Lavaux

Lavaux is a wine appellation in the western Swiss canton of Vaud, located on the northern banks of Lake Geneva, also known as Lac Léman locally. This region, which is on the lake's eastern shore, is noted for making steely white wines, mostly from the Chasselas grape, also known as "Fendant" across the country. The Lavaux appellation has 760 hectares of vineyard that runs along the lakefront from Lausanne to Montreux and farther east. Lavaux borders the commune of Villeneuve and the larger Chablais appellation, which marks the beginning of the Rhône valley, at its eastern end. The Valais wine region is around 35 kilometers upstream.

La Cote, on the western side of Lausanne, has vineyards that are mainly south-facing and view the lake and the Alps beyond. While the vines in Lavaux are visually comparable to those in northern Burgundy, they have more in common with traditional German wine areas such as the Mosel. The hillsides here are so steep that substantial terracing is required, rising immediately up from the lakefront. The tallest vineyards stand 350m above the lake and are among the steepest in the world, rivaling even the Mosel's most vertiginous.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site's grapes are spread on terraces between Lausanne and Montreux. The steeply inclined vineyards provide breathtaking vistas of Lake Geneva and the Alps. This is a beautiful place to walk. You may organize a trip from one end of the wine area to the other, stopping at several vineyards along the way. Those opinions are surely worthwhile!

Location: Switzerland