Valérie Fontaine’s tours

Panoramic tour of Geneva

The perfect tour for your first time in Geneva ! You will discover all the highlights such as  the international district and the UN Palace, the lakeside and its famous Jet d’eau, the old town and the cathedral. 

maison-croix-rouge

Henry Dunant and the Red Cross, the beginning of the international humanitarian vocation of Geneva

When Henry Dunant wrote “A Memory of Solferino” (1862), he could not fancy that only fifty years later the Red Cross would be involved in actions on every continent except Australasia. During our tour through the Old Town of Geneva, you will see, among others, Dunant’s birth place, the former headquarter of the future ICRC, the house in which “A Memory of Solferino” was written and the famous ” Alabama room”.

hotel-de-ville

Historical visit of the Old Town

Geneva is mentioned in the De Bello gallico as the Roman town visited by Julius Cesar in 58 B.C. In the Middle Ages a bishop-prince presides over its political destiny and its international trade fairs. During the sixteenth century, Calvin transforms it into an Republic “humiliated under God”. It is recognized as a major intellectual centre in the Age of Enlightenment. It welcomes the first Peace Movement in the nineteenth century. The International Red Cross is simultaneously founded by a group of its citizens in 1863. The League of Nations chose it for its headquarters at the end of World War I. Remnants of all these periods are shown during a pleasant walk in the Old Town. 
escalade-bas-relief

The battle of "Escalade"

The most epic battle which took place in Geneva. It was the very last attempt of Savoy to take the city, in December 1602. Spoiler alert: it does not end well for Savoy !

During this walk, you will uncover all the secrets of the battle, its impact on European geopolitics, and why we keep eating chocolate caldrons every December.

Valérie Fontaine

valerie.fontine@gmail.com Tel. +41 78 671 20 02

Curriculum

Etudes en lettres

Certificat de formation continue en « Patrimoine et tourisme » de l’Université de Genève

Certificat de formation continue en « Médiation culturelle » EESP Lausanne

Membre de l’association suisse des guides touristiques

Get in touch

To book a tour, or if you have any question about tours, please email me or use the form.