France), on ground floor, with electricity and preferably with running water. Will consider rental or purchase. Repair work or modernisation can be done either by GEDS or professionals depending on needs. Tel. 022 776 3675 until 23 March (r.williams@sunrise.ch)

after 25 March 022 345 8233 (h-hornfeld@bluewin.ch).

Bringing up Babies and Toddlers

The site Geneva Anglo Info has got many useful sections on living here that are packed with information check out their sections under "Family life and Living in Geneva". There is a also a section on "Having a baby in Geneva" and "Bringing up Toddlers".

Wine school in Changins introduces course in "Introduction to wine tasting"

This is what their publicity says

"This course, given in English by a wine specialist, is the ideal introduction to the subject of wine tasting. During the first evening you will learn to differentiate flavours and to describe the appearance of wines. Then you will train yourself to recognise the aromas and to comment on the bouquets. At the end of the fourth session, and after tasting many white, rosé and red wines, you'll be able to describe wines in an organised and precise way. "

Each session consists of one third of theory and two-thirds of wine tasting. Course material will be provided.

Duration of module: 4 sessions of 4 hours each Time: 18h00-21:5 Required requisite: None

Price : CHF 620.-

Dates: Session 1 : 15/04 - 22/04 - 29/04 - 06/05, 18: 00-21:15

Session 2 : 04/11 - 11/11 - 18/11 - 25/11, 18:00-21:15

Contact Romain Cellery Responsable Ecole du Vin Ecole du Vin de Changins CH-1260 Nyon

Tel : +41 22 363 40 50 Wine school site

Amateur Photo Competition from "Know it All Passport"

Do you take beautiful or unusual photos? Would you like to see your photograph published in the new edition of Know-it-all Passport ® 2011/2012 due out at the end ofAugust this year?

Here is the table of contents for the 7th edition and they need one photo per section (8 in all). The photo will be used as a category separator. (See below for rules and prizes.)

Categories
1) YOUR HOME

Welcome to Switzerland! Know-it-all’s Must-Knows Calendar 2011/2012 Checklists To Rent or not to Rent? Make Yourself at Home Potentially Toxic Outdoor Plants Gardens and Gardening

2) TRAVEL

Getting Around Town Parking Outings and Trips Wineries, Breweries, and Farm Visits Holidays

3) FOOD

Night Life Restaurants Eating Out with Kids Specialist Food Shops Chocolate!

4) LEISURE

January through November Events December Festivities Entertainment The Arts and Creative Courses

Sport Stores, Lessons, and Clubs Swimming Pools and Lessons Winter Activities Museums

Parks and Playgrounds Holiday Camps and Workshops Birthdays and Parties Adult and Youth Clubs

Religious Groups

5) EDUCATION AND WORK

Schools and Universities Language Courses Special Needs Jobs and Money Matters

6) FAMILY

Health and Wellbeing Pre-Natal and Newborn Care Maternity Wear and Supplies

Parent and Baby/Child Activities Daycare and Babysitting Romance and Heartbreak Pets

7) SHOPPING

Clothes and Shoes Shopping in Switzerland Shopping in France Toys and Play Equipment Multimedia

Hairdressers

8) INFORMATION

Country Contact Information Index Geneva Map Lausanne Map Lake Geneva Map Index for Lake Geneva Map Map of Geneva/Vaud Communes Map of Switzerland’s Cantons Contributors

For details of prizes and rules see Know it All Passport

Opening of new Grinberg centre in Nyon

Saturday 13th March 14:00 -18:00 in 38 Rue de La Gare Tel 078 697 60 26

Opening of new centre in Nyon specialising in the Grinberg Method or see site of Jenny Klein
mail@jennieklein.com

Further afield

Event THIS weekend

Stained Glass Exhibition (using the Vitrail Tiffany technique ) this weekend over in Versoix

Vernissage: Friday 12 March 18:00 20:00

Exhibition Saturday 13 March, 10:00-19:00 Sunday 14 March, 11: 00 - 18:00

Maison du Charron, 6, rue des Moulins, 1290 Versoix See Ecole et Quartier Versoix

Visitors to the exhibition can take part in the demonstration in the cutting and mounting of glass

and further afield on the 22nd March Talk in Lausanne. "Understanding the Vaud School System" Organised by Léman Events

Living in Rolle

2010-03-08T14:35:00.003+01:00

Living in Nyon spoke to expatriate Sandra Wilmer who moved to Rolle in July 2009. Sandra, originally from Johannesburg in South Africa, tells us why she loves living in Rolle.

