Interview with Matthias Eigenmann (Geneva Spotter)

Matthias Eigenmann, Geneva

Matthias Eigenmann, Geneva

An interview with Matthias Eigenmann, a Spotter for our Geneva city blog. Who is this guy supplying you with tips for Geneva, what drives him? Well look no further! Matthias is a 28 year old lawyer. Because of his job he does wear suits every now and then, but when he’s not working he prefers baggie pants, t-shirts and snap-back caps, “I try to live like 20 years young as well as I can”.

Can you tell us a little more about yourself?
I’m a music addict, my iTunes library is over 1000 albums deep. I hope one day my vinyl collection will outnumber this. I like to sleep late and chill but give me a snowboard, a skateboard or a football and I’m all action!

How do you like being a Spotter?
I really like to share my favorite spots in Geneva. Spotting also ensures I keep my eyes open and take the time to check out places. Before I was a Spotter I often walked by restaurants, bars, shops etc. and thought they looked nice but then I never went inside. Now that doesn’t happen that often anymore. However the best Spotter-stories are always those the Spotters of other cities make possible by sharing their favorite places.

Why Geneva? What is a must when visiting Geneva and what isn’t?
In my opinion, Geneva is one of the best places to be in Switzerland during the summer months. The old-town is nice and all but what really makes the city for me is the lake. I love to hang out at the lakeside with a beer on a warm summer night. That’s also why the ‘Fête de Genève’ is to be avoided!!! During this unpleasant event the lakeside is occupied by too many people, screams from roller-coasters and very bad music!

Which prejudices about Geneva are true and which are not?
It’s true that there are a lot of private banks, major international corporations and UHNWI (Ultra-High-Net-Worth-Individuals; yes there’s a dedicated acronym for this). It’s not true however, that this makes the city dull and boring!

What do you know about Geneva that no tourist will?
There really is nothing special about the flower clock! Don’t waste your time and go somewhere else, for example the Musée d’Histoire des Sciences at Parc de la Perle du Lac. If you’re not interested in science, just the premises alone are worth seeing and the Parc de la Perle du Lac is beautiful too!

What is the most popular neighborhood to live in at the moment?
I live in Eaux-Vives which is great because the lake is kind of the big swimming pool in my backyard. Otherwise Carouge would surely be great to live in. It’s more alternative and younger than other areas of the city. There are a lot of clubs, bars, nice restaurants, markets and so on.

Can you share your perfect day with us?
Starting with brunch at Tout Simplement et Pas Autrement. Then cruising through the city to the Skatepark at Plainpalais for a good skate session. At some point during the skateboarding I’ll get some sushi-to-go from Tanuki and eat it at the Skatepark while watching guys who skate better than I do…

Then after getting my board-shorts at home I’d get some of Geneva’s best ice cream at Gelatomania and enjoy it on the lakeside near Baby-Plage. Later on I’d take my hipster fixie and cruise to Carouge to have dinner at Equinoxe sitting outside, one of the best places to have dinner on a warm summer evening.

After dinner I’d hop on over to Le Chat Noir to have a cocktail and for sure you’ll find a great concert in the basement. All these activities, except the skateboarding, would of course include my girlfriend ;-).

Is there something else you’d like to share?
Make sure you have fun on your city trips!

Read more of Matthias’ articles here, or check out the other Spotter interviews here.

Last Changed Date: 2016-05-19 11:45:13 +0200 (Thu, 19 May 2016)