Trip idea / France / Switzerland

Last Stop Switzerland

A French-Swiss Family Rail Adventure

Highlights

  • A flight-free eco-friendly journey across France and Switzerland
  • Take pleasure in a stress-free, slow-travel trip
  • Enjoy the pleasures of Paris
  • Revel in altitudinous adventures in the Swiss Alps
  • Swim, kayak or paddleboard the calm waters of Lake Geneva
  • Return home in one day by train

Flight and car-free, this ten-day family train trip starts in London St Pancras and finishes in Switzerland, with a sojourn in Paris, a stay in the altitudinous landscapes of the Swiss Alps and a relaxed finale on Lake Geneva’s serene shores.

Highlights

  • A flight-free eco-friendly journey across France and Switzerland
  • Take pleasure in a stress-free, slow-travel trip
  • Enjoy the pleasures of Paris
  • Revel in altitudinous adventures in the Swiss Alps
  • Swim, kayak or paddleboard the calm waters of Lake Geneva
  • Return home in one day by train

Flight and car-free, this ten-day family train trip starts in London St Pancras and finishes in Switzerland, with a sojourn in Paris, a stay in the altitudinous landscapes of the Swiss Alps and a relaxed finale on Lake Geneva’s serene shores.

Who For

We’ve created this journey specifically for an active family looking for a sustainable summer holiday, but like all our itineraries it can be easily adapted for a couple or solo traveller.

Travel Made Positive

Travelling by train means a significant reduction of carbon on your journey. Using the World Land Trust’s carbon calculator, this trip uses approximately 0.018 tonnes of carbon versus 0.960 tonnes used by flying to and from Geneva.

Getting There and Back

Take the Eurostar from London to Paris, then the TGV to Geneva, connecting on to local station, Val-d’Illiez. On your way home, leave Switzerland in the morning and be back in London by late afternoon.

Day 1-3

Paris

Start in style at Kings Cross St Pancras, where the classy Eurostar terminal will get you in the mood for a relaxed train journey to France. Over the next few days, get to know Paris, introducing your family to its delights such as scaling the heights of the Eiffel Tower and wandering galleries to spot masterpieces like the Mona Lisa in the Louvre or sweeping water lily panoramas by Monet in the Musée de l’Orangerie. Rest little legs by taking a cruise along the Seine before climbing the steps of Montmartre to gaze at the Sacré-Coeur.

Factor in regular stops for hot chocolate with whipped cream, wafer-thin crêpes and more substantial meals of steak-frites and everyone will be happy.
Factor in regular stops for hot chocolate with whipped cream, wafer-thin crêpes and more substantial meals of steak-frites and everyone will be happy.

Stay

ADAGIO APARTHOTEL PARIS CENTRE TOUR EIFFEL

With one- and two-bedroom apartments that sleep up to four, kitchenettes and a central location, Adagio Aparthotel Paris is a great choice for families to enjoy downtime in between sightseeing. Our top tip is to bag a top floor apartment to soak up views of the Eiffel Tower as it sparkles at night-time.

Day 3-8

SWISS ALPS

If you’ve always wanted to live out your Sound of Music fantasies with wholesome family fun in the mountains, now is your chance. Taking the train from Paris Gare de Lyon, board the high-speed TGV to Switzerland and whizz through scenery that includes tunnels and bridges plus the striking Cize-Bolozon viaduct over the Ain gorge. Arriving in Geneva, connect to local train station Val-d’Illiez and be transferred to your hotel in Les Crosets. Now your altitudinous alpine adventures begin in fresh air.

Spend the next few days as a family, exploring the Swiss Alps.

Hike and bike along scenic mountain trails, take a dip in an icy cold glacial lake or traverse cliff faces with via ferrata routes, all surrounded by the epic beauty of panoramic mountain views.
Hike and bike along scenic mountain trails, take a dip in an icy cold glacial lake or traverse cliff faces with via ferrata routes, all surrounded by the epic beauty of panoramic mountain views.
Hike and bike along scenic mountain trails, take a dip in an icy cold glacial lake or traverse cliff faces with via ferrata routes, all surrounded by the epic beauty of panoramic mountain views.

Stay

HOTEL L'ETABLE

Clasped to verdant slopes in the authentic alpine village of Les Crosets, Hotel L’Etable is the ultimate mountain retreat. Cocooned by wood with a chalet-like ambience, the hotel sits at 1,668-metres and its Family Suite overlooks lush valleys and jagged peaks. The hotel’s restaurant serves up rustic mountain fare, Wagyu burgers and traditional cheese fondues.

Day 8-10

LAKE GENEVA

Continue your journey by train to spend your last few days in Lausanne on Lake Geneva, enjoying its scenic pleasures and laid-back feel. Relax on the city’s sandy beaches or paddleboard and kayak the lake’s calm waters. Make time to explore Lausanne itself and the medieval old town; enjoy its relaxed café culture or head to the Olympic Museum
for interactive exhibits and an Olympic-themed playground.

Soon enough, your return journey beckons; climb aboard at Lausanne for a direct train to Paris and by the afternoon you will arrive back in London St Pancras.

Discover the area of Vidy, home to skate parks, lakeside walking paths and the vast Bellerive outdoor swimming pool complex. If hunger strikes, load up on Swiss foodie classics like fondue, browse the chocolate shops or sample local produce at the market.
Discover the area of Vidy, home to skate parks, lakeside walking paths and the vast Bellerive outdoor swimming pool complex. If hunger strikes, load up on Swiss foodie classics like fondue, browse the chocolate shops or sample local produce at the market.

Stay

ANGLETERRE RESIDENCE

This smart 18th-century hotel residence sits by the lake and benefits from interconnecting rooms so parents and kids can have their own space. The heated outdoor pool will be popular with the little ones; adults will love the sunny Mediterranean-style
terrace, perfect for aperitivo.

Enquire now

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