Going for a stroll in Rolle March 2010

Rolle lakeside April 2008

"Rolle is a magical and charming town. Even though it has a population of just *5,000 people, it has everything one needs to go about one's daily business, with a butcher, baker etc. Rolle has the most beautiful waterfront that is set away from the road, making it a quiet place to go for a stroll. The Chateau is a working chateau, there are administrational offices that are run from within the building. There are also exhibitions held in a gallery space in the castle and a wonderful market at Christmas too.

Art Exhibition held inside the Chateau

Rolle is peaceful which I love even though it is still very close to the other towns of Nyon and Morges. Lausanne, Coppet and Geneva are a short drive or train ride away. We have wonderful wineries on our doorstep and we are within walking distance to Mont sur Rolle. We often go to Fechy for wine tasting, lunch in St Prex or Perroy, which is just around the corner from us.

There is an international feel to the place due to the A1 Business centre, but there are still many Swiss people here, although you don’t hear as much English spoken as in our neighbouring towns. I have always found everyone to be friendly and when I try to speak French, people are very helpful and patient.

We often take our bicycles in the summer and just ride around the apple orchards and vineyards and we stop to pick apples that have fallen on the ground, there are also opportunities to pick grapes in the Autumn season too. There is a local gym in Rolle and a beautiful conference centre along the lake side.

The local Rolle Green Bus travels around the town regularly and picks up people at designated spots and takes them to the train station in a very timely fashion so it's all very convenient. The train station is very clean too and very accessible to most everywhere. If there was just one thing I wish for, that would be that were more trains from Rolle, the frequency could be improved.

We have a very well known fish restaurant called Café du Port which has an excellent reputation.

There are many other nice restaurants too. Rolle also has a shop called the Tournesol (sunflower) which is an organic food store and there is also a market on Tuesday and Friday mornings, with fresh produce, pasta, cheese, meat, olives, fish, flowers all on sale.

Hundreds of choices of tea from the Boîte à Thé

However my favourite shop of all has to be La Boîte à Thé which is a very special shop indeed. You can sip tea or drink coffee at the back of the store, while looking through all the photos of the owner’s travels.

The owner Ursula Selig, sources many products while she is travelling in other countries and there are teas and interesting products for sale from all over the world in this shop. I have spent hours here as it is so peaceful and interesting too!

Rolle also has a ferry dock, and the ferries cross over the lake to the main towns and villages in the summer. All in all, I think Rolle is a very special little place and I love living here."

Editor's note: Rolle is also home to Le Rosey the prestigious international boarding school (said to be one of the most expensive schools in the world)

See previous post about the A1 business centre in Rolle

* The population of Rolle (December 2009) was 5,686 The official website of Rolle also incudes the communes of Allaman, Bursinel, Bursins, Burtigny, Dully, Essertines, Gilly, Luins, Mont-sur-Rolle, Perroy, Rolle, Tartegnin and Vinzel.

Rolle also has a tourist office in the centre of the town which has its own website

Rolle High Street

Jazz night, Green film festival, Nyon's street names and University lecture

2010-03-05T09:05:00.001+01:00

A few events coming up in the Nyon area (and further afield) over the next few weeks. Also, don't forget to check out the English column in la La Côte newsaper each Friday. Today's column is a wry look at the street names of this area. Pick up your copy in any newsagent.

Green Film Festival - Starts tonight in Nyon - two days of film on the theme of environment, development and North/South relations. This festival is in its fifth year and takes place across fourteen towns across Swiss Romande. This weekend it's Nyons turn. The first film "Il etait un fois .. notre terre", is for young cinema goers. It begins at 16:30 and will be shown in the Salle Communale in Nyon followed by a discussion. See the film festival website for details (click on Nyon on the left hand side)

Jazz Evening - Friday 12th March 20:30 down at the 1306 club (the oldest house in Nyon, it was built in 1306). "Soft Winds" with Mario Schneeberger on sax. The best of Charlie Parker, Benny Golson, Fletcher Henderson and more.

