What’s On in July

The kids’ summer holidays have started, I can’t believe how fast this school year has flown by ! Whether you’ll be away or spending more time with your little ones, there is plenty to do in the area for families who wish to enjoy this lovely and (hopefully) sunny time of the year.

Click here to download the full summer programme of activities in Geneva, who said there’s nothing to do in the city during the school break ?! Remember to keep checking our blog as we will be updating this post with more events each week:

 

• 29th June-25th August 2013: the Tour de plage at the Fontaine des Tours in Carouge (20-22 boulevard des Promenades), opens up again for the season. A fantastic spot right in the heart of Carouge, where you will be able to enjoy live concerts and plenty of activities for the little ones, including face painting, giant outdoor games from Carouge’s toy library etc. – and all are free of charge ! There are too many activities planned to list them all here, so click on the official website for full details.

 

• Until the end of September a Ludobus will be travelling to different Geneva parks to provide toys, scooters and other games to children and their parents, which can be borrowed for free. Call 022 418 88 00 to check where the Ludobus will be driving to every week or click  here to download the full summer programme of activities in Geneva.

 

 

• Now that summer is here, discover the best lidos and swimming pools in Geneva and Vaud, for a selection of our favourite ones take a look at our previous article: “Make a splash”.

 

• 1st July-23rd August 2013: Ateliers artistiques été 2013, music and movement workshops for children aged 4 to 10 organized by La Bulle d’Air at the Villa Dutoit in Petit-Sacconex. Check online for availability, prices and exact dates.

 

• From the 1st of July to the 1st of September 2013 Vitam’parc (500 route des Envignes, Neydens, France) will offer many free activities and sports for children run by a team of Vitam’parc organizers. From 1pm to 6pm, your children will be able to enjoy the outdoor sandy beach, bouncy castles, beach volley tournaments and much more, and all activities included in the entry ticket to the water park. Children aged 6 to 12 can also enroll for the summer swimming school, which runs from the 8th of July to the 30th of August 2013 (each course is 5 days).

 

• 1st July-25th August 2013: Opération chaises longues, a great initiative organized by the city’s public libraries offering mobile book services (livres nomades), free apples, sun loungers and more free activities to allow families, the elders and young people to enjoy Geneva’s beautiful parks to the maximum. Here are some dates and location for you: Parc des Bastions; Parc Trembley (01.07-25.08); Parc Beaulieu (01.07-25.08); Parc du Promeneur solitaire (01.07-25.08); Parc Bertrand (01.07-25.08); Parc Baud-Bovy (01.07-25.08); Bois de la Bâtie (01.07-25.08); Parc La Grange (29.07-25.08).

 

• 1st July-31st August 2013: Saint-Jean plage, enjoy the sun loungers and umbrellas placed outside the Bibliothèque de Saint-Jean (Avenue des Tilleuls 19) for a moment of peace, to read or just to relax !

 

• Summer is the perfect season for picnics too, here’s some of our favourite spots – what are yours ?

 

• If it’s a scorcher, what about a scrumptious “brunch in the sun” with the family ?

 

• Is it Sunday ? Is it raining again and you don’t know what to do with your energetic little monkeys ? Find some ideas and suggestions here or read our review of the new indoor playcentre in Annemasse C L’Aventure. In July and August they will be open everyday from 10am to 7pm.

 

• Spring is a fantastic time to explore Switzerland and its picturesque villages. Take a peek at some of our previous articles for suggestions about great days out with the kids.

 

• The best place to enjoy a warm summer’s day is Genève-Plage (Quai de Cologny 5, Port-Noir): make the most of the swimming-pools, water slides, sandpit and play area (& don’t forget your suncream!). The great news this summer is that Yatouland will also be there until the 26th of August 2013 with activities & bouncy castles for children aged 0 to 10. Open from 2pm to 6pm Monday to Friday and midday to 6pm at the weekend AND it will be free of charge, fabulous !

 

• Wednesday 3rd July 2013: Mini & Petits Rendez-vous at Geneva’s MAMCO for little ones aged 2 to 4 (mini rendez-vous) and 5 to 10 (petits rendez-vous) accompanied by an adult. These fun, interactive visits for kids are free of charge and require no advance booking. Introduce your little ones to the joys of modern art with these great guided tours, which start at 3.15pm (11.15am on Sunday). There will be other tours on Sunday 7th of July, Wednesday 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st of July as well.

