Geneva - A round clock tour - LUXE.TV

Located at the southern tip of Lake Geneva, surrounded by the Jura mountains and the Alps, Geneva offers exceptional views of the majestic Mont Blanc. The city that houses the United Nations headquarters and the Economic Commission for Europe, Geneva is made up of some 41% foreigners from 190 different nationalities. With more than 200,000 inhabitants, Geneva is the second most populated city in Switzerland, after Zurich. Today, we invite you to discover this beautiful city, the home of watchmaking, where philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau was born one evening in June 1712. After having checked into our rooms at the Hotel Métropole, facing the lake, we offer you a walk in the heart of the English Garden, which houses the famous flower clock. Another emblem of the city is the Rue du Rhône, where the most beautiful brands have taken up residence. Bouchérère will then reveal some of its finest jewellery pieces. A little further up, we will enter the new Artillard boutique, before taking our first gourmet break at the Café Perche in the heart of the Parc des Eaux Vives. With 22,000 square metres of retail space, Le Grand Magasin Manor Genève is Switzerland's second largest store, and the largest in terms of revenue. We will stroll the aisles, looking for luxury perfumes and haute couture chocolates. We spotlight a brand of unique and customisable bags called The Collector, before ending our evening at Métropole's MET Rooftop Lounge. But for now, let's drop our bags at the Métropole Hotel. We could not dream of a better location. On one side, the English Garden and its flower clock, with its iconic stream of water in the background. On the other, the Rue du Rhône, heaven on earth for all lovers of luxury shopping. A legendary building dating back to 1854, with an elegant design from the entrance hall to the mirror bar, to the some 127 contemporary-style rooms and suites ranging in size from 15 to 180 square metres. Outside, Gusteau's terrace is often busy for both a drink and a taste of Roman-inspired, healthy cuisine based on seasonal produce. In the summer season, more and more people are getting closer to the water jet every day, hoping to receive a few fresh drops of water. Standing at 140 metres tall, it has become over time a true emblem of Geneva. Its story begins in 1886. At the time, the hydraulic plant which distributed the driving force of the Rhône to the craftsmen and watchmakers of Geneva was forced to create an open evacuation of the pressurised water when the workshops closed at night. The place generated so much enthusiasm that it never stopped working. In 1891, the city of Geneva even decided to promote the water fountain to the rank of tourist attraction by installing it at the end of the Pierre des Auvives, in the heart of the harbour. 500 is the number of litres of water thrown into the air every second. 12,000, on the other hand, is the number of flowers that make up this magnificent clock located under the Ferris wheel and near the Patek Philippe boutique, creator of the very first Swiss wristwatch in 1868. It was a ladies' piece, ordered at the time by Countess Kosowicz of Hungary. Another must-see house is that of Swiss jeweller and watchmaker Boucherere. With more than 60 boutiques worldwide, they are one of the main players in the sector. An exceptional house, located at number 45 on a street that is often compared to Fifth Avenue in New York, or even to Place Vendôme in Paris. A luxury kingdom par excellence, Rue du Rhône is the second most expensive street in Switzerland, behind Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich. A little further up, Rue Neuve du Molar, at number 22, is a brand new boutique that has just opened, that of watchmaker Ivan Arpin. In the windows are watches that are for the most part unique and above all extraordinary. What is amazing is this bezel, which was literally forged with a Tesla coil and a Faraday cage. The shop is also in the image of the designer. Totally unique. We chose to do it in the image of Artier. Very creative, disruptive. A little bit different than what we have seen in Geneva, because it's a very Calvinist city. That's our world. There is a very rock'n'roll atmosphere with this guitar, for example. You can also find art objects like this motorcycle, which has been Artier-tized. The tank cap is a watch that was customized by myself. It's in the image of the group KISS. Race, son of a gun, son of the sea. In all, there are no less than eight collections that Artier have developed in a decade. If the wings of a butterfly, tobacco leaves, and the diamond push-button bring to the Son of Earth collection an original touch, this case with a singular form is also quite surprising. It recalls the form of the guitar, the Son of Sound, an emblematic collection with Artier. We have never seen this form in watchmaking. It took three years of development to make this watch so that it's reliable. It's a chrono and all the push-buttons are functional. Among loyal clients of the brand, renowned collectors, crowned heads including the King of Morocco, but also stars of music and cinema, wanting to stand out from the others. Mike Tyson, for example, is part of this list, just like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator, who wore these watches from the Son of a Gun and Russian Roulette collections. Another American actor, a Russian citizen since November the 3rd, also fell in love with the Artier timepieces, to the point of offering one to his close friend. Steven Seagal bought a watch, a Son of a Gun, and he also bought one for his friend Putin. Owners of its own COSC-certified movement, Artier reminds us that their timepieces are nonetheless haute horlogerie pieces, comparable to real works of art. Located at the southern tip of splendid Lake Geneva, with a total area of 581 square kilometers and whose shape is reminiscent of a crescent, the city of Geneva offers an idyllic living environment. To go from one lake bank to another, the famous Geneva Seagulls, created in 1897, offers tourists and strollers an alternative to the car, although it's not really recommended during rush hour. In total, the six small yellow and red boats in the colors of the city travel about 7 million kilometers per year. A privileged place for bathers