What’s On in May

The month of May is here, let’s hope the weather will soon be back on track & bring some much needed sunshine with it…

Here’s our monthly list of events in Geneva, Vaud and nearby France, filled as usual with exciting outings for the whole family. Remember to keep checking our blog as we will be updating this post with more events each week:

 

• Take a look at our previous post to find all the best child-friendly places to enjoy a delicious and stress-free Sunday brunch with your little buttons.

 

• 1st-5th May 2013: “Le jardin sous la lune” – a poetic, adorable puppets-how from age 2 at Le Petit Théâtre in Lausanne (Place de la Cathédrale 12). Visit the theatre’s official website for performance times and to book your tickets.

 

• 1st-5th May 2013: Geneva Book Fair at Palexpo is a great day out if your children love books. There will be plenty of activities, readings and workshops for all ages so check the official website for further info. Open from 9.30am to 7pm (9.30pm on Friday), entry is free for all under the age of 26, adults pay 12CHF. The Salon du Livre also offers a garderie service for children aged 2 to 6, from 9.30am to 7pm – click here to find out more. If you love BD, don’t miss the exhibition to celebrate 20 years of Titeuf, created by Genevan comic strip author ZEP.

 

• 1st-18th May 2013: “La Terre en Héritage – sauver la planète du Petit Prince “ a free exhibition about Jean-Pierre Guéno’s photography book, inspired by the work of Antoine de Saint-Exupery and his lovely petit prince. Open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm (10am to 8pm on Thursdays) at «La Cave» in Geneva (16, rue des Granges). Free entry.

 

• 1st-19th May 2013: Chien Bleu, a delightful puppet-show from age 4 at the Théâtre des Marionnettes de Genève (Rue Rodo 3). Your little ones will root for this brave blue dog who becomes Charlotte’s protective guardian. Visit the theatre’s official website for performance times and to buy tickets.

 

• Wednesday 1st May 2013: Mini & Petits Rendez-vous at Geneva’s MAMCO for little ones aged 2-4 and 5-10 accompanied by an adult – free of charge and no advance booking is required. Introduce them to the joys of modern art with these fun, interactive tours starting at 3.15pm. There will be other tours on Sunday 5th May 2013 at 11.15am and more Petits Rendez-vous on Wednesday 8th, Sunday 12th, Wednesday 15th, 22nd & 29th of May 2013.

 

• 2nd-5th May 2013: Carnaval de Lausanne, a wonderful family fest with Guggenmusiks, live music, pony-rides and parades where the kids will be able to flaunt their carnival masks. The carnival takes over Lausanne’s city centre until Sunday 5th of May at 11pm. Entry is free for all and the events include dance shows, live music, kids activities, the Guggenmusiks concert-apéro and the carnival parade at 2.30pm on Sunday. Click here for the full programme.

 

• 3rd-5th May 2013: “Les puces du design” is definitely a flea market with a very cool twist. If you’re looking for some unique pieces for your home, make your way to the Anciennes halles CFF in Morges from 10am to 7pm on Friday and Saturday; 10am to 5pm on Sunday. Entry is 5CHf for adults and free for children under 12.

 

• 3rd-5th May 2013: Geneva Marathon for UNICEF a key event of the city’s spring calendar with its 42,195 km route from Geneva’s most beautiful sights to its countryside. Click here for more info about the races (half marathon, la Genevoise, junior races etc.) and how to register.

 

• 3rd-5th May 2013: La Fête de la danse, a fantastic event for all dance-lovers who’d like to try a workshop, see a show or join a Gangnam party ! With plenty of locations and events in Geneva, Yverdon and Lausanne, including a Kids Disco on Sunday from 4pm to 6pm at the Arsenic in Lausanne; hip hop for all in Geneva and many more exciting sessions. See the full programme on the festival’s official website.

 

• Saturday 4th May 2013: “En Mai fais ce qu’il te plaît !”, a wonderful festival for children offering an exciting number of free activities: dance, puppet-shows, story-time, henna hand-painting and a lot more. From 10am to midnight the festival will take over the Usine à Gaz theatre, the ferme du Manoir, the castle and other locations in Nyon. The theme this year will be “The Arabian Nights”, click here for more details of the free shows available and here for full details of all activities.

 

• Saturday 4th May 2013: Free reading and story-time for kids at the Bibliothèque de la Cité in Geneva (Place des Trois-Perdrix 5) and the Bibliothèque des Pâquis (Rue du Môle 17). “Une, aucune, 100 histoires”, story-time from age 3 at the Bibliothèque de la Cité (Maison du conte). Session will start at 10am, places are free but must be reserved in advance at 022 418 32 44. “Contes et langue des signes”  story-sessions in sign language from age 6 at the Bibliothèque de la Cité. Session will begin at 3pm, free entry & no advance booking required. “Rencontre coulisse autour du spectacle Chien Bleu” at the Bibliothèque des Pâquis from 2pm: children aged 6 and older will love to discover how the story of the Chien Bleu was adapted for the stage at the Théâtre des Marionnettes de Genève. Free entry & no advance booking required.

