Nathan organised this excellent hike warning us however, in view of the uncertain weather forecast, to “be prepared”. He recommended us to refer to Philip’s description of the terrain, from his 30 March 2023 blog. See below in blue. (Philip also reported in 2023 that his search of the “dusty GIN blog archives” revealed that a similar hike was organised in June 2018 by David Colledge. There were three participants then, an indication of the significant increase over the last 5 years in GIN hiking interest.) I note that David wrote – Lunch in La Cave de la Ferme in nearby Frangy – highly recommended with 4 course lunch at €16.50.
Further research into the dusty GB archives showed that David organised another hike up the far end of the Vuache in May 2019 from Chevrier with 4 attending. David wrote “altogether about 3.30hrs followed by a very reasonable lunch at Restaurant du Vuache.”
Philip : “The Vuache is a long lean mountain. Not at all a Fujiyama. Not even a Môle. But I see it every morning from my kitchen balcony. And it tells me what the day’s weather will bring. Geologically it’s part of the Jura range. Good Jurassic limestone, no doubt riddled, like the Salève, with water-filled cavities. And maybe bottomless potholes that nobody has explored. But physically it’s an isolated mountain, cut off eons ago by the melt waters from the immense Rhone Glacier that filled the whole Lemanic basin. And it holds secrets known only to those who explore it in early Springtime.”
On that hike in March 2023 hike we were 11 : two Marks, PeterT, Nathan, Rudi, Richard, Mike M, Ralph, Drew, Mervyn and Philip and hounds Kobie and Nessie. On this hike we missed Mark 2ts, Rudi, Richard, Mike M (and Nessie) and Mervyn. We added on this occasion Mike H (and Rocco), Stephen and Ross and were thus 9.
(I was told that several absent members have poor knees – at least they gave that as an excuse to Nathan. I can only recommend daily taking Pernaton tablets – they have saved my knees. )
Unhappily the timing this year was different, it not being early Springtime. So we missed the wonderful display of daffodils (that we had seen two weeks ago on Mark’s Dôle hike). And unhappily too the warm sunshine we had enjoyed two weeks ago was missing and we experienced instead a cold dry and windy day almost exactly as per 30 March 2023.
Same route as in 2018 – but my watch showed 9.2km and 546m denivellation
It did not start that way as there was some weak sunshime as we ascended the ridge from Chaumont attempting to catch up with Philip who had started 15 minutes earlier.
Nice early sun – luring us up into the cold grey Vuache againNear where we met Philip
We caught Philip up after about 300m of ascent. He was gayly and gently elevating himself up the ridge, stopping to take close-up photos of the plants he loves (not daffodils though).
Philip writes : –
Thursday’s ascent was the first time that I had seen wild orchids actually in flower on the Vuache. Having given myself a 15 minute head start on the peloton, I had time to photograph them (and have a breather!). The GIN plant enthusiasts, of which I’m sure there are many, will no doubt welcome this botanic addition.
I have given the relevant plant names to the photo files. I’ve also added one non-orchid, Sainfoin, the reason being that it’s a real beauty, whose identity had me initially confused until PlantNet put me right.
At one point Ralph kindly offered us all a cup of his hot strong black (and good value) coffee. Excellent! I almost did not miss Mervyn and his milk.
Onwards into the gloom
At a large green field two chamois (or deer according to Mark) broke cover and Kobie went off to investigate but soon came back. It was not long however before he found a leg bone of a deer (or chamois) left by hunters and he and Rocco spent some time arguing over who should eat it. Both won.
A bone struggle
We wandered on up along the woodland path which traces the spine of the hill, in places steep and rocky. I spotted only 3 daffodils still in flower, but there were many other flowers (Philip will tell us).
Summit party 2023Summiters 2025 – 1101m Vuache With hounds Using my (good value) selfie stickPhilip and Nathan came along a little later
On the way up we had noticed a picnic table at the top of the green field and members retraced steps back to it, keen to tuck into some warming sustenance and whatever wines were on offer. In this case a Nero d’Avola and a Rasteau. Drew of course had his flask, but we missed Richard and his abominable bottle.
Philip wrote 2 years ago :- There was no handy auberge nearby, so we ate our picnics (in a particularly windy spot) with extensive views over the Rhone Valley and in the distance the Plateau de Retord. This time we had the same wind and views, but the advantage of a (slanting) table that sat 8 of us, albeit we were 9.
