A Day in Lavaux: Enjoying Swiss Wine Where It’s Most Beautiful

The scenery that unfolds during a hike in Lavaux is among the most beautiful in Switzerland. Depending on your mood, you can choose a short stroll along the old vineyard walls or opt for a longer hike through the wine-growing region between Lausanne and Vevey.

Either way, you’ll enjoy stunning views of the sparkling blue Lake Geneva and the snow-capped Alps in the background. Along the way, you’ll pass through charming winegrowers' villages like Saint-Saphorin, Rivaz, or Cully.

In the local wine cellars, you can taste the regional wines on site. Lavaux is particularly known for its Chasselas. A tasting reveals that wines of the same grape variety can have very different nuances, especially if the grapes grew on different soils.

For an exquisite experience, a stop in Chexbres is recommended. Here, you’ll find La Vigne Spa – a place of relaxation amidst the vineyards. While soaking in a warm bath and enjoying the view, you’ll be served a glass of Chasselas.

Afterwards, head to the transparent dome where the treatment continues with a scrub, a wrap, and a massage. What makes this special: the scrub consists of dried pomace from Merlot or Pinot Noir grapes, and the body wrap is made from wine yeast of Chasselas grapes.

In an interview, co-founder Christian Jacot-Descombes reveals how La Vigne Spa was founded, what makes its offerings so unique, and what their future plans are.

If you’re in the mood for an aperitif after the relaxing wellness treatment, you don’t have to go far: La Vigne Spa is located on a parcel of Domaine Bovy, an established winery in Lavaux. The estate has an inviting veranda with a terrace – perfect for enjoying a glass of local wine.

Eric Bovy, who runs the winery with his brother Bertrand, explains here why Swiss wines don’t need to hide from their international competitors and what myths surround them.

A perfect day in Lavaux naturally includes delicious food. To find a restaurant, take a look at the Swiss Wine Gourmet website. There, you’ll find over 1000 establishments across Switzerland that have been awarded the Swiss Wine Gourmet label. This label is only given to restaurants with a good selection of Swiss wines.

The Auberge de la Gare in Grandvaux has received the highest rating of three wine glasses. Indeed, the wine list curated by hosts Philippe and Raymonde Delessert offers a wide variety of wines from Lavaux, the canton of Vaud, and the rest of Switzerland.

According to Philippe Delessert, 90 percent of the wines in his restaurant come from the area between Vevey and Lutry. “Our guests like to drink wine from here. It’s a great advantage that we are in the heart of Lavaux,” says the restaurant owner.

Local winemakers occasionally taste a wine from Graubünden or Aargau at their place. Philippe Delessert welcomes this as a sign of openness. “However, if a tourist comes here and asks for an Italian Barolo, it does irritate me a bit.”

In promoting Swiss products, the Delesserts go so far as to offer their guests a local alternative for the classic Aperol Spritz – naturally with a sparkling wine from Lavaux.

In the kitchen, Philippe Delessert personally oversees the stove. He focuses on solid craftsmanship and varied dishes that highlight fresh, seasonal products from the region.