I'm always on the lookout for unusual places. I really like l'Adresse, a bistro and fashion space located in a former artist's studio. You can spend hours browsing through magazines, trying on clothes or enjoying light dishes. The Parc des Eaux-Vives is not far from here. I like to take a walk there at the weekend and have brunch at the hotel of the same name, in an eighteenth-century mansion with a bird's eye view of the lake and mountains.
For a business meeting, I opt for the Mo Bar, in the Mandarin Oriental hotel, where they serve the best cocktails in Geneva, facing the Rhône. In the old town, for a more informal get-together, I choose the café La Clémence, a veritable institution, very pleasant in fine weather. From there, it's on to the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire to admire the works of Swiss painter Ferdinand Hodler before settling down at the Barocco restaurant in the inner courtyard. It's a fantastic place where the dish of the day is always perfect, and the desserts irresistible.
For shopping, I recommend Mizensir, which sells the prestigious interior candles designed by the nose Alberto Morillas. It was he who came up with Flowers by Kenzo! The delightful boutique, which opened last July, offers almost 80 scents.
For clothes, I go to Julia's Dressing, a vintage fashion and accessories boutique that was launched a few years ago by a collector. She has built up a dressing room with pieces from the 1920s to the 1980s. As I love design, my favourite spot is Meubles & cie, which offers the most cutting-edge selection of Italian, Danish and Portuguese brands...
And of course, you can't come to Switzerland without visiting a watch shop. In the Rue du Rhône, go to Les Ambassadeurs or Bucherer. Finally, I recommend a trip to the Bains district. It all began in the 90s, when the MAMCO, a museum of modern and contemporary art, opened its doors in a disused factory. Since then, the district has awoken to become an avant-garde place, with 13 galleries and 4 cultural institutions. It can be visited in an afternoon before taking a break at Café Remor.
Addresses
THE ADDRESS, 32, rue du 31 Décembre
Internet: www.ladress.ch
HOTEL DU PARC DES EAUX VIVES, 82, quai Gustave-Ador
Internet: www.parcdeseauxvives.ch
MANDARIN ORIENTAL GENEVA, 1, quai Turrettini
Internet: www.mandarinoriental.com/geneva/
THE CLEMENCE, 20, place du Bourg-de-Four
Internet: www.laclemence.ch
LE BAROCCO - MUSEUM OF ART AND HISTORY 2, rue Charles-Galland
Internet: www.ville-ge.ch/mah/
MIZENSIR4, rue Verdaine
Internet: www.mizensir.com
MEUBLES & CIE27, rue du perron
Internet: www.meubles-cie.ch
JULIA'S DRESSING ROOM, 18, rue Jean-Violette
Internet: www.juliasdressing.com
AMBASSADORS, 62, rue du Rhône
Internet: www.lesambassadeurs.ch
BUCHERER, 45, rue du Rhône
Internet: www.bucherer.com
MAMCO, 10, rue des Vieux-Grenadiers
Internet: www.mamco.ch
QUARTIER DES BAINS
Internet: www.quartierdesbains.ch
CAFÉ REMOR, 3, place du cirque
Internet: www.remor.ch