Descending – not like spring here.View back to Lac LemanThe view below – with scudding low cloudDescent to lunchLunch table – uphill sideThe picnic table was not exactly level..
All too soon it was over. No time or inclination to discuss Scottish independence. This was a time of Trump Tariff madness.
On the return, we initially retraced our steps but then Nathan again deviated down the steep western slope of the Vuache, fortunately relatively dry and unslippery. This took us through the hamlet of Chaumontet and back to the village of Chaumont. (most of this para was copied from Philip’s 2023 blog).
We passed some very young climbers about to start out on the training rock slabs.
Another enjoyable hike on the Vuache, despite somewhat inclement weather and gone daffs. About 10km and 546m denivellation. Thanks Nathan.
Attendees – MikeH and Rocco, Mark2rs, Drew, Stephen, Ralph, Philip, Ross, PeterT and Kobie, Nathan (Leader).
(I’ll post other pics if folk send me any – or do it yourself if you can. PT)
Each year for the last 4 years we have had a hike early in the season to Sonnailley to see the fields of daffodils. A couple of times we arrived just after they’d finished and this time we arrived slightly too early. Still there were some daffodils on display and it was a very enjoyable first hike of the season.
Five of us: David C, Mervyn, Nathan and 2 Marks met at the parking in Divonne and drove up together to meet Peter, Steven, Ross, 2 Mikes: Hempstead and Mathews, and 2 dogs: Kobie and Rocko, at La Givrine.
It was a clear day with no prospect of rain but a strong, cold wind so we were all well wrapped up. After the usual fuss with the parking we were off. We walked up to Couvaloup de Crans, sadly closed midweek, and on to the top of the Dôle. Here we stopped, slightly sheltered from the strong wind, for refreshments. It being close to the birthday of one of the members a glass of crémant d’Alsace seemed appropriate.
Sheltering from the wind
On the way up we had seen about 6 daffodils so the prospect of seeing a field full of them seemed remote. On the other hand there were masses of crocuses.
The view from the Dôle was magnificent, we could see the whole lake and Mt Blanc in the distance. Sadly this is never properly captured in a photo.
Duly fortified we ventured out into the wind and began the descent to Sonnailley.
We’d got through the difficult bit of the descent and almost reached the plain when we realised we were semi dogless – Kobie was not with us. After much blowing on whistles there was still no sign so Peter went off on a hound hunt. The rest of us were on a gentle grass covered slope, in the sun and out of the wind, and it was already 1 o’clock so we decided to have lunch while waiting for the absent dog and master. This had been promoted as a daffodil hike and there was one solitary bunch in view with 5 flowers, somebody counted.
Peter and Kobie soon returned and we were treated to a selection of red wines courtesy of Peter, Stephen and Mervyn, followed by the inevitable black coffee from Mark. Some trouser legs were removed to reveal very white legs and all seemed well with the world as several layed out in the sunshine and maybe even had a sleep. Unfortunately our mean leader could not get comfortable so we all had to set off again towards Sonnailley.
So there actually were some daffodilsAnd even more
We then started the return via Sonnailley au Prince and a lovely path through the forest to arrive back at Couvaloup de Crans, sadly still closed, and on to la Givrine.
All agreed it was a great walk to start the season. 14 km and about 690 m.
We were 26 “Gintlemen” for our lunch at the Auberge des Trois Tilleuls in Genolier village on Thursday 3rd April:
Norman Eatough
Peter Taylor
Chris Morris
Gary Van Natter
Mark Watts
Kent Forrester
Robert O’Riordan
Rudolph Staehelin (new member)
Trevor Davies
Stephen Long
John Burley
Peter Drew
Joe Kutzin
Drew Meek
Terry Gale
David Colledge
Mark Warren
Philip Jenkins
Mike Clayton
Richard Saynor
Reinier Tervooren
Mervyn Powell
Mike Price
Brian Allardyce
Jeff Shane
Jeffrey Crudgington
🍽🍷
Jeff
It was a fine lunch with excellent food, wine and service all at a good value price, in wonderful spring sunshine. Many thanks to new member Rudolf for sponsoring extra wine. We had the whole of the back room to ourselves. Jeff introduced the staff to us at the beginnng and again thanked them on our behalf at the end. This is a restaurant well worth revisiting.
Photos below taken at/after coffee. All self-explanatory.