in summer and famous in Geneva for a good fondue in winter, the Bain des Paquis offers a 360-degree panoramic view of the lake, the Geneva Water Fountain, the bay and the Saint-Pierre Cathedral. A little further on, at number 82, Que Gustave adore, the Parc des Eaux-Vives invites us to a lunch in the heart of nature. This is one of the oldest areas of Geneva. Built in the 16th century, it was split up several times before being acquired by the Eaux-Vives commune in 1912. The park is characterized by its huge conifers and its vast mass of rhododendrons and azaleas. On the terrace of this mansion, built around 1750 and overlooking the garden, we open the menu at the Café Perche, a restaurant specializing in regional products. You will taste La Perche de l'Aimant, which is found every day in dishes concocted by the chef Julien Chilassi and his team. Headquarters of many watch brands, Geneva is also home to almost 400 non-governmental organizations, 250 of which have consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council. History buffs will remember that in 1863 the International Committee of the Red Cross was created here by Henri Dunant, on the right bank of Lake Geneva, the Palais Wilson, built between 1873 and 1875, with no less than five floors and 225 rooms, houses since 1998 the headquarters of the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Another building with a rich past well known to locals is Le Grand Magasin Manor Genève, a true Geneva institution. It is still very often called by its original name La Placette. You can find everything from fashion to multimedia there, from watchmaking to jewelry and toys, not to mention the cosmetic and perfume counters so dear to these ladies. For a little sweet and savory break in the middle of your shopping day, the Manorat seems to be the perfect place with its fresh products, prepared before your eyes throughout the day, not forgetting the terrace with this view of Geneva. With more than 20 000 transactions a day, the special everyday signs seem to have worked. The Manor's guests are always happy to take part in the seductive offers launched by the store. This is still the case today with Swiss master chocolatier Philippe Pascoet, who talks about his haute couture expertise. They call me the jeweler of chocolate, so I like to create my chocolates like jewelry. And then given that we're at the Manor and they have aisles of cosmetics, shoes and leather goods, I focus my creations on things a little more. For women, essentially it's handbags, shoes with premium chocolates inside. But careful, the Swiss chocolatier doesn't stop at shapes. He also dives into surprising flavors. With chocolate, there are 36 000 ways of transforming it, working it. For me, it's a way to stand out from the competition. Chocolate's based on infusion. We can infuse tea, we can infuse aromatic herbs, we can infuse spices and fruit. We're in the middle of summer. Passion fruit or lime chocolate is something very refreshing that explodes in the mouth. It's really, really nice. Another delicacy of Philippe Pascoet, his soft chocolate cake. Needless to say, we've been there. Swiss chocolate is sinfully delicious. And it's time to go to Confession. Without further ado, we head to the Saint-Pierre Cathedral, a small historical jewel with medieval charm, located in the heart of the old town. It's in the middle of the 18th century that this medieval facade gave way to the current neoclassical style. While remaining above all a Protestant church, Saint-Pierre has since the 20th century become the church of all Genevans, because it houses important religious and ecumenical celebrations, bringing together all of Christendom and beyond. At the civil level, every four years the cathedral hosts swearing-in ceremonies of the state council, as well as the judiciary and the municipal magistrates. But Saint-Pierre has also become a privileged place for great dramatic, lyrical, musical and folkloric shows. The Saint-Pierre Cathedral is the most visited monument of Geneva, with roughly 400,000 visitors each year. Many people also visit the emblematic Mont Blanc bridge that was inaugurated on December the 29th, 1862. Facing it, on the right bank, is the Bergue Quay that benefits from its pedestrian footbridge. It's not too far from where we're meeting Sophie Bonvin, founder of a young Swiss leather goods maker specialized in the creation of exceptional bags and accessories. The brand is called The Collector. Its DNA is the very unique pieces you want to keep throughout your life, which are pieces that help you stand out and show your personality through unique luxury objects. We worked only with exotic skins, ostrich, python and all types of crocodile. And we chose this niche because the leathers are very special and unique and that's why the design is very simple, so they stand out better. For this capsule collection, Sophie Bonvin had the good idea of surrounding herself with Laura Chaplin, the granddaughter of the cinema icon who painted for the brand an exclusive collection of 25 bags around her favorite theme. True pieces of art to exhibit or wear. For this model though, it's not painted, but a more atypical design. So this is my baby. It's a flower pot bag, as you can see from the flowers and bees. Each piece is unique and it's very feminine and different. You can even wear it with a detachable strap. And it's made with all types of leather. The interior is red lamb skin that contrasts with the outside. It's pretty good for the summer. Recognizable by its butterfly logo, the Collector Geneva highlights the symbols of renewal, joy and lightness. A lightness that is also felt every morning in the summer. Jazz, piano, voice, flamenco. In August, they get up early in Geneva. From 6 a.m. at sunrise, you can enjoy a captivating musical session at while enjoying a delicious homemade breakfast. In the evening, if you're hungry, head for the MET Rooftop Lounge to discover its rich tapas menu. With its new VIP square and its breathtaking view, the rooftop, perched on the roof of the Metropole Hotel, has become one of the most in places in the Geneva Square. Vintage black and white movie nights and Sunday picnic nights are spicing up the summer season. A perfect way to enjoy wonderful moments in this beautiful city, often referred to as the capital of peace.