Past Is Preserved in Streets of Nyon

NYON, Switzerland —  There is no glitter here. In fact, it’s one of those places most travelers forgo in favor of more popular tourist destinations on Lake Geneva such as Lausanne, Montreaux, Gstaad and Interlaken.

We would have missed Nyon, too, if not for Carlo Fuger. A stocky man with an ample waistline and a friendly smile, Fuger is the chief concierge at Geneva’s Hotel President.

My wife and I had a free day and wanted to visit a place that was reasonably close to Geneva yet off the beaten path.

Carlo suggested the old Roman town of Nyon.

“It’s a lovely Old World town,” he said.

He was right.

Nyon is an enchanting, sleepy little village of about 12,000 residents, 20 minutes by train from Geneva on the northwest shore of Lake Geneva.

The town has preserved much of its past, including the magnificent Castle of Nyon, the Roman Basilica and Caesar’s Tower, which dates to the 11th Century.

Two blocks south of the rail depot we found the tourist office, where we picked up a brochure that included a self-guided walk and a brief description of the major points of interest.

Following the instructions, our first stop was at the castle, built at the end of the 12th Century to replace an older fortress constructed by the Romans. In the 16th Century the castle was enlarged to its current five towers.

Picturesquely sited on the slope of a hill overlooking the town and the lake, the castle has tower windows with narrow slits, balconied turrets and stately spires.

The only rooms open to visitors are those housing a museum with a collection of Nyon china and porcelain.

A factory, founded by Jacques Dortu in 1781, was active in Nyon for 32 years, manufacturing porcelain that gave the town a reputation throughout Europe.

We also went down a circular concrete staircase to the dungeon, which had been converted into a bar.

Piece de resistance of the tour is a splendid view from the terrace. A map enables visitors to identify the Alpine peaks in the distance on the opposite side of the lake.

Another impressive sight on our walk was a statue of Caesar. Sculpted by Alduino Mocelli, it is a copy of the original in Rome.

Not far from the statue is the underground Roman Museum where such items as dishware, tools, pottery, kitchen utensils, vases, bracelets, coins, weapons and the remains of columns. Admission is $3.50 U.S. for adults.

At the Glacier, a sidewalk cafe on the lake, we dined while watching tourists stroll along the tree-lined Promenade Niedermeyer.

In Nyon, the Nyon-St-Cergue train takes travelers up the Jura Mountains, passing through the scenic vineyards where one may taste the wines of Luins, Vinzel, Gilly, Tartegnin, Mont-sur Rolle, Fechy and Rolle.

Five minutes from Nyon by train (toward Geneva) is Coppet, another little town on the shore of the lake. Founded at the end of the 14th Century, Coppet also has preserved the aristocratic beauty of its past.

Its major attraction is the Castle of Coppet, former residence of Jacques Necker, Minister of Louis XVI of France, and his daughter, Madamoiselle de Stael, a writer.

Necker designed the interior of the castle in 1767. Since de Stael’s death in 1817, nothing has been changed in the chateau. Some of the rooms are open to the public and furniture and portraits of the past are on view. The castle is open from March to October.

Take the time to stroll Coppet’s narrow streets, particularly its late 16th-Century main thoroughfare, where you will see Bernese-style arcades, elegant facades and a Dominican church.

Many visitors to this area usually visit both Nyon and Coppet, neighboring towns on the rail line between Geneva and Lausanne.

For more information on travel to Switzerland, contact the Swiss Tourist Office, 250 Stockton St., San Francisco 94108-5387, (415) 362-2260.