Six participants (Peter T, Mike H, Nathan, Richard, Ross, and Peter S) with 2 dogs (Kobie and Rocco) met at the Col du Mollendruz for the last snowshoe of the 2024-2025 season. Cloudy skies, the cool temperature (3°C) and a brisk bise wind called for extra jackets, beanies and gloves. There was no sign of any snow and definitely no snowshoes or crampons required.
The trail started on the left side of the Nordic sport cabin and headed down the gravel road to the Grand Chardeve (1097m) where it met the path up from L’Isle. After a gentle climb up through the forest we reached the fallen tree for a photo reminder of a previous hike done in Aug 2024.
This time RichardS is with us, as well ats PeterS and Ross.Aug 2024 Hike. We met RichardS at the Chatel Restaurant on the top.
A little further along the contour, a quaint chalet (Chalet des Italiens) with 2 benches prompted a water break. While Peter T and Ross settled in on the benches, Mike tucked into his sandwich thinking it was picnic time.
At the apèro stop with only nuts for apèro
After a short inspection of the inside of the chalet, the group continued up to the junction with the path from Montricher and then onwards to explore the archaeological site of the Chatel d’Arruffens. The panel describes its origins as a fortified refuge which was used between 1500 BC up to 150 AD by ancient Celts during “troubled times” on the plains below. Little remains of the fortifications except a small cluster of “sacred rocks” which resulted in another photo opportunity.
Richard leans on and PeterS inspects the sacred rock – in the SUN !!
After some indecision, a sheltered mound was chosen for the picnic. Before tucking into his ham and cheese wrap from the Volg, Peter T demonstrated use of the new suction device (LifeVac) he had acquired in case of a choking attack. This was quickly followed by the opening of a fine bottle of Cote du Rhone which served to, as it were, wash it all down.
The LifeVac SeminarLunch Spot – PeterT and his ham and cheese sandwich (The Volg Choker) – and his LifeVac
After leaving the picnic mound, the path led up through fields of early white and purple crocuses waiting for the sun to burst into bloom.
Croci
With the bise picking up, there was a brief stop at the cross marking the summit of Chatel 1404m) before descending down into the valley below the Buvette d’Chatel (closed in winter).
Summit photoWe passed this way on 16 Sept 2021
A short uphill led to the Jura Club of Cossonay where the sheltered porch allowed savouring the Corsican cedar brew from Richard’s renowned bottle.
Coffee stop and Richard offers his Corsican Cedras libation (quite nice)
The final stretch tracked down the road to emerge from the forest above the Chalet du Mollendruz (recently closed at the end of the winter season). The group returned to the Mollendruz parking to complete a 4.5 hour tour of 11 km, and ~500m dénivelé.
This is a short record of a necessarily limited group visit to CERN on 22.2.2025.
On 4 Jan 2025 a few selected folk received this email from Mervyn.
“Firstly, Happy New Year to one and all.
Secondly, here is your exclusive invitation to join a private group visit to CERN.
We will have the services of a qualified guide, an ex-CERN employee, friend and neighbour, Dr. Gunnar Fernqvist on
Date: Saturday 22 February 2025
Draft Programme:
09:00 Rendezvous at CERN Gateway (Parking available)
Introductory film
Selfguided tour of the exhibition area
10:15 Depart (by car) for underground visit of the LHC
11:00 Visit the CMS
12:00 Return by car to CERN
12:30 Lunch at CERN
14:00 Walking tour of other CERN exhibitions and sites
16:00 End of visit
IMPORTANT
Please confirm your interest to participate by return email as capacity is limited to 12 (adult, able-bodied, non-pregnant!). Please state your name, nationality and date of birth.
Joining instructions will follow once group participation is established.
Brush up on your physics!
Mervyn”
The day 22 Feb 2025 finally came around, grey and a bit cold. Rob picked me up and then Ross before we drove to the CERN parking near the Gateway. The Science Gateway is a much improved visitor centre (from the original that I had experienced 25 years or so earlier).
To plan a visit – see
https://visit.cern
CERN Science Gateway
CERN Science Gateway is a place to explore CERN and science through authentic, innovative and inspirational experiences. It is CERN’s new education and outreach center, where we take visitors on a unique journey building on the physical proximity to CERN, its accelerators, detectors, facilities and people.
Through immersive multimedia exhibits, hands-on lab workshops, science shows, events that blend science and culture, innovation-prototyping workshops and tours of authentic CERN places – all guided by CERN people – visitors of all ages and backgrounds can engage in the discoveries, the science and the technologies of CERN.
