Vieille-ville Geneva – All our local tips

Ladies, if you love shoes, this place is a must! I am not exactly a shop-o-holic but if I feel like having some retail therapy and want to treat myself to a really funky pair of shoes, this is where I spend my cash.

The shop is not very big and if you intend going shopping on Saturday or in the evening beware: it will be crowded! They sell some great brands that you will hardly find in other shops here: Camper, Kickers, Rocket Dog… It is a young, trendy and colourful collection and you can find a pair of sexy stilettos as well as some comfy shoes to explore the city!

The boutique is conveniently located at Rue de la Corraterie, a few steps from Place de Neuve and Parc des Bastions (check the Parc des Bastions article) and the shopping spree can easily be part of your sightseeing tour.

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“Pompes Funèbres” | Shopping
Rue de la Corraterie 19 | Vieille-ville | +41223100490
Mon 12:00 – 18:00, Tue – Wed & Fri – Sat 10:00 – 18:00, Thu 10:00 – 19:00

The “Alhambar” is certainly not an insider tip anymore – the place if famous enough to figure in the Lonely Planet guide! But famous or not, I love the fancy decoration of the bar which has been described as ‘retro-futurist’.

The restaurant is open for lunch during the week and serves brunch on Sunday. In the evening (from 17:00), the trendy place becomes a ‘night bar’ with themed music nights (see programme). Depending on the event and the DJ there is a small admission fee to pay but most nights are free.

I like the Alhambar for a drink after work when it is still fairly quiet and I can chill out on one of the dark red couches. If you come a bit later (from 22:00, depending on the day) you better like crowds!

Once the lights are dimmed and the DJ’s get to work, the place fills up quickly and you will have to fight in order to get a seat!

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Alhambar | Bars, Restaurants (Lunch)
Rue de la Rôtisserie 10 | Vieille-ville | +41223121313
Mon 12:00 – 14:00, Tue – Wed 12:00 – 14:00 & 17:00 – 01:00, Thu – Fri 12:00 – 14:00 & 17:00 – 02:00, Sat 16:00 – 02:00,
Sun 11:00 – 00:00

The “Grütli is one of my all-time-favourites. It combines art and culture with culinary pleasures and if you are interested in theatre and cinema and appreciate fine food in a relaxed non-smoking environment, do not miss this place!

The building, a former school built in the early 1870’s, is owned by the city of Geneva and has been transformed into the “house of art” (Maison des Arts du Grütli) in 1987 by well-known architects. Several film-festivals take place here during the year offering a great selection of films and documentaries from all over the world. Showings usually come with French/German or sometimes English subtitles.

The restaurant, called “Café du Grütli”, is my favourite place for a drink or dinner. Indulge in its creative cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere, flick through art magazines or admire temporary exhibitions. The menu changes each season and the desserts are a must (try the “crème brulée”, it is divine). The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner every day of the week and has a great terrace as well as good, friendly service.

Please note: the restaurant is closed on Sundays during the month of August.

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Café du Grütli | Art & culture, Cinemas, Theaters, Restaurants | Main from CHF 30
Général Dufour 16 | Vieille-ville | +41223215158
Mon – Thu 08:00 – 00:00, Fri 08:00 – 01:00, Sat 16:00 – 01:00, Sun 10:00 – 22:30 (Aug closed on Sun)

Chez Ma Cousine is right below the Place du Bourg de Four and is a really nice restaurant, if you like chicken of course, because this is their specialty. You can either choose it in a salad or hot.

The menu isn’t extremely extensive, but people usually go their because it is a cheap and good restaurant in the center of the city, and it is as well a great alternative to the Mac Donald’s. And of course, healthier:-)!

At lunch, it is usually crowded by working people who eat their meal on the little terrace or pick it up and eat it in a little park nearby. Otherwise, people hanging out with friends or couples having a great time together can be seen. There are not a lot of tables in the front, but a lovely little extra room at the back of the restaurant will welcome you if you are a group of friends.

You can find this restaurant in two other areas in Geneva (on the right side of the city called St-Gervais, down the train station and in le Petit Saconnex). The portions are very generous and you will definitely feel full afterwards. Afterwards you can hang out in the old town and have a drink in La Clemence (check the La Clemence article), La Demi-Lune (check the La Demi-Lune article) or other bars in the pedestrian streets.