 

• 3rd-8th July 2013: Prélude en ville in Lausanne is a little “taster” of the upcoming Festival de la Cité, with 5 free events the whole family will love. Find out more about the Red Ball Project by American artist Kurt Perschke, urban circus and live concert on their official website. Click here for the complete list of locations of the giant red squeezy ball around town: the kids will love it !

 

• 3rd July-21st August 2013: Zumba & Bokwa courses and Tai Chi classes at the Parc Geisendorf in Geneva. Open to all, at different fitness levels the Tai Chi courses take place on Wednesdays at 6.30pm (call 022 733 08 36 for more info); while the Zumba will be at 4.30pm on Wednesdays and Sundays (except on the 28th and 31st of July, see www.osezgeneve.ch for further details.

 

• Do you have children aged 8 and older who are desperate to learn how to skateboard ? If so, take a look at the summer 2013 courses organized by Gvask8.com at the skatepark in Plainpalais. Dates available during July and August, courses last 1 week, more info on their official website.

 

• 5th July 2013: Fête de l’été in Nyon (quartier de la Levratte, green area behind the Coop). From 5pm to 10pm enjoy all the free activities, live music, circus shows and delicious food stalls !  Organized by the Association Caritas-Vaud.

 

• 5th-7th July 2013: OpenAire festival, streetbasket and live music festival at the Esplanade Marignac in Lancy. See the official website for full details of the free concerts and performances, it sounds like great fun !

 

• 5th-13th July 2013: Festival International du Film Fantastique de Neuchâtel, a great film festival for all lovers of fantasy-genre movies from Europe, Switzerland, India and Asia. Take a look at their full programme for the complete list (due to the nature of some movies it’s better to leave the little ones at home with a baby sitter !).

 

• 5th-20th July: the Montreux Jazz Festival is one of the most eagerly-awaited music festival in Switzerland and this year’s edition will not disappoint with some great free concerts as well as ticketed ones featuring artists such as Alex Hepburn, Bobby Womack, Leonard Cohen and many more. Tickets sell out fast, so check online now ! A free daycare is located directly opposite the Music & Convention Center in the German Church (between the gas station and the Palace). Professional child-carers look after children aged 3 to 10, from 2pm-1am from Sunday to Thursday, 2pm-2am on Friday and Saturday. Children can stay a maximum of 4 consecutive hours. Another great initiative for kids is the Montreux Jazz Young Planet, located on the lake promenade at the pier. From 5 pm to midnight from Monday to Friday and from 2 pm to midnight on Saturday and Sunday, the Young Planet offers a number of free activities, such as dance, music or discussion forums. The area is also guaranteed to be alcohol and smoke-free.

 

• 5th July-24th August 2013: RiveJazzy Nyon 2013, a great music festival dedicated to traditional jazz music, swing, as well as latino & gipsy music. It takes place in the Quartier de Rive in Nyon during the months of July and August (except during the Paléo Festival), concerts might be cancelled in case of rain or bad weather. Entry is free of charge for all and there are plenty of delish options to combine dinner with some great live music. Visit the official website for full programme details and performance times.

 

• Friday 5th July 2013: Né pour lire, story time for little ones aged 6 months to 4 years-old at the Tour de plage in Carouge (Fontaines des Tours, 20-22 boulevard des Promenades). From 5pm to 5.45pm, free entry no advance booking required.

 

• Saturday 6th July 2013: Jacky Lagger concert for kids at the Tour de la Plage in Carouge (Fontaine des Tours, 20-22 boulevard des Promenades). Show starts at 4pm and finishes at 5.15pm. Free entry.

 

• until 7th July 2013: “Festival conter entre voisins”, a fantastic story-telling fest for all ages. Free entry but advance booking is recommended at info@auboutduconte.ch

 

• Sunday 7th July 2013: “En visite chez le baron”, a fun-filled day in French at the Château de Prangins (VD) for children aged 4 and older. Actors in period costumes will conduct special tours of the permanent exhibition “Noblesse Oblige” and show children what is was really like to be a Baron in Switzerland in the 18th century. Free entry for children up to the age of 16, open from 10.30am to 4.30pm.

