Photomontage « Fleurs de feu », jardin potager, © www.muma-art.com
On Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 September, join the Château de Prangins to celebrate 20 years as home to the Swiss National Museum in French-speaking Switzerland.
To celebrate its 20th birthday, Château de Prangins is opening its doors to all for two days of festivities. The centerpiece will be performance art entitled: Flowers of Fire by the artist-sculptor Muma, while the 10th Lunch on the Grass will take visitors on an amazing journey through time from 1701 to 1920.
Flowers of Fire will take place from 18h30, Saturday 29 September.
Lunch on the Grass 10h-18h on Sunday, 30 September.
Flowers of Fire highlights this anniversary with 50,000 candles! Inspired by the flowers depicted in chintzes, the artist Muma is laying on a spectacular light performance in the château gardens. More than 600 registered volunteers will be working with him to realize this social sculpture. The Swiss National Museum will remain open from 18h-22h specially for the occasion, giving visitors an opportunity to view the temporary exhibit (see photo at bottom): Chintz, how a fabric changed the world! and enjoy a unique view looking down on Flowers of Fire from the windows of the castle. The commune of Prangins is joining in the celebrations by staging its village fête from midday to midnight. The program includes events for children (until 18h), musical entertainment, bars and food trucks.
Lunch on the Grass will take place on Sunday from 10h-18h and is open to all. This edition takes visitors on an amazing journey through the time period 1701 to 1920. A series of activities for all ages taking place throughout the day will bring history to life. Don’t miss the original creations inspired by chintzes made by students from the Geneva School of Art and Design HEAD and the historical costume parade (sign up at the event until 13h). A gourmet food market will be selling all the ingredients for a perfect picnic on the grounds.
With all the spectacular weather we have been having this summer, you really don’t need to travel far to get that holiday feeling. Both the Alps and the Jura are adorned with picturesque villages that literally take your breath away, and most of them will have at least one chalet or hotel to suit your budget!
Once such place which we were lucky to fall upon by chance just a couple of weeks ago is the delightful “La Terrasse de Verchaix”, near the popular mountain resort of Samoëns.
Owned and run since 2006 by an English couple, Philip and Louise Taylor, La Terrasse is located in Verchaix on the sunny slopes of the upper Giffre valley, overlooking the holiday village of Morillon.
Free tickets for family activities also up for grabs, as well as entry passes for the Kids’ Triathlon!
Following its huge success last year, the Verbier Cross Triathlon will return to the beautiful Val de Bagnes region for another weekend of high energy fun, not just for the participants but the spectators too!
From 1 – 2 September, the organization 123cross.com will host a series of sporting events in Le Châble, for all ages covering open water swimming, mid-level mountain biking, and trail running. While most of the races will take place on the Sunday, a special Fête d’Eté will also take place in the event village over both days and will feature a wide range of activities for all the family including massage clinics, a big trampoline on the water, water-walkers, stand-up paddle boarding, electric biking, a kids area and much more!
Following the huge success of its new water park in Vernier last year, Yatouland is returning again this summer with even more bouncy castles!
To mark this special occasion, they are offering knowitall.ch readers the chance to win 15 free invitations to the park, which will open this year from 23 June to 26 August.
With 2000m2 of outdoor space packed with water castles and water slides, as well as a huge trampoline, pedalos and aquaballs, the park is destined to be the place for children aged 3 to 13 to hang out this summer!
Family games such as table tennis, badminton and Swedish skittles, as well as the option to learn paddle boarding, will ensure there is something for everyone at the park. The laser game activity will be back again this year, providing endless fun for larger groups of kids. The food truck will also make a reappearance with its shaded terrace, ideal for those who want to take a break from the sun and enjoy a tasty snack!
Like the indoor area (which will be shut during the summer), the aquatic park will also have dedicated birthday areas, which can be reserved in advance. With more than 2000 birthday parties booked each year at their indoor fun park, Yatouland knows exactly what kids are looking for when it comes to celebrating their birthdays! Visit the website (details below) for more information.
Famous for its annual iris festival, the Château de Vullierens opens its gardens to the public every year in spring to showcase the largest collection of irises in Europe.
With over 400 different varieties of irises on show this year, not to mention 13,500 daylilies, and a plethora of roses, tulips, peonies and rhodedendrons, visitors can expect to be overwhelmed by a sumptuous display of flowers in all shapes, sizes, and colours – not to mention the aromas! At the 63rd Floralies there are 7 themed gardens and 3 new walks: one devoted to medieval architecture and heritage, the second to trees and the third to roses. Click here for more detailed information in English on each of these walks.
But its not just flowers that attract visitors to the chateau. Hidden among the 40 hectares of gardens you will find numerous contemporary artworks. With 17 new pieces and 5 new artists showcasing their work this year, there are now 72 works of art in the grounds, making it the largest collection of its kind in Switzerland! Click here to find out more about the artists who will displaying their work this year.
