Switzerland

we’ve been in switzerland for almost ten years now, and we’ve lived in vaud for nearly six of those, and there still are still a lot of places we haven’t discovered for ourselves yet. firstly, because we are creatures of comfort and routine – once we find a place that both us and the kids like, we keep returning to it. secondly, because we tend to spend a lot of time abroad – at least we used to. now that we have cut back so drastically on our travels, we have a lot more free time to explore closer to home, and that’s how we finally ended up at nyon plage. it had only been on my to-do list for about three years…

the lake is definitely this region’s best feature, and the added advantage of our particular nook in the region is that we have a beautiful view of the alps right behind the lake. there are quite a few places where you can enjoy these gorgeous views while having dinner, but few are so close to the water as the restaurant of nyon plage. we initially headed up there just for l’apéro, but we loved the vibe there so much we decided to stay for dinner, too. there is a nice little patch of grass and a narrow rocky beach beside the restaurant, which i want to head back to one of these days as long as we’re having this beautiful indian summer.

i’d be lying if i didn’t admit that i love this place probably even more for its photogenic backdrop to spontaneous snapshots, than for its food (which is ok). i was so happy we ended up there the ONE day of the year juliet was into twinning with her sister and didn’t fight me to wear all pink and glitter instead. and i couldn’t have picked a better day for them to wear my favorite GRO COMPANY print of the past season, they matched the background perfectly. even though at the time when i was taking the photos i was frustrated because neither of them would sit still or look into the lense, but the photos ended up being perfect portrayals of who they are, and they are definitely ending up on a wall in our living room soon.

Exploring La Garenne Zoo

June 9, 2017 • KidsSwitzerlandTravel

i am so behind on posting around here, it’s not even funny. these photos are from one of our trips to our new favorite hangout in switzerland, LA GARENNE ZOO. it is seriously one of the most beautifully designed zoos i have ever seen – with wooden constructions, huts and walkways everywhere, and even the playground is tasteful without too many garish colors. i’m so glad people realize (some) parents appreciate these kinds of things!

but juliet is as big a fan of the place as we are. the zoo only holds animals that are native to our area in switzerland – wolves, owls, goats, wild boars, birds of prey, otters, raccoons, sheep… they all have pretty homes in the middle of a gorgeous nature park, and visitors can even enter some of their cages to get really close. i mostly think this is scary, juliet just enjoys seeking out the animals’ sometimes hidden figures, as they blend so perfectly with their surroundings.

speaking of blending in – i couldn’t help but smile when i noticed how the color of our new BUGABOO BEE5 matched so perfectly with the zoo’s setting. my husband accused me from staging the entire visit just so i could get some nice shots out of it (he should know by now that it’s like a second nature and it just can’t be switched off, amiright you other instagram addicts?)

in any case, besides looking pretty good, our bee5 has also proven to be the perfect companion for little outings like this – flexible, light and practical. after using it for a little over a month now, we’ve noticed juliet likes it even better than our cameleon, and i think it’s because the bee feels more accessible to her. now that she is getting into the habit of wanting to do everything (and i do mean everything – sigh) by herself, it’s nice that she can climb into this stroller and even fasten the seatbelt on her own. luckily she hasn’t the strength yet to click herself free – thank heavens. for now, trapping her and escorting her away from la garenne is the only way we could ever leave this place!

this was our first time out exploring with the BUGABOO BEE5 and our KAOS backpack (but certainly not our last!) • all photos taken at LA GARENNE ZOO by stephanie duval and matthias rabaey

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my name is stephanie duval, and i am a storyteller. this blog is where i share my favorite stories about design, travel, fashion and the nice things in life.

 

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