 

• Sunday 7th July 2013: Petits Rendez-vous at Geneva’s MAMCO for children aged 5 to 10 accompanied by an adult. These fun, interactive visits for kids are free of charge and require no advance booking. The tour starts at 11.15am. There will be other tours on Wednesday 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st of July as well.

 

• Sunday 7th July 2013: Nabucco an open air opera performance in the gardens of the Château de Morges (VD). Show starts at 7pm.

 

• until 7th July 2013: Calacas Zingaro equestrian theatre at the Chapiteau Zingaro, Plaine de Plainpalais in Geneva. A spectacular, at times macabre horse-show that will leave you electrified. Performace times are 8.30pm Tuesday to Saturday and 6.30pm on Sundays, visit the official website to reserve your tickets.

 

• 8th-12th July 2013: la Bibliothèque se met au vert from 9am to 1pm at the Parc Gourgas in Geneva. Join the staff of the Jonction library to listen to story-times and live music, enjoy some arts & crafts or just relax a bit ! This initiative is part of the Bibliothèque de rue summer programme in Geneva so make the most of it, free entry.

 

• 8th-15th July 2013: Estilivres, a series of activities and books/magazines available to borrow at the Piscine de Morges (Promenade du Général-Guisan 11) organized by Morges’ public library. Open from 9am to 6pm, more info at 021 804 97 20 or e-mail bibliotheque@morges.ch

 

• Tuesday 9th July 2013: Atelier vacances “Premières impressions” in French for children aged 8 to 12 at the Château de Prangins (VD). The workshop will run from 2pm to 4.30pm, the cost is only 10CHF per child (snack included) but places must be reserved in advance at 022 994 88 93.

 

• 9th-14th July 2013: Festival de la Cité in Lausanne. The city’s summer celebrations offer an exciting line-up of over 90 shows, including theatre, dance, live concerts, comedy circus, literature as well as visual and plastic arts. Events will take place across various parts of the town centre, the majority will be in the open-air (so watch out for rain!) and all are free of charge. See the official website for full programme details, this festival is too good to miss !

 

 

• 9th-19th July 2013: “Viens échanger ton livre…” at the Bibliothèque de la Servette (Rue Veyrassat 9). A book swap for children and also free story-time in French for ages 0 to 16, on Tuesdays 9th & 16th July from 4pm to 6pm (free snack included); and on Thursdays 11th & 18th of July, from 4pm to 6pm (free snack included).

 

• Wednesday 10th July 2013: Accueil libre au parc Geisendorf a wonderful afternoon for children aged 4 and older at the Parc Geisendorf (next to the Ecole de la Poterie). From 3.30pm to 5.30pm children will be able to enjoy activities and story-time in this lovely Geneva park.
  

 

• Wednesday 10th July 2013: Petits Rendez-vous at Geneva’s MAMCO for children aged 5 to 10 accompanied by an adult. These fun, interactive visits for kids are free of charge and require no advance booking. Introduce your little ones to the joys of modern art with these great guided tours, which start at 3.15pm. There will be other tours on Wednesday 17th, 24th and 31st of July as well.

 

• 10th-13th July 2013: Idéklic 2013 – 24e Festival International pour l’enfant, a fantastic summer festival for kids featuring over 50 fun workshops and 30 shows. From the age of 12 months, your little buttons will have plenty of fun shows to choose from, including circus performances, puppetshows, musical theatre, clowns and also live pop concerts for older children. Take a look at the official website for a complete list of all workshops and performances. The festival takes place at 87 av. de St Claude, 39260 Moirans en Montagne (France).

 

•  10th-14th July 2013: “La nuit finira-t-elle un jour?” puppetshow in French from age 8 at the Théâtre de l’Orangerie in Geneva (Parc La Grange, Quai Gustave-Ador 66c). See the official website for performance times and to reserve your tickets.