Patchwork Exhibition

Saturday 6th March 17:00 - Opening of the 8th Exhibition of the Patchwork Club of La Côte at the Library in Crans (in the Salle Communale) See previous post about this library. For further information, email beatrice.bernard@sunrise.ch or call 022 368 1418

Photography exhibition

New photography exhibition at Focale in Nyon - Bertrand Rey from 7th March -11th April See Focale

(More on this site about exhibition after the opening).

Spring Brocante Sale in Gex (over the border in France)

Friday 19 March - 09:00 to 20:00 Saturday 20 March 09:00 to 17:00

L’Ancienne Ferme, 485 rue de l’Etraz, Gex. Small items of furniture, mirrors, pictures, china, trunks, rugs and antique gifts. English, French, Swiss and Scandinavian influences. Bring a friend and come for chat, coffee and cake. For directions contact Sian Sibley on +33 4 50 41 92 30 email s.sibley@orange.fr

Lecture - Webster University - Bellevue

Wednesday, March 17th 2010 18:30 – 20:00 The Psychology and Counselling Department of Webster University Geneva presents The 2010 Lecture Series - Moving to Switzerland: how families and children manage transitions Rachel Melville-Thomas - Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist WRS Kids in Mind See Webster university

Skiing options near Nyon and further afield

2010-03-01T00:33:00.001+01:00

Skiing Options Near Nyon - From St Cergue to Chamonix

The snowdrops are out, yet the snow is still in great condition, so what are the best options for skiing from Nyon, both nearby and up to 90 minutes drive away?

St Cergue

Nyon's own "ski-hill" is at St Cergue which is easily accessible via the red NStCM train from the centre of town. The two slopes are open all day Saturday and Sunday, and Tuesday to Friday afternoon. However, arguably the best way to enjoy skiing at St Cergue is to finish work early and try the night skiing from 7-10 pm on Tuesday to Saturday. You can combine this with a fondue at one of six participating restaurants.

See their website for more info

A little bit further on and worthy of a full day is to ski at La Dole. Accessible by car or by the red train and a bus connection (take either the 07.56 or 08.56 trains from Nyon), La Dole has a chairlift and 8 button tows. It is also connected through to the French resort of Les Jouvencelles. Take your passport!

See La Dole website

Options less than a 90 minute drive away

Further afield there are many options within less than 90 minutes drive from Nyon. Heading east around the lake past Lausanne, there are a range of options including Leysin, Villars, Verbier and les Portes du Soleil.

For families, Villars is a good option.

Park either at the free car park on the left hand side on entering the town, and take the gondola onto the slopes, or alternatively, park in the underground carpark in the centre of Villars opposite the train station and take the train upto Bretaye. Take plenty of coins for the underground carpark - you will need CHF12 for 6 hours. Bretaye is the centre of the ski area from where the slopes radiate out. There is a flat area for beginners, a ski rental shop and several restaurants.

Villars website

Champery

Across the other side of the Rhone valley, and opposite the Dents du Midi mountain range there is the village of Champery. It is part of the vast Portes du Soleil resort which has 650km of slopes.

Set off from Nyon at 8.15 and you could be pulling up at the carpark in front of the cablecar by 9.30. Pack your passport as the best skiing is arguably over the border in France on the slopes of Avoriaz and Chatel. Whilst there are plenty of blue slopes, there are also unpisted and steep slopes - including the downhill course at Avoriaz and the infamous "Wall" which is the Swiss side of the border on the way home (though there is no embarrassment in taking the chairlift down if you don't fancy the moguls). There are also plenty of typical Savoyard restaurants, including several nice ones in the Les Lindarets "goat village" above Montiond.

Portes du Soleil website

Both Villars and Champery are also accessible by train from Nyon. Take the train to Brig and change in Aigle. There are mountain trains that connect to Villars and Champery, as well as Leysin and Les Diablerets.

Les Contamines

Heading west from Nyon around Geneva and down to Chamonix, another great option for families and those who prefer to ski on blue and red runs is Les Contamines.