 

• Saturday 4th May 2013: Fête de Printemps & Portes ouvertes at the Ecole Rudolf Steiner de Geneve in Confignon. A great opportunity to visit and find out more about the educational principles of this amazing school. From 10am to midday visitors will be able to take part in the pupils’ presentations, while from 10am to 5pm there will be opportunities to speak with the school’s teachers. There will be 2 guided tours of the school at 2pm and 3.30pm (advance booking required). But the school’s spring fest will be fun too with plenty of activities, creative workshops, food stalls as well as a books & toys market, don’t miss it !

 

• Saturday 4th May 2013: Atelier Familles at 2.30pm “De Genève aux confins du monde – Une promenade extraordinaire” family workshop at the Musée d’ethnographie de Genève (MEG). From age 5. The main MEG building in Plainpalais is currently being renovated and will re-open in 2014. In the meantime, exhibitions and family tours are held at the MEG Conches, near Chêne-Bougeries (map). This year’s “Atelier familles” promise to be really good: a time machine will transport the whole family back to the 18th century, so get ready for some fun! The tours take place on Saturday from 2.30pm to 4.30pm and cost 10CHF per person (20CHF per family). They must be booked via email at publics.meg@ville-ge.ch

 

• Saturday 4th May 2013: the Café des Jardins at the iris Gardens in Vullierens (VD) will re-open for the season and they will soon be offering Sunday brunch. Find out more about these beautiful iris gardens in our previous post and check their official website for their upcoming spring Sunday brunches.

 

• 4th-5th May 2013: La ville est à vous returns for its 10th edition, kicking off this weekend 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 !

 

• Sunday 5th May 2013: if have you been dreaming of a girls-only day-out for some time why not join the Lipstick Brunch at Le Bal Des Créateurs in Geneva (Rue de l’Arquebuse 25) ? From 11am to 6pm enjoy a lovely brunch with your girlfriends, there will be some lovely stalls too selling fashion, essential oils and gorgeous Uzume jewellery !

 

• Sunday 5th May 2013: on a warm, sunny weekend La ferme de Merlinge in Gy (85, rte de gy) is perfect for a relaxing outdoor brunch with children. Find out more about it in our previous post, we absolutely loved it ! Reserve your table at 022 759 15 92 or merlinge@bluewin.ch for Sunday 5th May 2013, Thursday 9th May for the «brunch de l’ascension»; Saturday 11th or Sunday 12th of May 2013 to celebrate Swiss Mother’s Day «brunch de la fête des mères».

 

• Sunday 5th May 2013: 2nd Croque-Loisirs Fair at the Centre de Congrès (Palexpo Geneva) from 9.30am to 7pm. Find out about the best leisure destinations, residential language courses, excursions, holiday camps and courses for children available in the area. There will be plenty of workshops, demonstrations and surprise events to keep the children entertained.

 

• Running out of ideas for next Sunday ? Find some ideas and suggestions here.

 

• 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.

 

• Tuesday 7th May 2013: Atelier “saperlipopote” cookery course in French with Mathilde for kids aged 8-12. The course runs from 4.30pm to 6.30pm at the Café Julienne in Plan-les-Ouates (116, rte de St-Julien). The formula is very simple: each child brings their own apron, bento box and pays only 5 CHF per session ! The menu on Tuesday 7th of May will be: Tataki de saumon ou saumon Tic Tac & Impro de verrines fruitées “bec à miel”. Places are limited so reserve yours in advance at 022 884 64 66.

 

• Tuesday 7th May 2013: Projections gratuites de petits films d’animation, free cartoon screenings for children at the Cinéma Bio in Carouge (Rue Saint-Joseph 47). Starting at 9.30am these cinema sessions for little ones are completey free-of-charge but places must be booked in advance at petits@animatou.com or 022 734 11 84.

 

• Tuesday 7th May 2013: “Mad Men evening” organized by Geneva’s Go Out Magazine at the bar Amphitheatre of the Grand Théâtre de Genève (Boulevard du Théâtre 11). Unleash your inner Don Draper and dress the part for this fab cocktail event starting at 6.30pm.

 

• Wednesday 8th May 2013: Les petits rendez-vous du mercredi autour du cinéma d’animation, free cartoon screenings for children at the Centre d’Art Contemporain Genève (Rue des Vieux-Grenadiers 10). Starting at 4pm these cinema sessions for little ones from age 5 are completey free-of-charge but places must be booked in advance at petits@animatou.com or 022 734 11 84. Click here to see which short cartoons will be shown.

 

• Wednesday 8th May 2013: “Mille et une pattes” Ateliers Verts du Jardin Botanique in Geneva for kids aged 8-11 (in French). What better place than Geneva’s beautiful botanical gardens to learn more about nature, micro-organisms and plants ? These fantastic workshops take place on Wednesdays from 2pm to 4.30pm and cost 12 CHF per child. Places must be booked in advance at 022 379 70 68. Click here to donwload the full programme. There will be 2 other workshops this month on Wed. 15th and 22nd of May 2013.

 

• Wednesday 8th May 2013: “Parole au corps”, Mercredis Family the Musée d’art et d’histoire in Geneva. These fun, interactive family tours are for children aged 6-11 accompanied by an adult, they’re FREE OF CHARGE and require no previous booking, so definitely worth a try ! Tours are in French, here’s the list of upcoming dates for May: Wednesday 15th May “À la chasse aux lions” “; Wed. 22nd May “Métamorphoses!” and Wed. 29th May “Sur un air de luth”.