Our vision is for a world where science and learning are part and parcel of everyone’s life. Our younger visitors may leave inspired to explore a career in science and technology. We hope that all visitors will feel empowered to make sense of the science that shapes their lives.
This vision is housed in an iconic building designed by the world-renowned Renzo Piano Building Workshop, with support from Brodbeck-Roulet architectes associés.
An iconic building
Inspired by the diversity and curiosity that are intrinsic to CERN, the building encompasses multiple elements, embedded in a green forest.
Five different spaces host three exhibitions, two hands-on labs, an auditorium, a shop and a restaurant, all connected by a 6-metre-high bridge that spans the main road in front of CERN. Two suspended tubes mirror the cutting-edge technology of the CERN accelerator complex. Raw shapes and forms, and exposed concrete celebrate CERN’s industrial character.
The building symbolises the inseparable link between science and society, with sustainability at its core. Almost 4000 square metres of solar panels provide energy to the Science Gateway and other CERN buildings. A forest of over 400 trees and 13 000 shrubs provides a habitat for animals and plants. When in operation, the building is carbon-neutral.
We reinforced ourselves on quantum coffee as 12 of us assembled, a leader and 11 bosons, not all GIN members but all with an inquisitive bent.
Gunnar Fernqvist (Leader)
Mark Watts
Lynda Watts
Henry Watts
Richard Saynor
Paul Sochaczweski
Mervyn Powell (Organiser)
Peter Taylor
Robert Pashley
Ivan Rykov
Ross Linsley
Philip Jenkins
We had a strict timetable to adhere to as CERN receives thousands of visitors per week and parties are guided on timed visits. During our visit we noted parties bumping up behind us when we asked too many questions or lingered a little too long, but this was not a serious hindrance and we did not collide.
We started up in the Gateway to watch the introductory film, but a large group of Italians visitors (in 3 coaches) were in the mix so the whole film was to be in Italian. We decamped instead to the Gateway exhibitions where Gunnar explained the basic working of the LHC and its related experiments (ATLAS and CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid which we were to visit) being the hi power ones).
Gunnar gives us an outline of CERN in the visitor Centre.
Here is the basic outline of what CERN seems to be all about :-
The European Organization for Nuclear Research – known by its French acronym, CERN – is the largest particle physics laboratory in the world. Located just outside of Geneva, Switzerland, it was established in 1954, as one of post-war Europe’s first joint ventures, with the express aim of halting the ‘brain drain’ of talented scientists leaving the continent for America.
Today, more than 10,000 scientists hailing from more than 100 countries find themselves at CERN each year to use its facilities, which include some of the biggest and most complex scientific instruments ever created. Their goal: figure out what the Universe is made of and the laws of physics that dictate its behaviour.
What does CERN do exactly?
At CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, physicists and engineers are probing the fundamental structure of the universe. They use the world’s largest and most complex scientific instruments to study the basic constituents of matter – the fundamental particles.
Why was CERN built in Switzerland?
Switzerland was chosen to host CERN to a large extent because of its neutrality and its safeguards against the misappropriation of scientific research results for military purposes. This was especially important when the organisation was established in 1954 because the world was just entering the Cold War.
What has CERN done for humanity?
Crystals developed for CERN experiments in the 1980s are now ubiquitous in PET scanners. Today, CERN’s unique expertise and technologies are being used in areas related to medical diagnostics and imaging, therapy as well as computing and simulations for health applications.
CERN’s work, including attempts to create tiny black holes for studying antimatter, is conducted under strict safety protocols, with the organization and the scientific community affirming the research poses no threat to the planet.
Who funds CERN?
CERN is publicly funded by its 23 Member States and Associate Member States. Find out below about how this investment creates a positive impact on society.
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator. It consists of a 27-kilometre ring (100 metres underground) of superconducting magnets (cooled by liquid helium) with a number of accelerating structures to boost the energy of the particles along the way.
The CERN accelerator complex accelerates protons, but also nuclei of ionized atoms (ions), such as the nuclei of lead, argon or xenon atoms. Some LHC runs are thus dedicated to lead-ion collisions. The ISOLDE facility accelerates beams of exotic nuclei for nuclear physics studies.
Complex being the operative word
The particle collisions recreate, for a fraction of a second, the conditions that existed moments after the Big Bang, when the Universe was born. By studying the debris of these collisions, physicists try to settle mysteries such as what matter is made of and how particles get their mass.