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Chez Ma Cousine | Restaurants (French food) | Chicken menu CHF 15.00
Place du Bourg de Four 6 | Vieille-ville | +41223109696
11:30 – 23:30 daily

You know autumn has come to Geneva, when you smell the hot chestnuts. In fact, autumn in Geneva is all about chestnuts.

Chestnuts all over the ground in the Parc des Bastions, chestnuts on the Treille, grilled chestnuts’ shells to crush – that sound, it’s perfect ! – and that famous grilled chestnuts smell everywhere in the city.

I don’t like chestnuts’ taste, but I do like the way they smell – I’m quite complicated with food – but I can tell by the number of people eating some, that it might be appreciable. And they’re hot, the perfect thing for a rainy, windy, cold shopping afternoon.

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Hot Chestnuts | Snacks | 100 gr CHF 3.00
Place du bourg-de-four | Vieille-ville
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 19:00, Sat 09:00 – 18:00

La Clémence is the bar I would take every visitor to.

The first reason would be its location, right on the Place du Bourg-de-Four. This is the most strategic point of the old town, near almost everything, like the shopping streets or the cathedral.

I wouldn’t be able to say if I prefer it in the morning with an espresso, a croissant and the newspaper, after work with a fresh beer, or in the evening, before going out.

When the weather allows it, the terrace is set up and a massive crowd invades the place. You can get a grasp of the popularity of la Clémence by seeing the nearest bars – which are even more than near, just beside la Clémence as you can guess on the photo – half empty (I insist, not half-full) while it’s legendary competitor is overwhelmed by clients.

If it’s too cold to be outside, just enter the tiny bar: you’ll enjoy the charming wooden banks and stools, the old-fashioned atmosphere and the conversations with the regular barflies! Let’s just hope it won’t lose its charm by losing the smoke (the new non-smoking law is now in force)…

My favorite bar, by far!

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La Clémence | Bars | Beer CHF 4.20
Place du Bourg-de-four 20 | Vieille-ville
Sun – Thu 08:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 08:00 – 02:00

La Demi Lune is a bar-restaurant located in the Old Town, closed to the Place du Bourg de Four and La Clemence (check the La Clemence article).

It is a nice spot filled with comfortable couches at the back, high tables and chairs in the center and a little room to eat.

Their cocktails are great (you should try the Demi Lune cocktail!). Their meals are really good : among others you can choose from tandori chicken, spring rolls and hamburgers…

The staff is young (students mainly) and the music is quite jazzy most of the time, although you can hear some french music and others from time to time!

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La Demi-Lune | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (International) | Hamburger CHF 15.00
Rue Etienne Dumont 3 | Vieille-ville | +41223121290
Mon – Wed 10:00 – 01:00, Thu – Fri 10:00 – 02:00, Sat 16:00 – 02:00 , Sun 16:00 – 01:00

The Mortimer is a French restaurant right next to Chez Ma Cousine (check the Chez Ma Cousine article) in the Old Town. If you want to have a nice view of the city, you can take the stairs in the rocks outside the cafe, right next to the terrace and you will have nothing else to do than enjoying!!!

The building in which it is located has been built in the XVIth century and is very beautiful. I particularly like this place, because it is a very warm spot, and the atmosphere remembers me of the very typical Parisian bars, possibly because of the posters on the wall that I love.

When the night comes, candles are switched on which give the spot a intimate atmosphere.

The meals are really delicious, the wines as well, and the waiters and waitresses are always friendly, even if there are many customers. The terrace in the shadow is very pleasant. You’ll have a very nice time hanging around here!

Don’t forget to taste their very famous home-made chocolate cake! A cappuccino will be great with it, but a glass of water as well!

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Le Mortimer | Restaurants (French) | Meal CHF 30.00
Place du Bourg-de-Four 2 | Vieille-ville | +41223101398
Mon – Sat 06:00 – 00:00

A very nice family decided one day to rent this little arcade in the main street of the Old Town, renovate it and turn it into this amazing place. It is a good spot to have some rest after visiting the St. Pierre Cathedral for example which is nearby.