 

• Thursday 11th July 2013: “Vive les vacances !” on Quai Gustave Ador from 10am to midday. Organized by the Eaux-Vives library, this fun activity will offer books, BD and a smile to young readers passing by the Qaui Gustave Ador.

 

• Thursday 11th July 2013: Atelier enfants for ages 6 to 12 at the Fondation de l’Hermitage in Lausanne (2 Route du Signal). The focus will be on the current Miró exhibition and will include a fun guided tour and a creative workshop where your budding artists will be able to create their own Miró-inspired work of art. The activity is from 2pm to 4pm, price is 12CHF per child and places must be booked in advance at 021 320 50 01.
  

 

• 11th July-18 August 2013: CinéTransat is one of the Geneva’s best-loved summer events and it’s easy to understand why, every evening at dusk they show a selection of great movies free of charge in the wonderful setting of the Parc de la Perle du Lac – you can bring your own picnic and enjoy a lovely evening out with family and friends. But this is not all: they also organize a series of theme and karaoke nights, from Indiana Jones to Zombies or ski night make sure you dress the part ! Find out more about CinéTransat in our 2012 interview with founder and organizer Dan Acher. If you’ve never been, we promise you will love this event – if you’ve been, we bet you can’t wait to go back this year ! Movies are shown in their original version with subtitles, so all British & American movies will be in English, check their facebook page in case of bad weather or rain as the session might be cancelled. “The Goonies” on the 11th of July 2013 and “Princesse Mononoke” on the 15th of August 2013 (in French) are great movies for kids of all ages !
  

 

• Friday 12th July 2013: Né pour lire, story time for little ones aged 6 months to 4 years-old at the Tour de plage in Carouge (Fontaines des Tours, 20-22 boulevard des Promenades). From 5pm to 5.45pm, free entry no advance booking required.

 

• 12th-13th July 2013: the countryside moves to the city with the Fête de la tomate in Carouge ! With plenty of family-friendly activities like cookery workshops for children, magic and clown shows, a fun roundabout, local produce markets and much more this is definitely a great day-out for the whole family. There will also be a petting farm with goats, cows, ducks and old tractors that the children will definitely love. Free entry.

 

• 13th July 2013: Kid’s Parade in Geneva (meeting l’Avenue de France). From midday to 6.30pm children aged 8 to 12 will be able to enjoy some great music and jump on the parade’s Kids Mobiles (dressing-up to one of the 3 themes is compulsory!). The parade will then start from the Parc Mon Repos, along the Quai Wilson and to the Place des Alpes for the opening of the Kid’s Village. See the official website for full details.

 

• 13th-14th July 2013: celebrate national Bastille Day in nearby France with various events, balls and fireworks at night. Thonon-les-bains, St-Genis Pouilly, Gex and Saint-Julien-en-genevois will celebrate on the 13th of July 2013, while Ferney-Voltaire will hold its celebrations on the 14th of July 2013 in the gardens of the Château de Voltaire. See the official French website for full details.

 

• 13th-14th July 2013: Plateforme en Musique – Pont de la Machine, a fantastic initiative organized by the city of Geneva. From the 13th of July until the 14th of September 2013, the Pont de la Machine will hold live free concerts covering various music genres such as rock, calypso and reggae. Every Saturday afternoon a special “terrasse de la musique” with seating and umbrellas will be put up on the pont de la machine from 2pm to 8pm, offering a dedicated space where locals and tourists alike will be able to enjoy free live music and amazing city views whilst sipping a much-needed cold drink !

 

• 15th-17th July 2013: “Energie & sac plastique”, a 3-mornings special workshop for children aged 11 to 14 at the MUDAC in Lausanne (Place CATHÉDRALE 6). Based on the current exhibition “Coup de sac”, the workshop is organised in collaboration with the Espace des Inventions. Price is 20CHF per child for all 3 mornings (9am to midday), places must be booked in advance at 021 315 25 30 or info@mudac.ch

 

• 15th July-24th August 2013: La Roulotte enchantée, a great summer initiative in Lausanne offering free shows, workshops and activities for children in various locations throughout the city. Take a look at the official website for details of their daily locations and activities, make the most of their free workshops and theatre shows – the full programme can be downloaded here.