 

• Wednesday 8th May 2013: “Mudras, histoires dansées” at the Bibliothèque de Saint-Jean in Geneva (Avenue des Tilleuls 19 – entrée rue Miléant). A free Indian dance session and workshop for children aged 6 and older, starting at 3pm. Your children will learn a lot about the ancient Indian dances and hand movements (mudras) that carry so much meaning. Entry is free and no previous booking is required.

 

• Wednesday 8th May 2013: free guided walk in French & English with Genève Escapade on the 150th anniversary of the creation of the Red Cross. Meeting point will be Place Neuve at 2pm, the walk is free but you have to reserve your place in advance at geneve.escapade@gmail.com, duration is approx. 1 hour and a half.

 

• Wednesday 8th May 2013: LA CERAMIQUE C’EST FANTASTIQUE !, ceramic workshop for children aged 8-13 at the MUDAC museum in Lausanne. Price is only 10CHF per child and the workshop runs from 2.30pm to 4.30pm – call 021 315 25 30 or email info@mudac.ch to reserve your places.

 

• Until 8th May 2013: Le Rat de Ville et le Rat des Champs at the Théâtre Rodolphe Töpffer in Geneva (Avenue Eugène-Pittard 21). A delightful theatre show for children about the well-known Aesop’s tale of the country mouse and city mouse. Performances are at 3.30pm on Wednesdays, Saturday and Sundays but seating is free so try to get there a bit earlier to get the best seats. Reserve your tickets in advance at 022 703 51 25.

 

• 8th-12th May 2013: Poya 2013 Estavannens celebrates the montée à l’alpage (climb to the alpine pastures) of the Swiss cows, ready to start their grazing season on the mountains. If you’ve seen the désalpe then don’t miss this popular Swiss festival, which last took place in 2000. A plus is also the beautiful setting: the village of Estavannens in Canton Fribourg is a picture-perfect Swiss village and the programme includes plenty of family-friendly activities, live music and a beautiful parade on Sunday at 3pm.

 

• Thursday 9th May 2013: on a warm, sunny weekend La ferme de Merlinge in Gy (85, rte de gy) is perfect for a relaxing outdoor brunch with children. Find out more about it in our previous post, we absolutely loved it ! Reserve your table at 022 759 15 92 or merlinge@bluewin.ch for their «brunch de l’ascension» on the 9th of May. You can also book for Saturday 11th or Sunday 12th of May 2013 to celebrate Swiss Mother’s Day «brunch de la fête des mères».

 

• Thursday 9th May 2013: Fête du printemps from 10am to 9pm at the Parc Gourgas in Geneva (rue Gourgas). This great spring festival will offer some fab live music, circus & dance shows as well as a kids’ toy market and many other activities. The Cirque Ganesha show will start at 2pm; while the theatre show for children from age 6 “Les Trois Pommes d’Or” – based on the mythological tale of Jason and the 3 golden apples – will be at 3pm.

 

• 10th-12th May 2013: Jardins en fête at the Château de Coppet (VD). Stock up on your spring seedlings at this wonderful garden festival, in the beautiful setting of Coppet Castle. With over 120 exhibitors you’ll find anything you need for your garden: seeds, plants, garden furniture and decorations. This year’s special exhibition called «Chasseurs de plantes» will focus on the intrepid 18th century travellers who brought back to Europe countless new species and plants varieties from all over the world and is housed under an authentic yourte tent. The flower arrangement competition in the castle’s cellar is definitely worth seeing too. Open from 10am to 7pm on Friday and 10am to 6pm on Saturday & Sunday.

 

• Saturday 11th May 2013: “Rencontre coulisse autour du spectacle Chien Bleu” at the Bibliothèque des Eaux-Vives in Geneva (Rue Sillem 2) starting at 2pm. Children aged 6 and older will love to discover how the story of the Chien Bleu was adapted for the stage at the Théâtre des Marionnettes de Genève. Free entry & no advance booking required.

 

• Saturday 11th May 2013: 14e Nuit des Musées organized by the Association des Musées de la Riviera vaudoise. This is a unique opportunity to visit the museums of the Vaud riviera by night and take part in some exciting free activities. From 5pm to midnight entry and all museums’ activities will be free of charge, take advantage of the the free shuttle service that will be made available to connect all participating museums.

 

• 11th-12th May 2013:  La ville est à vous returns for its 10th edition in Geneva’s Plainpalais with street parties, second-hand sales and activities for children. Take a look at the official website for all upcoming weekends and join in !

 

• 11th-18th May 2013: Le Chat botté, an opera for children from age 5 by Russian composer César Cui based on the famous tale by Charles Perrault will be on stage at the Grand Théâtre de Genève. Find out all about it in our previous post.

 

• 11th-12th May 2013: “Tête de lune”, music and story-time from age 4 at the Théâtre Micromegas in Ferney Voltaire (24 bis rue de Meyrin). Performances at 5pm on Saturday and 3pm on Sunday, click here to buy tickets.