The LHC, which was completed in 2008, was built primarily to put the Standard Model of particle physics to the test. This wildly successful theory from the 1970s describes the interactions between the 17 elementary particles and three of the four fundamental forces of the Universe: electromagnetism, the strong nuclear force and the weak nuclear force (gravity is the fourth).
What happened at CERN in the fall of 2008?
On 19 September 2008, a magnet quench occurred in about 100 bending magnets in sectors 3 and 4, where an electrical fault vented about six tonnes of liquid helium (the magnets’ cryogenic coolant) into the tunnel.
What discoveries have been made at CERN?
Highlights include the 1983 discovery of a pair of elementary particles called the W and Z bosons, which was later awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. British computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee helped invent the World Wide Web at CERN in 1989 by developing a way for computers to talk to each other, called hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).
In 1995, CERN scientists were the first to create atoms of hydrogen’s antimatter counterpart, antihydrogen. In 2000, they discovered a new state of matter: a hot, dense, particle soup called quark-gluon plasma. And the Higgs boson, predicted by the Standard Model of particle physics, was observed for the first time in 2012 at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC), scooping its discoverers a Nobel Prize. This discovery confirmed a crucial part of our understanding of how particles acquire mass.
One CMS photo showed (apparently) that the Higgs boson is produced in the collision of two protons at 14 TeV and quickly decays into four muons, a type of heavy electron which is not absorbed by the central part of the detector – but in the outer muon detectors.
The discovery was a big win for fans of the Standard Model, but the theory is incomplete. It leaves many questions open, such as: what is dark matter? Why does the Universe contain more matter than antimatter? The LHC may help answer these questions.
Things could really start to get exciting after the next long shutdown, currently slated for 2026-2028. During that time, the LHC will be upgraded so heavily that it warrants a new name: the High-Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC). Over 20-plus years of operating, the machine will work up to generating luminosities nearly 30 times greater than those produced to date, allowing physicists push the Standard Model to its limits.
And the search for new physics doesn’t end there. A proposed new collider – theFuture Circular Collider (FCC) – would dwarf the LHC. “It’s really just a concept right now, but ultimately this would be an even more powerful collider that would be 100 kilometres around. The LHC ring would basically just be the booster ring for the FCC!”.
Gunnar, being an electrical expert, sparkled with energy, especially when describing magnets and the power supply aspects of the LHC. In particular in his time, his team were challenged to get a firm control on the current such that it provided for a finely controlled and powerfull magnetic field to bend the accelerated particales around the ring, focussing them in the centre of the vacuum tube such that they never touched the sides (which would have given rise to the magnets becoming non-superconducting and exploding as in 2008). The power in the circulating paricles is so high (of the order of a jumbo jet) that in order to quench it (every few hours or so), the particles are brought offline and sprayed into a 300 m long carbon dump – which becomes radioactive for a while.
Gunnar was keen to show us that while we did not have personal radiation detctor devices for our safety, he did, and he demonstrated that his read zero radiation before and after (hence during) our visit. Safety is a big part of the CERN operation.
We did get back to see the initial part of the introductory film before time beat us and we were required to whisk ourselves away in a quantum leap across the ring (in our cars) to the CMS Experiment at Cessy across the border in France.
We descended 100m underground in a large lift, after a safety lecture, down to the airlocks and tunnels into the vast CMS chamber. The huge cylindrical detector lies on its side surrounding the thin beam pipe (somehow the two pipes form one in the detectors).
It was partially disassembled in that the final disc detector had ben slid forward, and workers were paying it some attention. When the beam is running this chamber is filled with radiation and personnel are kept well away.
Gunnar in CMSEngineers fiddling aboutMany Watts go through this tunnel
All too soon we were required to return to the surface as another party was coming in. The drive back to CERN centre for lunch led us to the chosen restaurant in a far corner of the CERN site, but sadly being Saturday it was closed. No worries we decamped to the main restaurant. This science stuff can bring on a good appetite.
After Lunch
The afternoon was spent at the Anti-Matter Factory, the old original Proton Synchrotron, and the Atlas Control room. Each were fascinating and we plied Gunnar with plenty of questions which he ably asnwered.
