Month: October 2011
Fête Désalpe at Saint-Cergue
We had a thorough appreciation of the saying “Until the cows come home” at the annual Fête Désalpe. Désalpe is a unique tradition of Switzerland (and parts of France) when the herds of cows that spent summer on the alpine pasture return to the valley for winter. The word Désalpe is a contraction of “Déscente…
A short stay at Lucerne
Lucerne (or Luzern in German) is located in the middle of Switzerland and acted as a transport gateway between the Swiss plateau on the north and the Alps in the south. When I told people I was moving to Lausanne, many were confusing Lausanne with this city – as it is better known outside of Europe. Indeed, for…
Satsuki at Chamonix
Satsuki is a Japanese eatery located just outside the pedestrian precinct of Chamonix. Brightly lit and packed at dinner time, it was. I was expecting a disappointment when I first saw the restaurant. But it turned out to be an authentic Japanese restaurant. The menu was fairly simple but the food tasted right. The patrons…
L’Atmosphère at Chamonix
Atmosphère is mentioned under Bib Gourmand in the 2011 Michelin Guide. It is located in the “basement” of a building which faces the main city square. The “basement” has on the other side a waterfront view of the river Arve. We arrived without a reservation and were glad they seated us. I heard English spoken…