 

• 11th-12th May 2013: La Nuit des musées de Genève & “after en famille” – a fantastic event for everyone: the museums in Geneva will be opening their doors on Saturday night for a series of very special events. Sunday 12th will focus on families and young visitors, who will be able to enjoy a plethora of workshops and events all free of charge. Read our previous post to find out all about it.

 

• Sunday 12th May 2013: Moment Famille at the “Roger Pfund Le multiple et le singulier” exhibition. These fun guided tours for children aged 6-11 accompanied by an adult will unveil the fascinating world of the Franco-Swiss painter and graphic designer Roger Pfund at the Musée d’art et d’histoire in Geneva (Rue Charles-Galland 2). Free entry for children, no advance booking required so don’t miss it !

 

• Sunday 12th May 2013: Croisière “Fête des mères”, celebrate Swiss Mother’s Day with a dining cruise on lake Leman. The full Mother’s Day menu is 55CHF for adults and 27.50CHF for the kids menu, but you can order the assiette du jour for CHF 39 (assiette enfant is CHF 17.50). Contact CGN at +41 (0)848 811 848 or info@cgn.ch for more details.

 

• Until 12th May 2013: Mapping Festival in Geneva. A multigenre art festival focused on audiovisual arts and digital culture – free up some time in your diary for their rish programme of installations, clubbing parties, live performances, architectural mapping, as well as workshops and conferences.

 

• Tuesday 14th May 2013: “Aux Mille Voyages” reading session for 0 to 4 year-old at the Bibliothèque Aux Mille Feuille in Gland (38 grand rue). From 9am to 11am, free entry no booking necessary.

 

• 14th-19th May 2013: Intemporels pop-up store in Geneva, at the space “The Square” (2-4 rue du Diorama). A fantastic opportunity to take a look at Intemporals.com unique stylish finds, from rare Montblanc pens to vintage homeware. Don’t miss the opening vernissage on Tuesday 14th from 6pm, opening times until the 19th of May will be 10am to 7pm.

 

• 14th-20th May 2013: Cirqu’ô lac, a series of magical, poetical circus shows for the whole family and children of different ages at the Esplanade su Lac in Divonne-les-Bains. Visit the official website for full details and to book tickets for the following shows: Tuesday 14th May 2013 at 7.30pm L’AIR DE RIEN Nouveau cirque – from age 6 (duration 1 hour). Saturday 18th May 2013 at 7.30pm, M² Cirque, from age 9. Monday 20th May 2013 at 5.30pm “CHAPORTE MOI”, a delightful circus show from age 3 by the Compagnie Commun Accord (duration 45 mins).

 

• Wednesday 15th May 2013: “L’Etang des écrevisses” Ateliers Verts du Jardin Botanique in Geneva for kids aged 8-11 (in French). What better place than Geneva’s beautiful botanical gardens to learn more about nature, micro-organisms and plants ? These fantastic workshops take place on Wednesdays from 2pm to 4.30pm and cost 12 CHF per child. Places must be booked in advance at 022 379 70 68. Click here to donwload the full programme. There will be another workshops this month on Wed. 22nd of May 2013.

 

• Wednesday 15th May 2013: Les petits rendez-vous du mercredi autour du cinéma d’animation, free cartoon screenings for children at the Centre d’Art Contemporain Genève (Rue des Vieux-Grenadiers 10). Starting at 4pm these cinema sessions for little ones from age 5 are completey free-of-charge but places must be booked in advance at petits@animatou.com or 022 734 11 84. Click here to see which short cartoons will be shown.

 

• Wednesday 15th May 2013: Genève-Plage (Quai de Cologny 5, Port-Noir) reopens for the season at 10am. No better place to be with your little swimmers on a hot, sunny day – make the most of the swimming-pools, water slides, sandpit and play area (& don’t forget your suncream!).

 

•  Wednesday 15th May 2013: “Mots lus, mots entendus”, a delightful kids show from age 5 at the Bibliothèque des Eaux-Vives (Rue Sillem 2) organized by the théâtre Minilune. Your little ones will be carried away byt the magic, poetic power of words in this lovely performance. Free entry, show starts at 3pm so don’t be late !

 

• Wednesday 15th May 2013: “À la chasse aux lions”, Mercredis Family the Musée d’art et d’histoire in Geneva. These fun, interactive family tours are for children aged 6-11 accompanied by an adult, they’re FREE OF CHARGE and require no previous booking, so definitely worth a try ! Tours are in French, here’s the list of upcoming dates for May: Wed. 22nd May “Métamorphoses!” and Wed. 29th May “Sur un air de luth”.

 

• until 15th May 2013: Tulip Festival in Morges (VD). Enjoy the majestic flowering of over 120,000 tulips of 300 different varieties in the Parc de l’Indépendance in Morges. Fun activities and events will also take place every weekend in the Parc de l’Indépendance, so check the official website for full details.

 

• Thursday 16th May 2013: grand opening of the new Arcade MELAZIC & The Nail Bar in Neuchâtel (rue du Seyon 21a). Pop by from 6pm to 8pm to discover this unique concept store where you’ll be able to indulge in some serious pampering and try some of Melazic‘s delicious cupcakes. Be there on time for this unmissable girls’ night-out & enjoy some bubbly, free cupcakes and a lick of nail polish !