A very odd state of matter – apparently it is quite normal in nature :-
Natural antiparticles
• A person weighting 80 kg produces 180 anti-electrons (positrons e+) per hour from the desintegration of Potassium-40, anatural isotope
• A banana produces 10 e+ per second
A key experiment going on seemed to be seeing if anti-particles are affected by gravitiy in the same way as particles, and it seems they are: attracted by the earth and not repelled.
Antimatter decelleration ringInside the Anti-Matter factory. Does it do anti-aging too?
The Proton Synchrotron history is explained in this film.
As the beam was down, no actual personnel were present and nothing was happening but again Gunnar brought it back to life for us.
All in all an amazing day – a visit to CERN, even without the special visit that we were given, would be a wonderful day out for anyone with a fascination of life, the universe and everything.
Final drinks
Many thanks to Mervyn for organising and to Gunnar for being our guide into this mind bending place. I’m off to eat a banana…
As the leader for the day pointed out, snowshoes were not needed for this hike on Mont Mourex and Mont Mussy. The spring-like weather of the week before had reduced snow levels on the Jura and, despite some new coverage, the decision was taken to reduce altitude level to try and stay on relative firm ground. As it turned out the weather forecast for the day was unsettled and as we gathered in the car park next to the old station in Divonne it was indeed trying to rain as well as blowing a cold wind.
Eight intrepid GIN Snowshoers turned up on time (well almost) with two canine friends (Kobi and Rocco) happy to see each other and join in the circuit. Stephen (leader for the day) Mike H, Nathan, Richard S, Mark 2Ts, Peter T, Peter S and Ross made up the starting group. We set off through the Divonne housing in the direction of Les Crottes and onto the Chemin de Tir where the road melted into a track leading along the base of Mont Mussy to Mourex. Helpful “Deviation” signs showed us the way….intended for traffic but somehow seemed suitable for this group. Happily, any deviating individual had been properly admonished on the last snowshoe outing, consequently solidarity with the leader’s directions was unflinching.
Along the way, we experienced some unexpected hail and an attempt at snow but also some sunshine. Arriving at the road leading up through Mourex, several of the group, who are also members of the Biking Group, recalled the hard slog in the saddle up this hill from the old train track below. This forms part of the famous 3 hills circuit pioneered by Peter D. We followed the road up through the village until we reached the parking for Mont Mourex. At this point, our canine presence was swollen by a dog walking group of at least 8 dogs of various sizes and breeds. Extracting Kobi and Rocco took a little time.
We completed the hike up to the highest point (755m) where the vantage point and circular tableau offered not only a superb view but also a useful bar and table, albeit a little wet and slippery. The cold wind didn’t allow the Puglian Primativo to be enjoyed at it’s best and even the spirit bottle of many names was untouched in favour of Mark’s warm coffee. (That could also be due to the fact that it’s contents were unchanged from the previous outing and our memories of that tasting experience are still fresh). However, the increasing number of snacks that appear on these outings were happily consumed in an attempt to provide insulating fat and ballast.
Highest point – Mont Mourex
The “bar” in action
A happier Mike………amazing what abstinence can do
At this point the leader suggested retracing our steps to the car park to enable joining the track leading around the far side of the hill. Despite seasoned voices suggesting that there was indeed an alternative route to achieving this aim, not requiring backtracking, solidarity and compliance with the leader’s pre-determined route prevailed. As it transpired, this allowed a second encounter with the dog walkers and their canine posse, much to the delight of our two dogs.
With only occasional stops to ensure that we were taking the correct forks in the track, we arrived at the parking by the Ferme de Mussy. At this point Peter T, Ross and Peter S took the direct route back to the cars, foregoing the pleasures of L’Accord Parfait. In Peter T’s case this was probably due to concern that Kobi would ensure that he didn’t need a doggy bag as he would have benefitted from a tour of the restaurant and kitchen, sampling from any plate left unattended.
The five lunch-goers took the small meandering path to the back of the restaurant and arrived after a Tayloresque off-piste steep descent. Why there is no formal path down is a mystery. We joined Mark 2Rs who had arrived separately, recovering from a flu/fever but well enough to have ordered and consumed a kir prior to our appearance.
Beers were ordered and a bottle of Argentinian Malbec (at the correct temperature). All but Richard and Stephen opted for the menu du jour. This comprised of a salad and meat croute starter, sausage and mash, and an ice-cream dessert all for an amazing 19Euro. Richard and Stephen went for the more modest coquelet with fries, “modest” being relative only to the set menu lunch as Richard took half of his lunch away with him for later and Mike managed to find room for excess fries. Rocco behaved almost impeccably under the table apart from his penchant for destroying serviettes. He won over the waitress who ensured that he had adequate water. Conversation was varied and interesting, as usual, but don’t expect me to remember the details…..I was struggling with eating all that chicken meat.