Turn off the motorway at St Gervais and in the town turn left to Les Contamines. This is a resort that is "off the beaten track", with wide open slopes situated above the tree line. It is situated in the snow shadow of Mont Blanc and so often has good snow. Drive through the village. If there is no car park space by the first gondola station you come to, drive further up the valley and there is a larger car park and a second gondola that will take you up the mountain.

Les Contamines website

Les Grands Montets at Chamonix

A final recommendation for those who like steep slopes is Les Grands Montets at Chamonix. Drive to Chamonix, then carry on up towards the head of the valley to Argentière where the Grands Montets cable car is on the right hand side just off the main road.

Be prepared to share the cable car with ski-mountaineers complete with ice axes and other high altitude equipment. Pay an extra fee and you can join them and take a cablecar upto 3300m and enjoy some off piste skiing through mountain wilderness and up close to a glacier. All less than 90 minutes from Nyon.

Chamonix website

A few other tips. Most of the larger resorts allow you to buy your lift pass on the internet. You will need to have a "hands free" ski pass. Several resorts also offer a loyalty scheme. Collect points every time you ski and you will be able to get either a discount or eventually a free day skiing.

Bikes, Boots and Black Jackets - Rocking up in Longirod

2010-02-28T15:38:00.002+01:00

Amongst the bikes, boots and black leather jackets of a Gland motor cycle shop, Longirock, the "one off " rock festival revealed the full line up last Wednesday for its three day festival in May.

Big names feature on the programme such as The Scorpions, Skunk Anansie, Gogol Bordello and Juliette Lewis, to other bands such as Katatonia from Sweden and Ensiferum from Holland. Thursday is a night mainly for heavy metal fans with bands such as Arch Enemy and Down from the U.S.A both performing.

There will be three stages for the festival, a main stage, a smaller one, and a stage just for Swiss artists such as Estaverde from Vevey and Josef of the Fountain from Nyon and area. Ticket sales are going well and there is still a special guest to be announced for the opening night.

Longirod is a tiny village of just 400 inhabitants high up in the Jura above Nyon, so public transport has been arranged to the venue and car sharing is being encouraged. There will be two hectares of land for camping on site.

The festival organisers are conscious of the natural beauty of the area around Longirod, and are working with the local farmers and residents to ensure that the nature is left as it was found.

Living in Nyon spoke to the mayor of Longirod Monsieur Eric Chesaux who said he was delighted with this new venture. He knows that a lot of work has gone into it by the organisers and he just hopes the weather stays fine for the three days of rocking!

BikerSuisse motorcycles - A place to rent Harley Davidson for the day or a weekend!

Nyon wins the gold medal of Swiss towns!

2010-02-25T22:06:00.000+01:00

As if we didn't know it already, Nyon is a fantastic place to live and even more proof of that comes in the form of a gold award given to it by Bilan magazine. The survey looked at 30 towns in Swiss Romandie with a population of more than 10,000 inhabitants.It concluded that for many reasons Nyon was one of the most active and economically dynamic. The town of Montreux was awarded the silver medal and Ecublens bronze. You can read the full report here in Bilan magazine and also on Nyon's own town website

Photo above: A wakeboarder on the lake at Nyon last summer

Madness coming to Caribana and where to find local sports clubs

2010-02-23T10:28:00.000+01:00

Caribana the music festival taking place on 9-13 June at Crans près Celigny (just on the outskirts of Nyon) have just announced today, that British rock/ska group Madness will be performing on the Saturday night at the festival. With hits such as "One Step Beyond", "Our House" and " My Girl" it should be a fun night by the lake! Also on the billing on the big stage on the same night is Jamaican star Sean Paul.

Other local events

Last few days of lakeside ice rink in Nyon as it closes on Sunday 28th February.

Children's theatrical production on Wednesday afternoon 24th February at the Usine a Gaz for children up to 10 years old. Phillippe Campiche with "Ouh la la les loups!" Story telling with a harp (in French).

Sports clubs in the area

Want to practise your favourite sport in the area but don't know where to start looking to find out about the local sports clubs and associations?