 

• Friday 17th May 2013: The Blues Beat live jazz concert at the Cave du Château in Coppet. Doors open at 7.30pm, adult tickets are 25CHF and tickets for teenagers 15CHF. Visit the official website to reserve your tickets.

 

• 17th-19th May 2013: Les Trois Pommes d’or, theatre show for children about the ancient Greek myth of Hercules and the 3 golden apples at the Préau de l’école des Ranches in Vernier (Rue du Village 6). Performace times will be 4.30pm on Friday 17th of May; 11am & 4pm on Saturday 18th of May (followed by kids activities from midday to 5pm) and 11am on Sunday 19th of May.

 

• Saturday 18th May 2013 : M² Cirque at the Esplanade du lac in Divonne-les-Bains. An exciting juggling show from age 9, filled with all the electrifying circus skills your kids would love to learn – starting at 7.30pm, duration 1 hour. Visit the official website for ticket prices and bookings.

 

• 18th May 2013: Fête de l’Espoir at Geneva’s Stade du Bout-du-Monde (Route de Vessy 12). This is one of the city’s best music events, filled with child-friendly activities, great live music, football tournaments and more. The event is free of charge and open to all, so visit their official website for full details of the day’s programme. The outdoor kids activities will run from 1pm to 7.30pm, while the kids live concerts will be from 2pm – 3.30pm.

 

• 18th-19th May 2013: Caves Ouvertes Vaudoises, a wine-lovers dream: board one of the free shuttles and let yourself be driven to the best vineyards in the Vaud region to sample their exquisite wines. From 10am to 7pm there will be over 300 wine cellars open to the public, located in the area between Aigle, Allaman, Bex, Chexbres, Cully, Gland, Grandvaux, Lutry, Morges, Nyon, Ollon, Rolle, Villeneuve and Yverdon-les-Bains. Cheers !

 

• 18th-20th May 2013: Grand re-opening of the Red Cross Museum in Geneva, an unmissable event for the city of international peace – a weekend packed with great events to celebrate the re-opening of the Musée international de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge (Av. de la Paix 17, Geneva). From dance performances to live music, the inauguration of the newly renovated museum is set to be unforgettable, visit the official website for the full programme, entry and all activities during the grand opening will be free of charge.

 

 

• 18th-20th & 25th-26th May 2013: Les Grandes Medievales d’Andilly, an absolutely spectacular medieval fest in Andilly (France) perfect if your little ones are going through their “knight” or “princess” phase. The costumes and historical reconstructions are amazing, and the tournament shows will leave you speechless. Read all about it in our previous post – a word of warning: if the weather turns rainy you will need your wellies as the fields get quite muddy.

 

• Sunday 19th May 2013: Parade navale de la CGN, don’t miss this spectacular parade of 5 CGN steam boats Belle Epoque: Montreux, La Suisse, Savoie, Simplon & Rhône. From 1.30pm the boats will be parading along Nyon’s quays and around 8,000 people are expected to attend, so let’s hope the weather will be good ! The Musée du Léman (Quai Louis Bonnard 8, Nyon) will host a photo exhibition of historical steam boats and will also support the event. You’ll also be able to board any of the five steam boats at different locations on the lake: Lausanne, St-Sulpice, Morges, St-Prex, Nyon, Rolle, Céligny, Coppet, Versoix & Genève.

 

• until 19th May 2013: Vasarely vous a à l’œil free art exhibition at the Espace ExpoSIG (pont de la Machine, Geneva). Children will be able to play and manipulate objects to create new shapes, inspired by the paintings of French-Hungarian op artist Vasarely. Open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 5pm at the weekend, free entry and free guided tours available too.

 

• 19th-20th May 2013:  La ville est à vous returns for its 10th edition in Geneva’s Saint-Gervais with street parties, second-hand sales and activities for children. Take a look at the official website for all upcoming weekends and join in !

 

• 19th-20th May 2013: brunch at Les Jardins du Châteaux de Vuillerens has started again and will continue until Sunday 16th June 2013. Call 079 844 68 60 or email info@ateliersaveurs.ch to reserve your places, prices are 55.00CHF per person (drinks not included) and 28CHF for children aged 4 to 12. Read more about these beautiful iris gardens in our post from last spring.

 

• 19th-20th May 2013: Lilibiggs Festivals pour enfants, a great kids festival sponsored by Migros taking place in Bougy-Villars (Signal de Bougy) on the 19th-20th May 2013 and in Neuchâtel (Place Rouge) on the 3rd-4th August 2013. The theme of this year’s festival is music & circus, with great shows from Sautecroche, Denis Alber and Jacky Lagger. The concerts & shows begin at 2pm, visit the festival’s official website for more details and to book your tickets – you can get a 20% discount on family tickets using your Cumulus card. Entry is free for children under 3.

 

• until 20th May 2013: Animai Festival at the Jardin du Rivage in Vevey (VD). A fantastic – and what’s more free-of-charge! – kids festival filled with creative workshops, fun activities, live concerts for your little ones. Visit the official website for full details of what’s on each day. If your teenagers love dancing, be at the Théâtre de verdure du Jardin du Rivage from 7pm to 10pm on Sunday night for the “disco du Rivage” !