Contemplation of the sizeable main course of the menu du jour…..the coquelet is arriving in the background
Lunch anddinner for one
The walk from the restaurant back to the parking by the old station was uneventful. It was a shame that the first part had to be along the main road but there was no appetite for a rescaling of the off-piste to the woodland path. Mark 2Rs took us on a shortcut alongside the chateau to enable not only seeing property in an unknown part of Divonne but also ensuring that siestas were not delayed further.
Consensus was that we covered ca. 12kms and climbed 365m.
Ten walkers and a dog met in glorious springlike sunshine at the Place de l’ancienne Gare in Divonne les Bains for the 2.8km saunter along the old railway line to the Restaurant des Bergers in Grilly. The walk took us by the homes of two of the participants where we noted the wife of one was working hard in their garden pruning roses and the other participant joined us having sat on a bench in the sun waiting our arrival about 1km into our journey.
We were joined by the final participant at the restaurant itself so there were twelve of us who sat down to eat an excellent fondue washed down with a delightful Chablis.
After such a lunch, the return journey was most welcome.
Participants: Jeff C, Norman E, Mike M and Nessie, Robert O’R, Mike P, Richard S, Paul S, Rudolf S, Gerry S, Gary V, Ralph W and Mark 2R.
Ed: Many thanks to Mark for organising the walk and lunch and for the blog.
This time a different trio – Mark 2ts, St.Cergue Stephen and myself signed-up for a day in the Grand Massif starting from Samoens, where we met up shortly after 10am after an easy drive.
By 11o’clock we were coasting down towards Flaine to enjoy the still surprisingly good snow above 2000m. We weren’t alone as the half-term holidays were still attracting lots of intermediate skiers who bloated the lift queues and littered the slopes. However they seemed to head for the restaurants before noon leaving the well prepared pistes down from Grandes Platières delightfully empty. Stephen, fresh from his numerous outings in Les Rousses, but venturing into the Alps for the first time so far this year, exhibited fine form on his unforgiving GS planks.
Stephen and Mervyn spoiling a stupendous view of Mt Blanc
An al fresco mid morning coffee was followed by a late lunch at Le Blanchot. Were the portions too generous or was Mark just too exhausted even to finish his salad?
Under continuing clear sunny skies we headed back up to the top of Flaine for a final descent before covering the several kilometres back to Samoens. We set off for the return drive at 4pm after another glorious outing. Thanks guys!
An exhilarating day began as 8 hardy souls (plus two 4-legged companions) awaited the 10:12 train at the Col de la Givrine. We joined two other hardy souls already in the train for the short trip to our starting point.
The hike began at the La Cure train station with just a small amount of snow on the ground and quite clement weather.
Attending were: Kobie, Mark2rs, Mark2ts, Mervyn, MichaelH, Nathan, PeterT, PeterS, Philip, Richard, Rob, Rocco, Ross, and Stephen. Excuses received spanned from a wishy-washy claim of lousy weather (fake news!), I’ll come only if it’s dry (which it was, so he participated) and a last minute abandon with no reason given but it was assumed to be a force-majeure.
Assessing the recent fire damage at Chez Mamac
When we arrived at the restaurant Chez Mamac to assess the recent fire damage, some of the more clairvoyant amongst us decided to don their snow shoes as the snow became a bit deeper.
Beyond Chez Mamac the snow slowly became more abundant
Others preferred to wait until the snow was knee-deep.
One of the group members decided not to use his snow shoes at all and simply strategically hiked behind someone approximately his height who was kindly blazing the trail. This worked well until our friend missed a step and fell into a hole. Luckily for him a nearby mate came to his rescue or we may have lost him forever.
One member, with his vintage snow-shoes, struggled a bit because near the beginning of the day his shoe tightening strap broke. A fellow hiker helped find an adequate solution with a strap from his sack. Nonetheless continuing the hike with one shoe only somewhat tied to his snow shoe was a courageous endeavour and deserves recognition.
The snow was deep enough to cover the paths and there were a few discussions about which direction we should take but we managed to maintain cohesion and all 12 of us arrived at Pré du Four for a well earned refreshment pause.
Although we were a bit behind schedule we decided refreshments were needed.
