French Language School Trip to Geneva

Geneva Youth Hostel

Geneva Youth Hostel is always the popular choice for student groups. This is a good quality youth hostel in a great location near the main train station and is also close to many of the city attractions. It offers great value for money and has good student facilities including TV and games room. Students typically stay in 4-6 bedded rooms.

City Hostel

The hostel is located in the Paquis District of Geneva, approximately 10 minutes’ walk from the Gare de Cornavin. From here, it is a 6 minute train journey to the airport.

Ibis Budget

The Ibis budget Genève is an economy hotel located across the road from the Balexert shopping centre, 15-minute walk from the airport. The hotel is approximately 4km from the centre of Geneva.

The FREE Geneva Transport Card

The Geneva Transport Card is your free passport to Geneva's transport network.

When you arrive at your accommodation you will each receive free of charge a Geneva Transport Card. Taking the tram, the bus and the train on Geneva territory will not cost you a penny. You even can cross the lake with the yellow taxi-boats for free.

The ticket also allows for free travel each way to CERN from Geneva. Take the No.18 Tram from Cornavin central train station to CERN. Get off at the final stop which is at the entrance to CERN.

Walking Tour: The Essentials Of Geneva

Available in French or English, you'll explore all the facets of Geneva! A tour with commentary will tell you everything about Geneva past and present. Become immersed in the history of Geneva, Capital of Peace, as you pass through the green and tranquil district of international organisations. Stroll along the cobbled streets of the Old Town, dominated by the magnificent Saint-Pierre Cathedral. Take in the sights and sounds of the world’s most beautiful harbour and the famous Water Jet, symbol of the city.

Walking Tour: The Old Town And Its Treasures

Geneva, as you don’t know it… yet. In the company of a professional guide, discover the Old Town of Geneva, Switzerland’s greatest historic city, dominated by St-Pierre Cathedral, the centrepiece of the Reformation. Explore the area’s narrow streets with their shaded terraces, each one home to numerous treasures from Geneva’s history that your guide will reveal to you. Appreciate the Reformation Wall in its exceptionally verdant surroundings, a monument to the people who made Geneva the “Protestant Rome”.

Flea Market Of Plainpalais (Weds and Sat Mornings)

This large flea market is a brilliant place for groups to practise their language skills with the locals.  It takes place every Wednesday, Saturday and first Sunday of each month, and is a meeting of the region’s bric-à-brac dealers.

The Plaine de Plainpalais is very popular with many stalls and bargain hunters looking to sell and buy all sorts of items: food, bric-à-brac, books, clothes, jewellery, antiques and decorative items. The market may not take place in bad weather.

United Nations European Headquarters: Palais des Nations

An highly informative  one hour guide tour will give your group an insight into the history and the modern workings of the United Nations. The tour includes the Assembly Hall, other important chambers & rooms and an informative short film. The tour can be provided in English or French.

International Red Cross And Red Crescent Museum

An excellent, highly interactive and sophisticated museum providing information and background on the Red Cross, the oldest and largest humanitarian organisation in the world.

At this fascinating and emotive visit, groups can chose to take a guided or self-guided audio tour of the permanent exhibition called The Humanitarian Adventure. Its 3 areas, ‘Defending human dignity’, ‘Restoring family links’, and ‘Reducing natural risks’ present contemporary problems that are of concern. Again, both the guide tour and audio guide can be taken in French or English.

Lake Geneva Cruise

On this 1 hour cruise on the lake, you will discover (in both French and then translated in English) the main attractions of the shores of Lake Geneva: the stones of Niton, the water, the Black Harbour, Villa Diodati, the United Nations building, the castle of Bellerive, the little mermaid and many others. An opportunity to visit and admire the wealth of one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe. Cruises take place from mid-February to mid-December. 

Favarger Chocolate Manufacturer Tour

Favarger is also an experience just waiting to be shared. Nothing could be better than embarking on a voyage into the world of the Manufacture and discovering Favarger’s history and craftsmanship, dating back to almost 200 years. And, this is why we organise guided tours of the Manufacture on request.

During this 90 min tour you will discover the history of Favarger, of chocolate and you will visit the Manufacture. You will learn all about how we make our chocolate, from the cocoa bean to the chocolate that you find in our shops. So that your experience lasts a little longer, all our visitors leave with a tasty souvenir in the form of Favarger products to savour at home.