There are a few tables upstairs where the kitchen is located as well and downstairs the rest of the tables. Personally I prefer upstairs, because you can see the mother of the family rushing behind the stoves in order to make delicious sweet or spicy pancakes (chocolate and coconut pancake and curry pancake being my favorites!). You can book a table for lunch, but do not go there if you just want to have a drink. As there is not a lot of tables, people who want to spend some time there are hungry and will want a pancake!

At lunch, there are very good meals that you can have either outside on the terrace or inside. The father of the family is the waiter and is very friendly. Sometimes, his daughters help him with the customers and the atmosphere is very pleasant. A very nice spot in the middle of the Old Town!

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Le Rozzel | Restaurants (Pancakes) | Pancake from CHF 8.00
18 Grande Rue | Vieille-ville | +41223118929
Mon – Sat 11:00 – 18:00

Very chic! Whether you are looking for quality postcards or exclusive gifts, this well-established, stylish stationary shop has it all.

Brachard is a family-run business and was established in 1839. Geneva’s best “papeterie” (French for stationary shop) is located in a beautiful building at the Rue de la Corraterie where it has been for over 70 years.

On four different floors you will find a wide selection of luxury pens, high quality writing paper, leather-bound agendas and diaries, office material, calligraphy items and much more.

They are specialized in custom-made and personalized products and you can also have your business or invitation cards printed. If you have some cash to spend and want to be served by competent and friendly staff, this is the place to go.

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Papeterie Brachard | Shopping
Rue de la Corraterie 10 | Vieille-ville | +41228170555
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 18:30, Sat 09:30 – 18:00

Another green spot I have to write about. It’s the park I used to go every day after school when I was a kid, and the park I still go to, either to play football – during the summer you’ll see many different groups playing from the end of the afternoon until dawn – or just to relax with a good book.

Speaking of relaxing: each summer for 6 years now, the city offers the possibility to borrow free deck chairs and even books – but I think you will have to test your French as I’m not sure they lend English books…

The park is huge  – 11 hectares – located in a rich neighbourhood, a 15 minutes’ walk away from the old town, therefore this spot is guaranteed flowered-clock-tourists-free, locals-full.

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Parc Bertrand | Relaxing | Free
Avenue Peschier | Vieille-ville
Daily

Geneva has many parks but my favourite is Parc des Bastions. Students, families, tourists and locals – people from all walks of life come here to chill out.

The park used to be Geneva’s first botanical garden until the end of the 19th century and it is still an extremely popular place. If you take the slightest interest in Geneva’s history, you can admire the Reformation wall, a rather impressive monument, erected in 1909 in honour of the founders of Protestantism.

Bring your food and drink and have a picnic or enjoy the terrace of the pavilion-restaurant. The park is full of statues and fountains and has over 50 varieties of rare trees. The giant (life-sized) chess and checker games right at the main entrance are a popular meeting place all year round and those who are travelling with a laptop may appreciate the wireless hotspot of the park.

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Parc des Bastions | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free
Place de Neuve | Vieille-ville
24 hours daily

I’m a football (soccer) fan, especially interested in English football (Glory, glory Man United…) and I like to watch the games with a fresh pint of Guinness.

Luc already wrote about the Pickwick (check the Pickwick article), which has probably the best British mood for games, but it’s too far for me. Therefore, I go either to the Lady Godiva (see below), or to the Springbros, lost in the old town.

It has that ambiguous warm and gloomy atmosphere of the typical all-wooden Irish pub. The barmen – very friendly – speak English (meaning they might have some notions in French, but don’t like to show it!). Many customers speak English too, and so you forget quickly you’re in Geneva, and then remember vividly Geneva is an international city.

The main problem with the bar is that it opens at 17:00, which might be too late for some Premier league games. But they’re open 7 days a week until 02:00, and offer different themes for each day of the week when no game is shown. And of course, you can always play darts.

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Springbros. Irish Pub | Bars | Pint of Guiness CHF 7.50
Grand-rue 23 | Vieille-ville | +41223124008
17:00 – 02:00 daily