After the pause, an alternate route was selected which took us past Le Grütli and through a lovely forest that was not part of the initial plan. It turned out to be an excellent choice.
Just before the restaurant we parted company with two members who descended directly to La Givrine rather enjoying a meal with us.
Lunch discussion subjects largely included the antics of the present USA president (fondly known as The Orange Monster). It seems that the group has lost interest in Scottish independence for the moment.
Fondue, various croutes and röstis were welcome accompaniments to the beer. Being 10 people helped immensely to determine the cost per person.
While we were replenishing our energy, our two 4 legged companions renewed their friendship with Moos, their host, and went frolicking outside in the snow.
Unfortunately all good things must come to an end and after a few beers and a delicious meal we decided to take the direct route back to the car park.
The day went very well: the weather cooperated, no injuries were incurred (although there was a helicopter that flew by to check on us) and we managed a distance of 9 km with a 360m climb.
Not sure in which activity category this fits – walking, dining, culture(?), or a new and separate activity – just drinking?
After yours truly had availed himself of a BuyClub voucher, back in the autumn, for a private group guided visit to the Calvinus brewery in Carouge plus beer tasting, he set about fixing a date for interested members. This proved far more difficult than he would have imagined, given the attractiveness of the offer. It wasn’t until a few weeks ago that five beer lovers were able to finally settle on a mutually agreed date – February 26th.
That evening saw four of us, Peter D, Peter T, Stephen and myself assemble at Coppet station to catch the 17:41 Leman Express to Lancy Pont Rouge, the nearest station to the brewery at 51 Route des Jeunes near La Praille. Not having these beer lovers behind a steering wheel that evening was considered a prudent decision! A fifth member, who shall remain nameless, having forgotten the date, drove to the venue, arrived late, missed most of the brewery tour, passed on the substantive tasting (he did sip them all) and drank only the non-alcoholic beer.
Calvinus, the latinisation of Jean Calvin, one of Geneva’s most famous residents, was chosen as the name of the only brewery in the canton of Geneva in 1999. Although not exactly known for his riotous or even pleasurable life-style, but instead for his strict religious teachings, Calvin was apparently experimenting with the brewing process in later life:
In Birae Predestinas
“Shortly before his death in 1564, Calvin, who was already unwell, would spend many hours cloistered in his house at rue des Chanoines in Geneva. Strange odours would emerge from his laboratory and percolate right up to the foot of the ramparts. He was even suspected by his enemies of practising alchemy – a pursuit forbidden by the Inquisition. In fact, assisted by a former Trappist monk, he was learning the art of brewing beer. His doctors had forbidden him to consume any communion wine, so terribly did its abysmal quality affect his complexion and gnaw away at his internal organs.
Alas, one fine Sunday in May, a dreadful bilious attack put a premature end to his life and his work. In memory of Calvin, we, Les Frères Papinot, have resumed his valuable research. After countless efforts, we have finally succeeded and the Calvinus beers have been born.”
Calvin on fire
Our guide for the visit, Arthur Papinot, son of one of the founders, showed us round the small brewing plant and explained the process.
Arthur explains the early stages of the processesArthur with some malt The fermentation vessels
He emphasised the attention paid to using quality raw materials – malted organic barley, hop concentrate in pellet form, yeast and spring water – and the absence of artificial preservatives, stabilisers, or pasteurisation. The ancient brewing traditions are respected, although the equipment used is stainless steel and ultra-modern. Calvinus produces about 100,000(?) litres of beer of various types annually – blonde, blanche, ambrée, IPA, noir(stout). It is sent to Appenzell for bottling and sold to restaurants and shops and at festivals in and around Geneva.
A fifth member arrives just in time for the tastingsIn the Brasserie, tasting the BlondeMark with the five beers we tasted
The tour concluded with a tasting of five of the beers produced accompanied by a cheese and cold meat platter. The consensus was that all the beers were indeed pleasant but not outstanding. The stout was characterised by its distinct coffee aroma and taste. The price of beers has gone up during the past couple of years due to the Ukraine war forcing a steep rise in the price of raw materials and energy. After a rapid expansion in the number of small artisanal breweries in Switzerland during the past decade some are now proving uneconomic and are closing. We hope Calvinus will not be amongst them and so to show our support we stayed on and sank several additional glasses.
Poor old Calvin. He never got to drink Calvinus! (Neither did Mark…(Ed.)).