 

• Tuesday 16th July 2013: Atelier vacances “Chasse au trésor” in French for children aged 7 to 12 at the Château de Prangins (VD). The workshop will run from 2pm to 4.30pm, the cost is only 10CHF per child (snack included) but places must be reserved in advance at 022 994 88 93.
  

 

• 16th July-18th August 2013: OrangeCinema Genève, a swanky open-air cinema at Geneva’s Port Noir, with a great lounge bar area overlooking the lake and Jet d’Eau. The movie list includes various avant-premières and many new releases, check the official facebook page for full details. Book your favourite baby-sitter for the evening: this is a very romantic night out for mums & dads !

 

• 16th-20th July 2013: Free circus show on a boat by L’Elastique Citrique circus company. The boat will be moored by the lake and viewers will be able to watch the show taking place on board. The first performance will be in Morges, Port du Petit-Bois at 20h30 on the 16th of July, then in St-Prex on the 17th at 17h & 20h30 (Place d’Armes). On the 19th of July it will be in Geneva at 20h30 (near the jet d’eau at the Pierres du Niton in Eaux-Vives) and finally in Nyon on the 20th of July, at 17h & 20h30 at la Grue. Read all details on their official website.

 

• 16th July-18th August 2013: Geneva Art Festival at port Noir is offering a varied programme of activities for children organized by BG World. From baby gym trails and mini bouncy castles for the under fives to circus workshops and olympic games for children under 12, there will be plenty to keep everyone entertained! Open every Wednesday and Sunday from 11am to 6pm, click on their official webpage for full details.
  

 

• Wednesday 17th July 2013: Family guided tour of the Miró exhibition at the Fondation de l’Hermitage in Lausanne (2 Route du Signal). The tour is from 10am to midday, price is 12CHF per child and 23CHF for adults and places must be booked in advance at 021 320 50 01.

 

• Wednesday 17th July 2013: Petits Rendez-vous at Geneva’s MAMCO for little ones aged 5 to 10 accompanied by an adult. These fun, interactive visits for kids are free of charge and require no advance booking. Introduce your little ones to the joys of modern art with these great guided tours, which start at 3.15pm. There will be other tours on Wednesday 24th and 31st of July as well.

 

• Thursday 18th July 2013: “Contes et goûters pour petits et grands” at the Jardin des 5 Senses in Yvoire (France). A unique opportunity to take in the picturesque sights and medieval charme of this beautiful village, read more about Yvoire and how to get there by boat in our previous post. The story-time session begins at 3pm and places must be booked in advance at +33 (0) 450 72 88 80 or mail@jardin5sens.net – the price is 15 euro per person/child, story-time will last around 1 hour and the snack approx. 30 mins.

 

• Thursday 18th July 2013: “Vive les vacances !” on Quai Gustave Ador from 10am to midday. Organized by the Eaux-Vives library, this fun activity will offer books, BD and a smile to young readers passing by the Qaui Gustave Ador.

 

• Thursday 18th July 2013: “Intouchables” at the Cinéma en plein air, free open-air cinema sessions in Plan-les-Ouates, located at the bottom of la Butte, near the playground “des Marronniers” (in case of rain at La julienne). Free entry, movie starts at 9.30pm but get there a bit earlier for the best seats.

 

• 18th-28th July 2013: “Conte d’un matin d’été”, storytime in the open-air from age 4 at 11am. A delightful improvised show from age 4 at the Théâtre de l’Orangerie in Geneva (Parc La Grange, Quai Gustave-Ador 66c). The show will take inspiration from the beautiful surroundings of the Parc la Grange and imagination will take the lead. See the official website for performance times and to reserve your tickets. Brunch will be offered before the performance and books from Le Chien Bleu children’s bookshop will also be on sale.

 

• 18th July-11th August 2013: Fêtes de Genève, the city’s summer festival is on its way with 150 free concerts on three different stages (Club Stage in the heart of the Jardin Anglais; the very popular Funkytown Stage at Baby-Plage and the new Wilson Stage on the Right Bank). funfair, food stalls and the lakefront festival starting on the 3rd of August 2013. Read all about the best festival’s highlights in our previous post. Don’t miss the traditional waiters’ race and the amazing firework display on the 10th of August from 10pm.