Monday to Thursday at 10:00 and 14:00. Friday at 10:00.

The Museum Of Natural History

Geneva’s favourite museum is 8,000m2 in size and welcomes 250,000 visitors each year. Inside regional fauna is represented, along with mammals, birds, frogs, toads and insects too, and one whole floor is devoted to the Earth and the history of humankind. You are also invited to visit temporary exhibitions on future scientific challenges, current issues or environmental protection.

ICT Discovery Centre

This visit is great fun and highly informative! It showcases the evolution of ICT through the ages – from early attempts to communicate through to the rapid pace of invention during the 19th and 20th centuries and onwards to a vision of what the future could bring - ICT Discovery takes you on a journey through our connected world.  Our groups receive a 20 min presentation (3 options available), a short 20 min tour and then each visitor is given an audio-visual guide which is used to interact with the exhibits including a fun games area at the end resulting in a memorable experience. Work booklets are also available complete during the visit.

Evian-les-Bains

Just over an hours coach drive from Geneva, Evian is a beautiful town on the edge of Lake Leman in the French Alps. A couple of years ago Evian won the award for the best resort in France at the World Travel Awards and is famous for its spring water which is sold worldwide.

Enjoy a 90 minute guided tour in French or English taking in the key sights, buildings and gardens. Walk along the lakeside and admire the stunning views back across to Switzerland before taking a closer look at the fabulous buildings of the Palais Lumiere, the Casino and the Theatre.

A medium sized market takes places every Tuesday and Friday morning at the Place Charles de Gaulle and near the church where language skills can be practised.

In the summer season you can take a short scenic and free ride on the Evian funicular.

Bern

The Swiss capital still enchants its visitors with its charm and diverse attractions and events.  Take a tour of Einstein’s House where he lived as he discovered the Relativity Theory. The Houses of Parliament, Cathedral, Rose Garden and the Historic clock tower (Zytglogge) with its moving figures, are not to be missed.

CERN: The World's Accelerator of Science

At CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, physicists and engineers use the world's largest and most complex scientific instruments to study the basic constituents of matter – the fundamental particles. The particles are made to collide together at close to the speed of light.

Guided tours

A group tour of CERN lasts about 3 hours and comprises an introduction followed by a film and visits to experimental areas and/or to an accelerator. All tours are guided by volunteer staff members of CERN. 

Exhibitions

CERN also offer groups the opportunity to also visit two permanent exhibitions at their own pace.

Universe of Particles: Dedicated to CERN’s main missions, this exhibition allows you to confront the great questions of contemporary physics, currently being explored by the CERN via the Large Hadron Collider and others.

Microcosm: In this exhibition you will explore the mysteries of the universe and discover the massive apparatus used by physicists, the accelerators and detectors, and see how each part works!

Please note all guided tours and exhibition visit to CERN are free, must be booked directly by the school with CERN and you are advised to book early.

Bowling (and Pizza!)

Always a popular evening activity! We can hire lanes at a local bowling alley to entertain your students. We can also arrange for your group to have a pizza and a drink at the bowling too!

Ice Skating

There are around 6 seasonal rinks that appear in various squares and parks in communities all over Geneva. They are typically free, charging only around £1.50 for skate rental. Gloves are required. 

Museums and Galleries

Geneva is home to more than thirty museums and galleries presenting a wide array of cultural and historical offerings. From the ultra-modern Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art to the ancient Maison Tavel, Geneva’s museums capture the full spectrum of the city’s history and major cultural influences. 

Shopping

City Centre – Designer retail stores and world famous watchmakers line the streets packed with window shoppers. Situated in-between the lake and the old town.

The Old Town – If you’re looking for art or antiques, the Old Town is the place for you.

Centre Balexert: The largest mall in Geneva with over 110 stores including designer outlets, a grocery store and a movie theatre. Located opposite the Ibis Budget accommodation. Transport: Take Tram 14 or 18 to ‘Balexert’

Manor Department Store: The largest department store chain in Switzerland with everything you need under one roof from electronics to cosmetics.

Globus Department Store: Perhaps the ritziest shopping centre in Geneva with lots of designer labels and high end jewellery as well as gourmet grocery store on the ground floor complete with wine.