Geneva Grape Harvest 2011, Rue du Rhône
Les Vendanges de Genève, on Rue du Rhône, an exquisite initiative, are a wonderful opportunity to stroll between the prestigious boutiques of Rue du Rhône. This year, jeweller Jahan and its elegant director, Florence Marchand, invited me to this event, which seamlessly blends oenology and leisurely window-shopping.
September 1st, 6:30 p.m.: the third edition of the Vendanges de Genève gets underway, and the doors of Rue du Rhône swing open. With the precious pass on my wrist—a bracelet granting access to the participating boutiques (each of which invited a wine merchant of its choice) for the evening—I head to Jahan, whose soirée was particularly successful: Jean-Charles Savarit (Royal Concept Catering) at the helm of the gastronomic festivities, and a splendid model walking through adorned with Jahan jewellery.
A stop by Piaget and its refined boutique to take a closer look at the Piaget Polo FortyFive models (special mention for the G0A35010, a limited series of 500 pieces, on the right in the display window).
The streets are buzzing; the event is a success. That success is certainly down to the relaxed atmosphere of this back-to-school celebration, which gives the general public the chance to step into the most prestigious boutiques and discover the new collections.
A detour via Breguet. A spacious, splendid boutique that hides—at the end of a corridor where a waterfall runs—an atelier. A few exchanges with the workshop manager, and there I am guillochéing a watch dial (see definition of guillochage). A fascinating experience.
The evening continues with visits to Blancpain, Panerai, Boucheron, Omega, and the discovery of Swiss wines.
At 10:30 p.m. precisely, the bell tolls; the evening draws to a close. The boutiques shut their doors.
Before leaving Geneva, a stroll along the water’s edge is a must, to bring this 2011 edition of the Vendanges de Genève on Rue du Rhône to a perfect close…