Then help is at hand, as there is a comprehensive booklet listing all the clubs and associations in the 47 communes of Nyon. From badminton in Arzier, to martial arts in Begnins, to ultimate frisbee in Nyon, they are all in a booklet provided by Nyon council called "Et si je faisais du sport!".
This can be picked up from Nyon tourist office. It lists sports by each commune and has the details of the person to contact in each club.

Not a bad place to do business - The A1 Business Centre in Rolle

2010-02-21T17:01:00.001+01:00

There have been many new companies and organisations which have recently moved into the area and quite a few of them have moved into the new A1 business park in Rolle, just a few miles from Nyon. With a view of the vineyards from the offices facing north, and a view of the lake for those in the south facing buildings this looks like a good place to go to work and do business.

Chiquita, Honeywell, Nissan, Adm, Nunomyx, Yahoo, PPG industries, UBS and Deppeler, SC Johnson and Carefusion are all housed in this modern business area. There's a bus stop right outside the centre and a mobility car area too (the car sharing service, see previous post titled "Needs Wheels in Nyon?" about this very useful service) and the centre itself is right in the centre of the wine growing areas of La Côte and has its own restaurant managed by DSR the Swiss catering company.

Pastel coloured gigantic plant pots frame the entrances to each company.

A bus stop with transport to Rolle

Near the motorway and a view of the mountains

Near the mountians and the pretty villages

Fondue Demonstration, English speaking Ski Instructors, Classical music

2010-02-19T10:49:00.001+01:00

Sunday afternoon classical concerts by the lake

The Conservatoire of Nyon opens a new year of Sunday afternoon classical concerts at their lovely building by the lake. The next concert is Sunday 28th February 2010 at 17:00 with a performance by the Quatuor Terpsycordes (see their site to find out more about them, it has asection in English) They will be playing Haydn and Beethoven. See details of concert under événements

Fondue Demonstration

Tues 23 February - " Time out for Women" 19:45-21:45 in Nyon Costs: CHF10 - refreshments and fondue demo incl. Rue Juste Olivier 6, 1260 ( in Westlake Church building )
RSVP: register with Ann Lloyd annlloyd7@gmail.com by Friday 19th Feb

Usine a Gaz celebrates birthday
On the 28th February the Usine a Gaz will be celebrating its 15th birthday with a series of concerts over three days, all with free entry. See the site for the full programme

Ski instructor
If you need ski instructors in this area who speaks English , the Ski School of La Dole has instructors who speak several languages see site or call 022 3601414

Carnival kicks off around the country

2010-02-14T21:29:00.003+01:00

If you have recently arrived in Switzerland, you may not know that you don't need to head off to Brazil to be part of Carnival. There are parades and mini carnivals taking place all over the country. Some are well known such as the Fastnacht in Basel, or carnival in Lucerne, however the small village of Broc (near Gruyères just an hour from Nyon) put on a splendid show this weekend, with little children and adults taking part.

The town of Nyon doesn't hold a carnival (there is so much going on the rest of the year) but if you are heading off to a ski resort or thermal baths for a weekend check there isn't a carnival parade planned in that area for the next few weeks. The photos below give you a flavour of what to expect, and the Smilebox at the end of this has even more photos. It takes a few seconds to load and provides a bit of a colour and music to these cold winter days.

Broc carnival near Gruyeres

A carnival band member soaks up some sun with a cigar

Even the local post office play its part at Carnival

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Winter Rock Festival, Nyon on Facebook and Tracey Emin

2010-02-12T13:14:00.001+01:00

For those of you who can't wait for all the great local summer music festivals to begin, there is a festival going on in Nyon this weekend called Les Hivernales which should keep you going until the weather warms up. Various venues in the town have linked up together for two nights, Friday 12th and Saturday 13th Feb to create this mini music festival. The venues involved are The Usine a Gaz, La Parenthese, Le Cactus Jack, The Fishermen's Pub, the l'After night club and le Sky and also the associations of the Bains des Trois Jetées. The price of entry to the festival for one night is CHF 25 and this will enable you to move between venues to check out all the music. See the site for details of the bands playing each night (under programme).