 

• until 21st July 2013: Ciné Air, open-air cinema in Rolle (Place du Château). A unique opportunity to watch some great new releases and older movies in a breath-taking setting, very close to the lakeside. Movies start at 9.30pm, check the official website for full details and to book your tickets – price is 17CHF but there are discounts for students, children, Raiffeisen and Harmony customers as well as subscribers to La Côte newspaper. Some movies are shown in the French version (VF) and some in the original version with subtitles (VO st), and there are some great movies for kids too !
  

 

• until 21st July 2013: Amadou l’audacieux, a delightful exhibition at the Espace Arlaud museum in Lausanne (Place de la Riponne 2bis) focusing on the little protagonist of the 1950s stories «Les Histoires d’Amadou» by Swiss writer Alexis Peiry. No woolen dool has ever looked cuter !

 

• Sunday 21st July 2013: Sunday brunch at the Ferme de Merlinge in Gy (Famille Chollet – 85, rte de gy). A fantastic way to enjoy a relaxed family brunch in the sun, read all about it in our previous post. It is advisable to book well in advance as the farm is very popular, so call 022 759 15 92  or E-mail: merlinge@bluewin.ch
  

 

• Sunday 21st July 2013:  “En visite chez le baron”, a fun-filled day in French at the Château de Prangins (VD) for children aged 4 and older. Actors in period costumes will conduct special tours of the permanent exhibition “Noblesse Oblige” and show children what is was really like to be a Baron in Switzerland in the 18th century. Free entry for children up to the age of 16, open from 10.30am to 4.30pm.

 

• until 22nd July 2013: “Guitare en Scene” music festival in St Julien-en-Genevois (France). A great music festival for all guitar-lovers, with plenty of international stars set to get the groove going ! See the official website for full details and to buy tickets.

 

• Tuesday 23rd July 2013: Atelier vacances “Potager des cinq sens” in French for children aged 7 to 12 at the Château de Prangins (VD). The workshop will run from 2pm to 4.30pm, the cost is only 10CHF per child (snack included) but places must be reserved in advance at 022 994 88 93.

 

• 23rd-28th July 2013: the Paléo Festival Nyon is quite legendary amongst the best music festivals in the region. This year’s edition is set to be one of the best with international stars such as Neil Young, Arctic Monkeys, The Smashing Pumpinks, Youssoupha, Dizzee Rascal, Santana and many many more ready to rock the stage ! Tickets sell out fast, so book now before it’s too late. Paléo Festival Nyon has a great programme for kids too, including live evening concerts, free day nursery, free magic shows and baby disco every day as well as the kids’ play area Mielimélo (ages 6 to 12). Entry to the festival is free for all children under the age of 12, check the official website for the complete list of kids activities.

 

• Wednesday 24th July 2013: Petits Rendez-vous at Geneva’s MAMCO for little ones aged 5 to 10 accompanied by an adult. These fun, interactive visits for kids are free of charge and require no advance booking. Introduce your little ones to the joys of modern art with these great guided tours, which start at 3.15pm. There will be  another tour on Wednesday 31st of July as well.

 

• Wednesday 24th July 2013: “Le plastique c’est pas fantastique!” workshop for children aged 8 to 13 at the MUDAC in Lausanne (Place CATHÉDRALE 6). From 2pm to 4pm the children will be able to visit the current exhibition “Coup de sac”, learn about the importance of recycling and even make their own reusable bag. Price is 10CHF per child, places must be booked in advance at 021 315 25 30 or info@mudac.ch
  

 

• Wednesday 24th July 2013: Theatre workshop for kids at 3pm, free entry but places are limited. At Genève Plage, Quai de Cologny 5, Port-Noir, 1223 Cologny / Genève.

 

• Wednesday 24th July 2013: Atelier enfants for ages 6 to 12 at the Fondation de l’Hermitage in Lausanne (2 Route du Signal). The focus will be on the current Miró exhibition and will include a fun guided tour and a creative workshop where your budding artists will be able to create their own Miró-inspired work of art. The activity is from 10am to midday, price is 12CHF per child and places must be booked in advance at 021 320 50 01.

