1936 On the Continent

will find the Chapel of the Maccabees, of which John Knox was the Pastor of the English Protestants from 1556 to 1558, and even to this day services of the Church of Scotland are held here in summer. Between Geneva and Lausanne lie a number of small villages which all seem to cluster round old castles. The most famous of these is Coppet, where lived Necker, the Finance Minister of Louis XVI. His daughter, Mme. de Staël, inherited it from him, and here she held many of her brilliant salons which were attended by most of the literary celebrities of the Continent. On this part of the lake lies Nyon, the Roman Noviodunum, which is well worth while exploring as it still contains many medieval characteristics. Part of the old town walls are still standing. From Nyon we take the train for St. Cergue, a delightful little resort at the foot of the Dôle, the second highest peak in the Jura. St. Cergue is famous for its view of the lake and mountains on the farther shore.
Lausanne
    We now come to Lausanne, the capital of the Canton of Vaud. Lausanne is built on three hills, and the best way to see it for the first time is from Ouchy, the harbour of the town. From here one sees first the flowery slopes, then the houses clinging on the hill-side and above the red roofs of the houses are flung the arches of the great bridges and viaducts which connect the hills, while some of the lower houses are connected by tunnels. The apex of the picture is formed by the Cathedral of Notre Dame, which stands on the highest hill.
    If we ascend to the town by the funicular and gaze over the lake from the cathedral, the view is simply magnificent. The cathedral is by many people considered to be the finest church in Switzerland, and although the various parts were built at different periods it forms a very harmonious whole. It seems to be the focal point of the town and all the streets and curious covered stairways seem to lead to it, somewhat as all the streets in Montmartre seem to end at the Sacré Cœur. Near the cathedral is the Château St. Maire, built in the fourteenth century,from the terraces of which there is a fine view over the town, the lake and the mountains on the French side of the lake.
    There is a considerable foreign colony living in Lausanne, but the local life can best be seen on the Wednesday and Friday of each week, when the peasants of the surrounding villages come into town in their costumes, which lend a note of colour to the proceedings. Above the town is a fine park, with restaurants and a lake. This site was once densely wooded and legend has it that it was once the home of Belin the Sun God and Healer. Among the famous people who have lived in Lausanne is Gibbon, who completed the
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
there, as well as Dickens while he was working on
Dombey and Son
. Lausanne is very proud of its eighteen-hole golf course, which is one of the finest in Europe.
    From Lausanne to Montreux there is an almost unbroken line of white hotels fringing the lake front, as this is by far the finest portion of a lake which is nowhere anything less than beautiful.
Vevey
    Next we reach Vevey, which is the principal town of the district and is of great antiquity, being built on the site of the Roman town of Vibiscum. Vevey offers many modern amenities while still retaining the characteristics of a Swiss town of the Middle Ages. From here we can travel on the funicular to Mont Pélerin and go on to the pretty village of Blonay with an old castle * . Life at Vevey is quieter than at Montreux and visitors who do not wish to stay at an ultra-fashionable resort would do well to make Vevey their headquarters for the Lake of Geneva. All the lakeside resorts can be reached by steamer and by train, and the country behind the town offers many lovely walks. Montreux itself can be reached in half an hour, so that there is much to recommend Vevey. Near the town is the village of La Tour de Peilz, literally “the tower of pelts,” and it is said that at one time the old castle round which the houses cluster was roofed with skins.
    Along the lakeshore from Vevey to Villeneuve the scenery becomes even more beautiful, if this be possible,and the trees come right down to the water’s edge in many places. We now come to the three towns of Montreux, Territet and Clarens, which are practically one. Montreux-Territet is a fine modern town, offering every facility for pleasure. The promenade runs along the lakeside for nearly 5