Genève on the Run

The night before my first outing in Geneva, I planned a course toward Lake Geneva, a little over a mile from our Airbnb. 🗺️

I exited the building the next morning into the chilly Geneva air, which felt like a morning in Reno. Confident in my sense of direction, I started running west on the street in front of our building. A few blocks later, I figured out the lake was to the northeast. Oops. So much for my sense of direction. 😂

By the time I got started, the streets were buzzing with activity. Morning commuters were running to catch their trains and buses, and parents were hustling their kids toward school, while I was huffing and puffing my way through the city.

My first glimpse of Lake Geneva came as I trotted around a light rail stop (no, I didn’t ride the train to get there) and crossed over one of the canals that acts as an outlet for the lake. As I approached the Pont du Mont-Blanc (Mont Blanc Bridge), I picked up my pace to make the green light at the crosswalk.

I’ve accepted that my speed is a thing of the past and I ended up in the middle of the intersection when the light changed. 😬 Fortunately, the Swiss drivers were very kind and allowed me to reach the sidewalk before continuing their routes.

I learned later that Lake Geneva is the largest lake in the Alps and one of the largest in Western Europe. It helped explain why the lake disappeared into the horizon after I had run another mile along the promenade.  

I also unknowingly crossed the Rhône River yet again, as it rises in the Alps near its source, the Rhône Glacier, and passes through Lake Geneva before continuing toward Lyon, eventually emptying into the Mediterranean.  

Running is often humbling. I felt good and was happy with my 10:20ish pace. As I turned back toward home, another runner appeared on my right and made it seem as if I had stopped – ouch. I’m chalking it up to her youth and cool shoes. 🏃‍♀️

On my second outing, I set out in the afternoon under cloudy skies and light rainfall. I found another river (L’Arve), go figure, an amusing mural (maybe Adam and Eve  🤷‍♀️), and, wait for it, more old buildings. 

The trail near L’Arve had a paved option, which was a bit uneven, a bike lane, and a few DG areas. I opted for the bike lane and did my best to hop out of it when bicyclists were heading toward me. We stayed in Geneva for three nights, and I didn’t have a chance to run any of the paths in the nearby parks.

On my cooldown, I saw one fantastic restaurant after another. It made me wish we were staying longer, although Geneva can be expensive, so I was good with the shorter stay.

Next stop – Milano!