Lava Terraced Vineyards

Lavaux is the great vineyard slope of Lake Geneva, a strip of steep terraces about thirty kilometres long that runs east from the outskirts of Lausanne toward Vevey and the castle of Chillon. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, and the reason is plain as soon as you look at it: hundreds of narrow stone-walled terraces step down the hillside, each holding a few rows of vines, all the way to the water's edge. The scene is a rare example of a landscape shaped almost entirely by hand over many centuries.

The terraces date back to the Middle Ages, when Cistercian and Benedictine monks planted vines on the sunny slope and later generations of winegrowers kept building walls to hold the soil. Grapes here benefit from what locals call the three suns: direct sunlight, light reflected from the lake, and heat stored in the stone walls and released at night. The main grape is Chasselas, a white variety that makes fresh, mineral wines which express the soil of each village. Saint-Saphorin, a small hamlet of stone houses and narrow lanes, is among the best preserved of the wine villages, and its inn, the Auberge de l'Onde, has been serving guests for generations.

Walking is the best way to see the region. A network of signposted paths crosses the slope, linking Saint-Saphorin with neighbouring villages such as Epesses, Cully and Rivaz, and the walk between them passes through vines, over walls and past small wine cellars that open their doors to visitors. Many producers welcome walkers for a tasting, and a handful of small wine bars operate in season. Views of the lake and the mountains of Savoy on the far shore are constant companions.

The Train des Vignes, a small tourist train that runs from Vevey to Puidoux-Chexbres through the vineyards, offers an easy way to see the slope from above. Boats on the lake and ordinary trains along the shore provide other approaches.

Harvest time in autumn is the most colourful season, though spring and summer are also beautiful. Wear good shoes, bring water, and remember that the terraces are working farmland: stay on the paths and avoid picking grapes.