There was an interesting article in La Côte newspaper this week about how many groups and societies in this region have a presence on Facebook, from the Paléo fans (8,500 members), to the Gymnase of Morges (1113 members) to the nautical society of Nyon (39 members). Living in Nyon has recently started a presence on Facebook and also has a Nyon group on Mamicafé (see side bar).

Visions du Réel the documentary film festival that takes place in Nyon in Spring, has announced that the video films of Tracey Emin will be shown at the festival for the first time in their entirety in collaboration with the Bern Kunstmuseum. There will be an evening of debates alongside the projections.

Nyon link to the America's Cup and what it is like to live in Bassins

2010-02-08T22:07:00.003+01:00

The America's Cup race has officially started and all interest is on Valencia in Spain right now. However there is a local interest too as Mr Ernesto Bertorelli the owner of Alinghi the Swiss catamaran in the race, used to live in Gland, the town just a few miles from Nyon. Mr Bertorelli is not the only celebrity resident from this area, as Michael Schumacher the Formula One racing driver also lives in Gland and Alain Prost has a house in Nyon.

Alinghi made its debut on the lake last summer on August 1st (Swiss National day) and it sailed into Nyon and up the lake with a flotilla of boats accompanying it, with Mont Blanc in full show. A truly magnificent sight.

Living in Bassins

What is it like to live in the village of Bassins? Below is the first in a series of reports written by readers of this column, it's their personal view of where they live. This particular view comes from Linda Revkin and you will see it also comes from 750 metres high, the elevation of the village! Read on to find out about an unusual industry that operates out the village.

If you live in a village or town near Nyon and would like to write about it then email me cnp at bluewin.ch. I welcome suggestions. Now over to Linda.

"It was probably summer when Jeff Lynns from E.L.O. wrote “Mr. Blue Sky” in Bassins (see previous post here about this). But, blue skies can be found year round in Bassins. Right now in the snowy months of winter, when fog and cloudy weather engulf the Nyon area, the sun shines brightly up here. The Alpine peaks are crystal clear above a rumpled bed of clouds covering the normal view of Lake Geneva.

Yes, snow can stay on the ground from November until March up here at 750 metres. It is not a climate for the fainthearted. The temperatures can drop to minus seventeen. Icicles decorate the fountains.

Bassins is basically a farming village where, in years gone by, the cows probably outnumbered the population. Today that population, which had risen to six hundred souls in 1987, the date of my arrival on the scene, has now swelled to over one thousand.

What attracts people to this rural village? I can only say for myself that it was my first view of the village that captivated me. Driving up from La Cezille, I rounded the last bend in the road, a a series of many, and there was the village spread out like a snowy Christmas scene on a shallow oval dish. Above the village the vast Jura forest, a favorite place for hikers, campers, and cross-country skiers.

At the highest point, far to the left, was the Church: from there clusters of houses stretched out in a straight line to the right where a huge barn anchored the far end. Bassins is situated on a plateau. If one turns around slowly in a 360 degree rotation, a spectacular panorama of lake, Alps and Jura unfolds. On a clear day, as the song says, one can see nearly forever; the Geneva Jet d’eau , the Mont Blanc, the Dents de Midi and the “Grand Lac” by Lausanne.

So perhaps it is this spectacular view and bucolic surroundings that attracts a lot of people. The village does not have, access to a shopping centre, or international schools, it is low key. Its image is far from glossy but it does have a prerequisite Aubèrge for good dining, a fantastic bakery, a Pottery Shop, a Hair Dresser, a Bookshop, and a Well Being Saloon.. The village’s biggest new attraction is the beautiful indoor Pool situated near the Primary School on the road to Le Vaud.

One interesting industry here is a distillery for natural oils. In the summer, the fields, not cultivated with corn and wheat, are covered with bright yellow, mauve, blue and white flowers. When the distilling starts in late summer the scent of chamomile, lavender, and celery can tickle your nose.

I have loved living in Bassins these past twenty five years not only because of its setting but because of the wonderful Swiss people and the many musical opportunities that have come my way. I directed the local mixed Choir and children’s Choirs for over ten years; sang in vocal Quartet founded here, and enjoyed having access to a wonderful organ. Last fall I took part as the village celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the Organ’s Installation. Back in 1984, only six hundred villagers managed to raise enough money to build this new organ.

