Fields of Wild Narcissi at Les Pléiades near Lake Geneva

Sunday May 29, 2022 -- Earlier in the year, Urs had expressed an interest in seeing the famous narcissus fields of Les Avants near Lake Geneva, an excursion I did with a friend in 2019 (those fantastic photos are HERE) but then we forgot to check the online Narcissus Calendar, and by now those flowers were all withered and over.

But at a higher elevation nearby, on the mountain called Les Pléiades near Vevey, the calendar showed that there were still several fields in full bloom, so as the only nice weather this Sunday was going to be in that corner of the country anyway, we headed out on a 4-hour train trip to go see the pretty flowers. These wild narcissi grow in a lot of places, but Les Avants and Les Pléiades are famous for fields so full of white flowers, that they look like they are covered in snow. 

It was looking good for the whole trip down, lots of sunshine and blue skies, but as luck would have it, a thick dark cloud blocked the sun as we got to Les Pléiades at 11:30. We found the first fields near the train station there, and had our lunch on a bench in the middle of the field, but it was COLD! I could have used my gloves, and this is end of May! The flowering meadows were a hit, though, even though on the largest hillside the flowers were already finished. We could only imagine what it looked like in full bloom.

Instead of doing the more popular loop trail, we continued North to the ski-resort of Les Paccots, crossing the border of Canton Vaud into Canton Fribourg about half-way, and visiting the pretty little lake called Lac des Joncs before the end of the hike. 

Another highlight was the historical steam train which we passed on our way up from Vevey to Les Pléiades... but the smoke, it was nasty!

On the way to Lake Geneva by train, this is on the descent toward Lausanne, where we had to change to a train to Vevey

These are the famous vineyards of Lavaux, the region recognized by UNESCO in 2007 for its harmony between man and nature

In Vevey we took a small cog-wheel train to Les Pléiades. The historic steam engine was just leaving the station. I wouldn't want to have been sitting on that balcony when the train passed by!

On the way up by train we passed the castle of Blonay

A the train station in Blonay, the steam engine was taking a break. Our train also had a 5-minute pause, so I was able to get out and take these photos.

As the train climbs higher, another view of the Château de Blonay and Lake Geneva below

This mountain range is called Rochers de Naye (and the one that looks like a tooth is also aptly named "Dent de Jaman"). We were up on that peak several years ago, walked below the Dent de Jaman

The cute little train station at Les Pléiades

In this field of flowers on the hillside behind the train station, we found a bench and had our picnic lunch. When the clouds covered the sun, it was a COLD affair! But the fields were pretty.

Here is where we had our picnic lunch, with a view of Rochers de Naye

There is a restaurant at Les Pléiades. This is the view from their terrace

And looking northwest over the flat region of Romandie (the French part of Switzerland) all the way to the Jura Range. 

This was actually a part of the long-distance trail no.3 which we walked on (Alpine Panorama Trail). After leaving the hill at Les Pléiades, we crossed Canton Borders at the river called "La Veveyse de Fégire"

Here we are back at the train station, ready to climb to the crest of the hill, where most of the flowers were still to be found

A popular restaurant on the ridge, as this is also a ski hill in winter. Behind the restaurant, we found the first "white" meadow

A beautiful meadow full of the white narcissi

So many pretty flowers

Another look down at the flatlands of Canton Vaud and Fribourg where we don't often walk as it is too flat for our taste! The city below is Châtel-St-Denis

The narcissi here are almost finished blooming. You have to picture this hillside pure white!

The loop trail returns to Les Pléiades, but we chose to walk northward to Les Paccots, where we could also catch a bus. The "Passerelle de Fégire" is the crossing of the Canton Border into Canton Fribourg. 

Along the trail is this popular restaurant called "Buvette les Mossettes" where people from Montreux and Vevey like to come up to enjoy something to drink. We had read on the Internet that they had meringue desserts, which Urs loves, so we stopped here for dessert

Our dessert at Les Mossettes: Small portions and rather expensive. They claim to use local products, so I guess that's why the extra cost...

All the buildings in this area had intricately-shingled roofs, including around the chimneys, all in wood. What a lot of work (and a fire hazard, if you ask me). But this was probably the traditional way of doing it. 

Crossing the river which forms the canton border. This is called the "Passerelle de Fégire" (and the river is called "La Veveyse de Fégire")

Passerelle Fégire, part of Trail no.3. We are headed to the lake at Les Joncs, and after that to Les Paccots. 

A look behind us to the Alps in France, on the South side of Lake Geneva

The squirrels here have tufts on their ears

A 10-minute detour from the main road to have a look at the "Lac des Joncs". It was very pretty up here

Lac des Joncs

The landscape of Canton Fribourg

Every once in a while we saw some more of the narcissi in the meadows

From Les Joncs, a 20-minute section through peaceful forest and we got to the bus station at the resort village section of Les Paccots, called "Rosalys". This is the end bus station along the line to Châtel-St-Denis

Heading back home through the Romandie landscape