This small medieval, romantic and flowery town on the banks of Lake Geneva can be reached by a 20 minute ferry boat from Nyon, Switzerland.
Nyon is only about a 10 minute drive from our house so the whole journey takes a little over a half hour and we are in a different medieval time with the children running through pedestrian only streets and smelling lots of wild flowers with old stone buildings, a chateau, and small port for local fishing boats as a backdrop.
You board at the CGN boat terminal in Nyon.  You can book your tickets and find the schedule online, here, or at the ticket desk in Nyon before boarding the boat.  The price is 26 swiss franc per adult round trip or with a half price ticket card it is 13 swiss franc.  The ferry runs about every half hour in the Summer.  It runs in the Winter as well, but at much less frequency.
When you arrive into Yvoire you are greeted with old buildings covered in flowers and vines.  After disembarking the boat, you lose track of time as you wind your way away from the dock and up into the town on the hilly cobblestone streets.
Because it is a pedestrian only town, it is safe for children to walk around the streets without the fear of cars.
Walking the quiet streets with Henry in February 2017
The town itself is not very big, but is full of stores and restaurants.  There is a good variety of stores from touristy to boutique type specialty stores.  The streets wind back and forth, up and down from Lake Geneva.  Many of the restaurants serve the local specialty from the lake - Perch.  On one of our visits, we were lucky enough to watch one fisherman come in from the lake carrying his nets of fresh fish for the day.  We followed him as he crossed the dock and entered his "office" which was a small room just opposite the lake where he started cleaning them almost immediately.
Wandering between the lake and the chateau with Grandma September 2017
Yvoire's small port
There are several places to stop and enjoy the scenery or enjoy a picnic.
In February 2017 enjoying a picnic lunch with Aunt Ren and Henry
In August 2017 visiting Yvoire with Mindi - Standing in front of the church
Waiting in Yvoire for our boat to return - heading back to Nyon
On our first visit Eliana enjoyed looking across the lake toward Switzerland - our new home - giving it a heart with her hands:
August 2016 - sending love to Switzerland
and Lucas liked looking at the swans:
and climbing along the rocks along the water:
The boat ride is very enjoyable and the children think it is fascinating to take a boat across the lake to France.  We like finding outings where the journey is as much fun as the destination.  On this trip the children always look forward to the boat ride as much as the town of Yvoire.

 For more photos click HERE