 

• 26th-28th July 2013: Giant outdoor games for children at the Tour de la Plage in Carouge (Fontaine des Tours). Organized by the Toy Library in Carouge. Free entry.

 

• Saturday 27th July 2013: story-time in English at the Off-the-Shelves bookshop in Geneva (15 bvd Georges Favon). The sessions start at 10.30am and take place on the last Saturday of every month – don’t miss the special discounts on kids books purchased during storuytime sessions (10am to midday).

 

• Saturday 27th July 2013: Destress aux Bains, from 1pm body painting, live music, graffiti demonstrations and circus workshops at the Bains des Pâquis in Geneva. A great urban art event to enjoy with the children as well !
  

 

• 27th July-4th August 2013: “Au pays des enfants” kids festival in the Pays-d’Enhaut (communes of Château-d’Oex, Rougemont and Rossinière). The programme includes over 100 shows and plenty of creative workshops for children of all ages, what a great family day-out in the beautiful setting of the Pays-d’Enhaut ! Vist the official website for full programme details in all 3 communes and to buy your tickets. If you have a Coop Hello Family card you can claim a 20% discount !

 

• Tuesday 30th July 2013: Atelier vacances “Beaux et faux!” in French for children aged 6 to 12 at the Château de Prangins (VD). The workshop will run from 2pm to 4.30pm, the cost is only 10CHF per child (snack included) but places must be reserved in advance at 022 994 88 93.

 

• Tuesday 30th July 2013: Family guided tour of the Miró exhibition at the Fondation de l’Hermitage in Lausanne (2 Route du Signal). The tour is from 10am to midday, price is 12CHF per child and 23CHF for adults and places must be booked in advance at 021 320 50 01.

 

• Wednesday 31st July 2013: Free Zumba Family fitness session at the Pfister megastore in Meyrin from 2pm to 4pm. It sounds like great fun and it’s free for mums & their children, don’t miss it !
  

 

• Wednesday 31st July 2013: Petits Rendez-vous at Geneva’s MAMCO for little ones aged 5 to 10 accompanied by an adult. These fun, interactive visits for kids are free of charge and require no advance booking. Introduce your little ones to the joys of modern art with these great guided tours, which start at 3.15pm.

 

ONGOING:

 

• until 11th August 2013: Fêtes de Genève, the city’s summer festival is on its way with 150 free concerts on three different stages (Club Stage in the heart of the Jardin Anglais; the very popular Funkytown Stage at Baby-Plage and the new Wilson Stage on the Right Bank). funfair, food stalls and the lakefront festival starting on the 3rd of August 2013. Read all about the best festival’s highlights in our previous post. Don’t miss the traditional waiters’ race and the amazing firework display on the 10th of August from 10pm.

 

 

• until 11th August 2013: “Roger Pfund Le multiple et le singulier” an exhibition about the Franco-Swiss painter and graphic designer Roger Pfund at the Musée d’art et d’histoire in Geneva (Rue Charles-Galland 2). Discover the fascinating world of Pfund’s designs and his use of different materials. Free entry under the age of 18 and on the first Sunday of every month.

 

• until 14th August 2013: Histoires en herbe, summer storytime in Plan-les-Ouates for children aged 4 to 10 every Monday and Wednesday morning from 10am to midday. The Monday session will take place outdoors on the Mail in Plan-les-Ouates (near the Mairie) and in case of rain on the steps of the “salle de gym” of the école du Pré-du-Camp. The Wednesday sessions will take place “sur l’herbe”, near the école du Vélodrome (close to the playarea), and in case of rain under the veranda of the Maison Ravy. Free entry, for more info contact Catherine Hostettler on 079 654 51 06.

 

• until 21st August: Musiques en été, an impressive series of live concerts covering all possible music genres and taking place in some of the city’s most picturesque spots. From jazz to classical, rock and hip hop you will definitely be spoilt for choice. The best thing ? All the Musiques colorées live concerts at the Scène Ella Fitzgerald, parc de La Grange are free of charge ! 

 

• until 24th August 2013: La Roulotte enchantée, a great summer initiative in Lausanne offering free shows, workshops and activities for children in various locations throughout the city. Take a look at the official website for details of their daily locations and activities, make the most of their free workshops and theatre shows – the full programme can be downloaded here.

