Afternoon Walk around Villette Park in nearby Cham

 (This post created on February 10, 2025)

Friday June 7, 2019 -- Another very hot day in this unseasonably warm early June, so we decided to go out for ice cream at the town of Cham, just one town over from where we live. But before that treat, first a small walk through the Villette Park near the Cham train station and along the lakeshore, where we enjoyed watching the lake birds and even witnessed a wedding party getting their photos taken.

Our little walk around the park and to the ice-cream place ended up being two kilometers, which is quite the achievement for my poor mom, who just recently started suffering leg pain while walking.

Information placards at the train station and the Park in Cham: Apparently the train station was built five years before any trains ever stopped here, so eager were the citizens to get train service here! As far as the park, the town was able to purchase the eastern part of the privately-owned Villette Property in 1948 for just under 11 Francs per square meter! 

From the train station in Cham (2:30 p.m.), we walked to the Cham lakeshore park and public access (where the ship also docks). What a wonderful geranium display!

From the lakeshore, we could see the steeple of the St.Jacob Catholic church in Cham, across from the train station. At 71.90 meters, this church has the highest bell tower in Canton Zug. 

There is a small island connected with a bridge, and this is where we headed. 

We found a well-placed bench on the small island and enjoyed time in the shade of the trees on this very hot day! (In the background is Mount Rigi, on the south end of Lake Zug). 

Unusual art in the lake

We often see cormorants on this lake. It looks like this one is using more lake art to perch on!

The usual lake birds here: Swans, Coots, Grebes. The Coot babies are UGLY!

Other people enjoying this beautiful day! This is a view of the Central Alps, near Engelberg I believe. 

On the other side of the little bridge are the grounds of the Villette (now owned by the community of Cham since 1983). We are headed there now, to walk along the perimeter of the park along the lakeshore. 

Another great walking effort from my mom, total of two kilometers this day. (In the background is the ship on Lake Zug, the one my mom rode a few days earlier, docking at the public beach access near the St.Andreas Castle). 

View of the Villette building directly from the south, with the church bell-tower absolutely dwarfing the building! There is a very fancy restaurant in that building now, with a lovely garden patio. 

History of the Villette: At this site just south of the railway line, there used to be a farm which was heavily affect by the building of the railway. A rich banker from Zurich (Heinrich Schulthess-von Meiss) bought the property and used the rubble from the railway to extend the property into the lake. The villa was built from 1864 to 1866 and served as summer residence for the family. By 1983, the community of Cham had purchased the entire property (in sections over decades since 1948). 

A bridal party uses the park for photos

The lovely Villette Park, a nice spot for wedding photos. 

And now back past the train station again, we pass the St.Jacob's church on our way to the ice cream parlour. 

Not a bad way to end the summer afternoon walk!

This is the little circuit tour we made, first to the public beach access, then around the Villette Park, and up the main road in Cham. Luckily there was a bus stop right in front of the ice cream place, so we didn't have to walk back to the train station. We headed back home at about 4:30 p.m.