 

• Monday 20th May 2013: “CHAPORTE MOI“, a delightful circus show from age 3 by the Compagnie Commun Accord at the Esplanade du lac in Divonne-les-Bains. Show starts at 5.30pm, duration 45 mins. Visit the official website for ticket prices and bookings.

 

• Monday 20th May 2013: brunch Pentecôte at the La ferme de Merlinge in Gy (85, rte de gy). Perfect for a relaxing outdoor brunch with children, but if the weather isn’t great don’t worry: brunch will be held indoors. Find out more about it in our previous post, we absolutely loved it ! Reserve your table at 022 759 15 92 or merlinge@bluewin.ch

 

• Tuesday 21st May 2013: Atelier “saperlipopote” cookery course in French with Mathilde for kids aged 8-12. The course runs from 4.30pm to 6.30pm at the Café Julienne in Plan-les-Ouates (116, rte de St-Julien). The formula is very simple: each child brings their own apron, bento box and pays only 5 CHF per session ! The menu on Tuesday 21st of May will be: Salé – Pâte à quiche aux herbes vertes et sésame & Sucré – Fondue de rhubarbe et fraises. Places are limited so reserve yours in advance at 022 884 64 66.

 

• 21st-25th May 2013: Festival livre et petite enfance at the Promenade des Bastions (Parc des Bastions) in Geneva. A wonderful event for children offering a number of exciting shows, songs and story-times for all ages. Our boys absolutely loved it last year and we’re planning to be there again this year ! Visit the official website for full details or read our previous post for more info.

 

• Wednesday 22nd May 2013: Contes avec Florence Henry at 10am from age 2 at the Bibliothèque des Pâquis (Rue du Môle 17). Entry is free but places have to be reserved in advance at 022 418 37 52.

 

• Wednesday 22nd May 2013: Petits Rendez-vous “En un instant, tout change” at Geneva’s MAMCO for little ones aged 5-10 accompanied by an adult – free of charge and no advance booking is required. Introduce them to the joys of modern art with these fun, interactive tours starting at 3.15pm.

 

• Wednesday 22nd May 2013: “Les palmes gastronomiques” Ateliers Verts du Jardin Botanique in Geneva for kids aged 8-11 (in French). What better place than Geneva’s beautiful botanical gardens to learn more about nature, micro-organisms and plants ? These fantastic workshops take place on Wednesdays from 2pm to 4.30pm and cost 12 CHF per child. Places must be booked in advance at 022 379 70 68. Click here to donwload the full programme.

 

• Wednesday 22nd May 2013: “Métamorphoses!”, Mercredis Family the Musée d’art et d’histoire in Geneva. These fun, interactive family tours are for children aged 6-11 accompanied by an adult, they’re FREE OF CHARGE and require no previous booking, so definitely worth a try ! Tours are in French, the last appointment in may will be on Wed. 29th May “Sur un air de luth”.

 

• Wednesday 22nd May 2013: Les petits rendez-vous du mercredi autour du cinéma d’animation, free cartoon screenings for children at the Centre d’Art Contemporain Genève (Rue des Vieux-Grenadiers 10). Starting at 4pm these cinema sessions for little ones from age 5 are completey free-of-charge but places must be booked in advance at petits@animatou.com or 022 734 11 84. Click here to see which short cartoons will be shown.

 

• Wednesday 22nd May 2013: “Né pour lire” free reading session for children aged 0-5 at the Bibliothèque Forum Meyrin (1, pl. des Cinq-Continents). From 9am to 9.45am, a lovely opportunity to share a book or a story with your little tiddlers! No advance booking necessary.

 

• Thursday 23rd May 2013: Marché nocturne hebdomadaire, Coppet’s weekly farmers’ market: from 4pm tp 9pm under the beautiful arches of Place des Ormes. You’ll find organic produce, oysters, cheese, wine and delicious pâtisseries – very hard to resist!

 

• Thursday 23rd May 2013 at 9.30am & 10.30am: Contes avec Adriana Conterio from age 2 at the Bibliothèque de la Servette (Rue Veyrassat 9). Entry is free but places have to be reserved in advance at 022 418 37 82.

 

• Thursday 23rd May 2013 at 10am: Monsieur Pouce m’a dit…, storytime from age 2 at the Bibliothèque de Saint-Jean (Avenue des Tilleuls 19, entrée rue Miléant). Entry is free but places have to be reserved in advance at 022 418 92 02.

 

• Thursday 23rd May 2013 at 10am: free yoga taster sessions at the Yoga shop in Geneva (18 rue Jean-Violette) in collaboration with sports clothing brand Lolë Switzerland. No advance booking required, just be there on time for these fab free yoga lessons! From 5.15pm to 6pm focus on sun salutation & hip exercises; from 6.15pm to 7pm work on your sun salutation and shoulders. One more reason to be there:  Lolë Switzerland will be offering a special 20% discount on their fab products.

 

• Thursday 23rd May 2013 at 10am: Contes avec Florence Henry from age 2 at the Bibliothèque des Eaux-Vives (Rue Sillem 2). Entry is free but places have to be reserved in advance at 022 418 37 72.

 

• Friday 24th May 2013: “Les papillons de notre région”, a talk & picnic session in French about local butterflies species at the Pavillon Plantamour in Geneva (112 rue de Lausanne). From 6.30pm, organized by the Association la Libellule – visit their official website for more info about guided butterflies tours on the 29th May 2013.