Being a bi-national I have, like others, a foot in both camps so to speak. I also play the organ at the Scots Church in Geneva located in the Auditoire de Calvin. I am a member of an Association trying to raise funds for a new organ for that church. Somehow it seems a more daunting task to focus a multi national congregation living in Geneva, France and Vaud on the task of raising funds. Will we meet with the same success as this small village? If anyone out there has ideas or is interested in our project, take a look at our website.

Meanwhile, if you love swimming, walking, cross country skiing and beautiful views, don’t hesitate to visit Bassins."

Photos of Bassins and text by Linda Kyle Revkin

Summing up the "Swiss Politics for Dummies" evening

2010-02-06T16:03:00.001+01:00

Here is a summary of the "Swiss Politics for Dummies" evening event held at the Ferme du Manoir in Nyon in January.

This was written by John Tracey who lives in Coinsins and who amongst the audience that night.

"Swiss politics for Dummies"

Does living in and around Nyon engender low self esteem ? How amazing that a hundred of us freely flocked to declare ourselves publicly to be a dummy at this excellent event on January 28th. Reality is that we were all there under false pretences and were very wise to have come out that evening and return home even wiser.

If Swiss Politics doesn’t turn you on, you certainly haven’t heard Jordan Davies’ scintillating synopsis which, in his inimitable light-hearted way, paints a clear – even attractive – picture helping us all make sense of it. You’d immediately recognise Jordan from World Radio Switzerland 101.7 FM. His grasp of international politics and the Swiss structure was as enlightening as entertaining.

Our political system reflects Switzerland’s diversity in language, culture and geography. The basic precepts of the people’s sovereignty, direct democracy and leading by consensus has devolved Swiss political power into today’s three tier structure; Federal, Cantonal and Communal. Each level operates on the same principle of an elected executive, broad-based council and is tempered by the individual authority of the electorate.

Federal Council comprises of Seven members

The Federal Council comprises seven members of equal status who each serve as President for a year on a rotational basis. While this has the advantage of avoiding ‘personality politics’ prevalent in other countries, it can yield slower legislation since the traditional drive is to seek agreement, understand and respect others’ positions. It also fosters a sense of decorum and politeness in government/politics (“being nice to each other !”) – somewhat unusual in modern day democracies…. Interestingly, recent attempts to change (modernise ?) this way of operating failed in favour of retaining fundamental consensus.

The next level of national legislative is the Federal Assembly split into two Chambers, the Council of States and the National Council. A similar structure is found at the cantonal level, with the elected executive State Council and more rank and file Grand Council, and in the communes, the Municipal and Communal Councils.

On this local level, we were treated to an impressive array of councillors encouraging us to feel free to get involved. We enjoyed brief presentations from some of Nyon’s cream originally hailing from New Jersey, Newcastle, the Nederlands and even Nyon. Our entertaining evening culminated in a gracious endorsement of the base message to get integrated and involved from Nyon’s Municipal Councillor Elisabeth Ruey-Ray.

She praised and thanked Catherine Nelson-Pollard for her excellent work in promoting understanding and integration and went on to win unanimous acclamation by pronouncing the much-loved traditional invitation - - “au Carnotzet !”

From Costa Rica to La Côte- Interview with Braulio Mora plus news.

2010-02-04T00:35:00.004+01:00

Quick round up on a couple of pieces of recent news taken from La Côte plus an interview with Braulio Mora, local resident and one of the youngest members of Nyon town council.

Pool for Chéserex: The citizens of Chéserex (a village near Nyon) voted on the 31st January to go ahead with the construction of an indoor swimming pool in the village. Here is the PDF plan showing where it is planned to be situated. The popular vote brought in 383 votes for the plan, to 270 against (653 residents voted out of a possible 852).

New superstore for Nyon: Secondly, news that are plans are afoot for the Migros Home store at the top of Nyon to be demolished and a brand new building put in its place, with a food supermarket, an M-Electronics store, a new Home Store and possibly other non-Migros commercial stores within the same complex. These plans are subject to an inquiry but if they are approved, work will begin before summer and will finish before the end of 2011.