 

• until 18th August 2013: Geneva Art Festival at port Noir is offering a varied programme of activities for children organized by BG World. From baby gym trails and mini bouncy castles for the under fives to circus workshops and olympic games for children under 12, there will be plenty to keep everyone entertained! Open every Wednesday and Sunday from 11am to 6pm, click on their official webpage for full details.

 

• until 24th August 2013: RiveJazzy Nyon 2013, a great music festival dedicated to traditional jazz music, swing, as well as latino & gipsy music. It takes place in the Quartier de Rive in Nyon during the months of July and August (except during the Paléo Festival), concerts might be cancelled in case of rain or bad weather. Entry is free of charge for all and there are plenty of delish options to combine dinner with some great live music. Visit the official website for full programme details and performance times.

 

• until 1st September 2013: “Ainsi font, font, font…Marionnettes d’ici et d’ailleurs”, an exhibition about string puppets and how they developed along the centuries at the Musée de Carouge (Place de Sardaigne 2). A truly fascinating exhibition for adults and children alike, open Tuesday to Sunday from 2pm to 6pm. Free entry.

 

• until 1st September 2013: “Aubes musicales” free live concerts from 6am to 7am every morning at the Bains des Pâquis. Enjoy one of Geneva’s finest cultural traditions (summer isn’t summer without these concerts at the Bains!) and start your day inspired by beautiful music…and a free coffee too!
  

 

• until 14th September 2013: Plateforme en Musique – Pont de la Machine, a fantastic initiative organized by the city of Geneva. From the 13th of July until the 14th of September 2013, the Pont de la Machine will hold live free concerts covering various music genres such as rock, calypso and reggae. Every Saturday afternoon a special “terrasse de la musique” with seating and umbrellas will be put up on the pont de la machine from 2pm to 8pm, offering a dedicated space where locals and tourists alike will be able to enjoy free live music and amazing city views whilst sipping a much-needed cold drink !

 

• until September 2013: La ville est à vous returns for its 10th edition, kicking off on the 4th-5th of May in Coulouvrenière with street parties, second-hand sales and activities for children. Take a look at the official website for all upcoming weekends and join in !

 

• until 29th September 2013: Free Golf Urbain in Geneva. A 4km, 9 holes urban golf course awaits you in the city of Calvin, every day from 11am to 7pm. The starting point is at the Parc des Bastions, where equipment is to borrow free of charge. Visit the official website for full details.

 

• The exhibition “Universe of Particles” at the iconic Globe of Science and Innovation will plunge the little visitors into the fascinating world of the tiniest and biggest particles which make up our universe.From walking through luminous spheres to exploring CERN’s legendary accelerators physics has never been more engaging !Admission to “Universe of Particles” is free, from Monday to Saturday 10am-5pm at the Globe of Science and Innovation in Meyrin. Click here for the exhibition brochure.

 

• until October 2013: Les Quais du Dahlia, see the gorgeous flower blooms of hundreds of varieties of dahlias in Morges. A stunning view along the town’s lakeside ! Read all about it in our previous post.

 

• until 6th October 2013: “Would You Like a Bag with That ?”, a fantastic modern exhibition at the MUDAC in Lausanne focusing on the the subject of plastic bags from several angles, through works by artists and various installations. Plastic bags in art and design are displayed in various works of art that challenge and tickle our curiosity: you certainly won’t look at your plastic carrier the same way again !

 

• until 27th October 2013: “MIRÓ Poetry & Light”, a spectacular exhibition of the famour Spanish master at the Fondation de l’Hermitage in Lausanne (2 route du Signal). Definitely the sort of artist the whole family will enjoy !

 

• until December 2013: Indestructible énergie, an interactive exhibition about energy at the Espace des Inventions in Lausanne. The exhibition is tailored for your budding scientists and makes learning about energy fun & engaging !

 

• The new permanent exhibition “Noblesse Oblige” at Prangins Castle is a great day-out for the whole family, take a step back in time with your children to see how a noble Swiss family lived in the 18th century! Find out more about this fantastic family exhibition in our previous post.