2023.10.18
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Geneva is home to the headquarters of several international organizations, has been featured in the official media, and is even considered by some to be the capital of Switzerland. In fact, Switzerland does not have a capital at all. Switzerland is a typical federal council system with a decentralized and autonomous state, and the cantons that make up the federation have extensive powers of local self-government. It seems impossible for a country to do without a capital, so Bern is the seat of the federal government as the de facto capital. The head of State of Switzerland is not a single person, but the entire Swiss Federal Council.
Today we arrive in Geneva from Payanne and arrive at the Palais des Nations. The Palais des Nations is located in the beautiful Ariane Park in Geneva, Switzerland, and was built in 1929. In 1938, it was the headquarters of the League of Nations (the predecessor of the United Nations). Although Switzerland did not join the United Nations until 2002, the Palais des Nations has been home to the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) since the 1950s. It is the second largest United Nations center after the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
There is no public parking at the Palais des Nations, so it took us a bit of effort to find a P+R car park 1 km away (note: see "). When entering the venue, the machine spit out a magnetic stripe parking card, and I casually put it on the car.
We braved the drizzle to go to the Palais des Nations, where there were not many visitors. We didn't make this a big point, we just punched in, so we didn't make a reservation for an inside tour in advance. Just outside to take a few pictures.
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United Nations Office at Geneva
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On the square opposite the Palais des Nations there was a large chair with a broken leg. Standing 12 metres (39 ft) tall, this "broken chair" is a wooden sculpture designed by Swiss artist Daniel Berset and built by carpenter Louis Genève. 5.5 tons of wood were used to make the sculpture. This huge chair with broken legs symbolizes opposition to landmines and cluster bombs. It stood opposite the United Nations Office at Geneva and was intended to draw the attention of politicians and others visiting Geneva to the matter.
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.“ Broken Chair" sculpture
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I went back to the parking lot from the Palais des Nations to pick up the car, walked to the parking lot, and was dumbfounded. It is a closed car park. The door of the car is not open when there is no car, all the pedestrian entrances and exits have doors, equipped with electronic locks that can only go out and cannot enter, if you want to enter, you need to swipe the card, but I put the card on the car! No rut, I had to wait, and wait until someone or a car went in with me.
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Parking cards and tickets
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Our second point in Geneva is Lake Geneva and the Jet d'Eau. Arriving at the lake near the Grand Fountain, we found a blue parking space on a small street nearby, but we didn't have a blue timing sign (note: see the previous episode "Self-driving Europe 14 - Payne's Notes"). We couldn't find any other places to park at this time. So I hand-drew a timing card and wrote an explanation on it, "Sorry, we are from China and there is no blue chronograph card". I thought that if we were found out, it would at least show that we were in awe of the rules, and maybe the inspectors would open ^_^ up when they saw our attitude. Put this "chronograph plate" under the windshield of the car and we will go to Lake Geneva.
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Hand drawn parking meter board
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Painting on a building near the lake
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There is a sculpture by the lake called "L'Adolescent et le Cheval" (Teenagers and Horses), which is the work of the Swiss sculptor Heinz Brown. Works by Heinz Schwartz. The sculpture is full of life. A column of panels about medical testing is placed along the trail along the lake.
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Teenagers with horses
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Exhibition panels by the lake
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There are many pleasure boats parked near the lake, and there are also many swans, seagulls and other water birds. Near the shore there is an area with white buoys, this area is the Bains des Pâquis where you can swim. From time to time, there are pleasure boats passing by in the lake.
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Boat cruises and waterfowl on the shores of Lake Geneva
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A lady had just swam ashore from the lake
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The Grand Fountain is an extra-large artificial fountain located in Lake Geneva. It uses high-pressure pumps to pump water from Lake Geneva and spray it into the air at heights of up to 140 meters, with 500 litres of water per second being sprayed into the air at a speed of 200 km / h, and the weight of the water staying in the air is more than 5 tons.
The Great Fountain was first built in 1886, when electric motors were not widely used and the Geneva watch industry used high-pressure water nets to drive the machines. The predecessor of the large fountain was the water spray caused by the pressure relief valve of the high-pressure water network, and the water sprayed out was not as high as it is now. In 1891, the Geneva government decided to transform the fountain into a tourist attraction that attracted tourists. The current Grand Fountain was renovated and built in 1951. The Grand Fountain is one of Geneva's most famous landmarks and can be seen in many parts of Geneva.
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The Great Fountain can be found in many parts of Geneva
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To get a better view of the Grand Fountain, we walked to the Phare des Pâquis at the Baths of Paquis, which is the best place to see the Grand Fountain. The large fountain spewed into the air strongly, and the falling water spread out slightly, like a sharp sword piercing the sky. There is a causeway below the fountain, and the water from the lake sometimes falls directly on the causeway with the direction of the wind, and it is like a torrential downpour.
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Next to the Paquis Lighthouse is the best place to see the Great Fountain
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Paquis Lighthouse
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The Grand Fountain is a famous landmark in Geneva
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Upward like a sharp sword piercing the sky
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It fell like a downpour
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The Grand Fountain is a popular tourist attraction in Geneva. From time to time, there are pleasure boats passing around the large fountain. At the foot of the Great Fountain there is also a quaint Phare des Eaux-Vives
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The boat ride around the Great Fountain
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Sveves lighthouse and sailing ship at the foot of the Great Fountain
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At about 16:40, we left Geneva. Today we are entering the territory of France again from Switzerland. Accommodation in Saint-Laurent-sur-Saône, France. Since we did not buy an annual pass for the Swiss motorway (see ") for details", we did not take the highway, and arrived at the B&B we booked in St. Lawrence am Saône at 20:06.
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Today's route (sky blue part)
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Tips:
1. The Grand Fountain is open from March to October every year. In addition, when the temperature is low or the northwesterly wind blows, the large fountain will temporarily suspend the spraying to prevent the water column from being blown to the shore.
2. Best place to see the Great Fountain: 46.210220 N, 6.154921 E
3. Do not put the magnetic card given by the closed parking lot in the car and take it with you, otherwise you will not be able to enter the door when you go to pick up the car.
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(To be continued)
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Previous:Self-driving Europe 14 - Paynes Notes
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