Braulio Mora - Passionate about local issues

New Centre for La Redoute

There is now a brand new centre called Maison de la Redoute for the people who live in La Redoute area of Nyon. La Redoute is a block of flats which has a resident population of around 1000 people. This new centre is seperated into two parts. One part is open for children's activities, birthday parties and also for the use of residents when they want to hold events. The other part of the centre is a "youth centre-espace jeunesse" and is reserved for young people from 15 onwards.

The opening of this centre is the culmination of a long campaign by Braulio Mora to get it up and running.

At 28 years old Braulio Mora is one of the fourth youngest elected members of the conseil communal and is passionate about local issues, particularly those involving the youth of Nyon. Originally from Costa Rica (his family moved here when he was just one year old), he lives in Nyon and studies in Lausanne on an internship studying clinical pathology.

Says Braulio “ I have a degree in medicine and I could have chosen the career path of going on to be a general doctor or surgeon, but I knew that would mean extra long hours at work, all necessary to succeed in the profession. I chose pathology as it would enable me to have a life outside a normal 8-5 work routine.”

Not only is he curious about the human body and diagnosing human diseases, he is also very interested in the human mind too as he enjoys meeting people, discovering more about them and where he can, helping them. “I know that if you want to get involved in any kind of volunteering whether it is local issues or political work, you have to time to devote to it. I was an active member of the student council when I was at university and now in Nyon I sit on various committees and commissions. “

Photo below: Table tennis in play at the new centre

"Because I’m one of the younger members of the council, young people can approach me as they know I may be able to relate to some of the issues that concern them. One of the main subjects that often comes up here in Nyon time and time again is the lack of suitable affordable housing for young people which is a subject we are addressing. We don’t want people to feel they have to go elsewhere to live, we would like them to stay in the town".

The town itself of course is a great place to be and I love living here. When I’m not studying or sitting in council meetings I like to travel and I am a keen amateur photographer too. I represent the Spanish Language Catholic society here in Nyon too. There are quite a few of us that live here in the area that originate from Spain or Central and South America. There are many different nationalities that sit on the conseil communal representing Nyon’s own rich mix of citizens. We all have different viewpoints of course but we all come together for the common good".

La Redoute has its own website (note, so does La Levratte, another area of apartment buildings to the north side of Nyon)

Children celebrating at the opening party.

Braulio (right in photo) at the signing of the opening of the centre last week, with member of the Muncipalité Mr Olivier Mayor. Back row. Vanessa Gardel-Maouche.

Future articles on this site and a big thankyou.

2010-02-01T00:12:00.002+01:00

It's February and there's lots planned for Living in Nyon this month, including articles from residents on what it's like to live in the villages of Duillier and Bassins, and in the neighbouring town of Rolle. We also have an interview coming up with Braulio Mora, one of the youngest councillors on Nyon council. He was hoping to be with us last Thursday night at the "Swiss Politics for Dummies" night but unfortunately couldn't make it due to unforeseen circumstances.

Thankyou very much indeed to everyone who sent emails saying how much you enjoyed the evening*,which is very good to hear. I will reply to you all individually very soon. Some of you are keen to know more about the local societies that you can get involved with, so I will endeavour to feature some of them here. As I understand it there are over 86 clubs and societies in Nyon alone, so there will be plenty to write about.

There is obviously a demand for this kind of event in Nyon for Anglophones, so I will work on the next one (after taking a bit of a breather!) and keep you all posted.

Catherine Nelson-Pollard - Founder - Living in Nyon.

* summary of the evening will be on this site soon written by a member of the audience.

Swiss Politics evening a success

2010-01-29T10:21:00.004+01:00

A big thankyou to all 100 of you (plus Jordan and the four councillors and the member of the Municipalité) who came last night to the "Swiss Politics" for Dummies evening. The evening turned out to be so popular, there was even a waiting list for it. So, for those of you who were on this list I have asked a member of the audience to write a brief summary of what Jordan Davis and the councillors said, and this will be on this site in the next couple of days.

As there obviously is a demand for these kind of evenings then Living in Nyon will organise another event on a similar theme in the future, so watch this space!