 

• 24th-26th May 2013: Festival LudiMania’K at Estavayer-le-Lac. Entry to this Games Festival suitable from age 3, taking place in the streets of Estavayer’s old town is free of charge so definitely worth a visit !  There will be free circus and theatre shows, fun workshops and much more – visit the official website for full details and exact performance times. Workshops require previous booking online and have a small fee of 6CHF to 9CHF per child, click here to see the complete list and reserve your place.

 

• 24th-26th May 2013: “Fête de la Nature”, a yearly tradition in the Suisse Romande and a perfect way to spend a lovely weekend with your little ones enjoying the beautiful natural setting Switzerland has to offer. Take a look at the programme to decide which of the 200 free events and activities you’d like to register for in Geneva, Vaud or the rest of Suisse Romande. From guided forest walks to a star-gazing night at the Observatoire in Vevey the choice is yours !

 

• Saturday 25th May 2013: “Promenade au clair de lune” in French from age 10, organized by the by the Association la Libellule in Geneva. From 7.30pm to 11.30pm, individual or family tickets available. See the website for more info.

 

• Saturday 25th May 2013: Je trottine dans ma ville: “Rainettes et p’tits crapauds”, free guided walk for children aged 3 to 7 in Lausanne. Meet at 2pm at bus stop “Parc Rivier” bus number 2 (direction Désert). The walk, led by Floriane, will end at 4pm at the parc de Valency (bus number 9 nearby). These wonderful walks are especially devised for young children and a lovely way to discover your new city, although they last 2 hours actual walking time is only 45 mins maximum. No advance booking required.

 

• Saturday 25th May 2013: Journée «Nature en ville» in Nyon. This event is part of the “Fête de la Nature” celebrations in Suisse romande and will offer a variety of fab activities for the whole family. From 10am to 5pm behind Nyon’s train station, you will be able to take part in vegetable-growing workshops, urban safaris, as well as tastings of local produce and delicacies. See the official website for full details.

 

• Saturday 25th May 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 25th May 2013: Aubonne Gourmande, a lovely gourmet market and a 5km evening stroll through the medieval alleys of the pretty town of Aubonne (VD). Indulge your foodie side or just enjoy the lovely views “au clair de lune”, while nibbling on local delicacies or taking part in the many family activities planned.

 

• Saturday 25th May 2013: Caves Ouvertes Genève, a wine-lovers dream: board one of the free shuttles and let yourself be driven to the best vineyards of the Geneva region to sample their exquisite wines. Discover Geneva’s best wine cellars from 10am to 7pm, cheers !

 

• 25th-26th May 2013: Léguel, a delightful puppetshow from age 5 part of the Mai au Parc Festival at the Villa Bernasconi in Geneva (Route du Grand-Lancy 8). Inspired by a traditional African tale, this is the story of an abandoned little girl who grows up inside a tree. The show takes place under a yourte tent and entry is free, performace times are 4.30pm on Saturday and 2.30pm on Sunday.

 

• 25th-26th May 2013: Urban Geneva festival at the plaine de Plainpalais has unfortunately been cancelled due to bad weather. Visit the official website for full details.

 

• 25th-26th May 2013: atelier Yoga-dance with Alexandra MacDonald at the Auditorium de l’Hermitage in Lausanne (Route du Signal 2). The course is 140CHF per person, see www.alexandramacdonald.com for more details or call 079 760 60 84.

 

• 25th-26th May 2013: special offer FÊTE DES MÈRES at Aquaparc in Le Bouveret. Mums, fill in the online form to get your free entry ticket when you go to Aquaparc on the 25th-26th of May 2013 accompanied by your child/children, who will need to purchase a day-ticket.

 

• 25th-26th May 2013: La ville est à vous returns for its 10th edition in Geneva’s Geisendorf neighbourhood with street parties, second-hand sales and activities for children. Take a look at the official website for all upcoming weekends and join in !

 

• 25th-26th May 2013: Les Grandes Medievales d’Andilly, an absolutely spectacular medieval fest in Andilly (France) perfect if your little ones are going through their “knight” or “princess” phase. The costumes and historical reconstructions are amazing, and the tournament shows will leave you speechless. Read all about it in our previous post – a word of warning: if the weather turns rainy you will need your wellies as the fields get quite muddy.

 

• 25th-26th May 2013: “Si c’etatit moi j’aurais fait autrement”, music and story-time from age 7 at the Théâtre Micromegas in Ferney Voltaire (24 bis rue de Meyrin). Performances at 5pm on Saturday and 3pm on Sunday, click here to buy tickets.

 

• Sunday 26th May 2013:  “Plume l’ours polaire” an adorable musical from age 3 at the Théâtre Benno Besson in Yverdon. This is the story of the little polar bear Plume and his friend Filou, a young seal. Click here for ticket prices and bookings.

 

• Sunday 26th May 2013: Marché bio in Ferney Voltaire (France). A fantastic opportunity to buy organic produce from local regional farmers from 9am to 5pm in the town centre, Grand’rue, Place de la Comédie & Parc de l’abbé Boisson.

 

• Sunday 26th May 2013: Les Dimanches Enchantés at the Vallée de la Jeunesse in Lausanne (Vallée de la Jeunesse 1). A lovely way to spend Sunday with your little buttons: from 10am to 3pm the little theatre of the Vallée de la Jeunesse will open its doors to all families with children aged 2 to 6 for a show and fun workshop – bring your own picnic for a truly great day-out ! The show at 11.30am on Sunday 26th of May will be: “Radio Nulla”, a circus & street art show followed by a circus & make-up skills workshop. Tickets are 4CHF for children over 2 years and 5 CHF for adults. No advance booking necessary.

 

• Sunday 26th May 2013: “Le trésor caché du pirate” Sonia Grimm’s latest show for kids from age 2 at the Théâtre de Marens in Nyon. From 4pm your little pirates ahoy will be entertained with music and songs (in French): my kids loved every minute of it! Tickets can be booked here.

 

• Tuesday 28th May 2013: Né pour lire reading sessions for little ones aged 6 months to 4 years-old at the Bibliothèque de Carouge (boulevard des Promenades 2 bis). Session starts at 10am until 10.45am, no advance booking required, a lovely way to introduce your little buttons to the joys of books and meet other mums.

 

• Wednesday 29th May 2013: “Sur un air de luth”, Mercredis Family the Musée d’art et d’histoire in Geneva. These fun, interactive family tours are for children aged 6-11 accompanied by an adult, they’re FREE OF CHARGE and require no previous booking, so definitely worth a try ! Tours are in French.

 

• Wednesday 29th May 2013: Petits Rendez-vous “Suis le fantôme du musée!” at Geneva’s MAMCO for little ones aged 5-10 accompanied by an adult – free of charge and no advance booking is required. Introduce them to the joys of modern art with these fun, interactive tours starting at 3.15pm.

 

• Wednesday 29th May 2013: Les petits rendez-vous du mercredi autour du cinéma d’animation, free cartoon screenings for children at the Centre d’Art Contemporain Genève (Rue des Vieux-Grenadiers 10). Starting at 4pm these cinema sessions for little ones from age 5 are completey free-of-charge but places must be booked in advance at petits@animatou.com or 022 734 11 84. Click here to see which short cartoons will be shown.

 

• Wednesday 29th May 2013: “Petites histoires familiales” at the Salle des Chevaliers in Rolle at 10am, 2pm and 4pm. Entry is free (donations gratefully accepted at the exit) and fun for all is guaranteed !

 

• Thursday 30th May 2013: Nature photography hike series with SheZone, in collaboration with Michelle Petersen Photography. If you would like to discover beautiful areas of the Jura mountains while also learning to capture beautiful nature shots with your camera, then these hikes are for you. The first series of five hikes starts on Thursday 30th of May 2013 until the end of June. The second series will begin in September. For more information and to sign up, visit the SheZone website.

 

• 30th May -2nd June 2013: Festi’neuch festival, Neuchâtel’s open-air festival. Sunday 2nd of June will be dedicated to families with plenty of child-friendly activity, shows and live music. Doors will open at 11am on Sunday, visit the official website for full details and to book tickets. If you travel to Neuchâtel by train you will benefit from a 20% discount on your return train ticket and a reduced price on your festival tickets.

 

• Friday 31st May 2013: La Fête des Voisins in France & Switzerland is a great opportunity to organize a street party and get to know your neighbours better !

 

SAVE THE DATE:

• Sunday 2nd June 2013: Sonia Grimm at the Maxi-Kids festival 2013 at the Palladium de Champéry‎ in Champéry, approx. 1 hour and a half from Geneva (Route du Centre Sportif 1). Sonia Grimm’s shows are just fantastic and perfect for toddlers as well as older children, as my 8 year-old said “mummy, I thought this would be a show for babies but instead it was trop cool !”. The great news about this event is that her concert will be free of charge for all children under the age of 4. Doors will open at 4pm, so get there on time to get good seats, the show will start at 5pm. Visit the Maxi-Rire Festival website for more details and to book your tickets.

 

ONGOING:

• until 19th June 2013: Les 3 petits cochons, the 3 little pigs come to the Théâtre des Lutins in Lausanne (Rue Petit-Saint-Jean 1A). A delightful puppet-show from age 4. Click here for performance times and to book tickets.

 

• until 26th June 2013: Chapeau les champignons! Wednesday workshops in French from age 7 at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle in Geneva (1 route de Malagnou). The workshops are free of charge and take place every Wednesday from 2pm to 4.30pm on the second floor. Your little explorers will be able to learn more about the secret and fascinating world of mushrooms and also make some great mushroom-themed crafts! The workshops run in parallel with a new exhibition organized in collaboration with the Société mycologique de Genève starting on the 14th of March until the 4th of August 2013.

 

• until 30th June 2013: Fille ou garçon, ça change quoi ?, an exhibition at the Vallée de la Jeunesse in Lausanne (Vallée de la Jeunesse 1) for children aged 5 to 11. What makes boys and girls different ? An interactive, fun way to challenge and overcome our preconceptions – my eldest son visited the exhibition with his class and had a fab time, saying there were lots of interesting games to play ! Closed on Mondays, except on the 20th of May 2013, click here for more details.

 

• 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 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 !

 

• 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 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.