Switzerland's Lavaux Vineyard Region Named
A
UNESCO World Heritage Site
June
28, 2007, Lausanne, Switzerland - The Lake
Geneva Region of Switzerland
announced today that the UNESCO
World Heritage Committee named
the Lavaux Vineyards a registered World
Heritage site. The Committee met in
Christchurch, New Zealand, yesterday and
announced the decision this morning.
Lavaux
is in the heart of the Lake Geneva Region,
or canton of Vaud, on the shore of Lac Léman
(Lake Geneva), in the French-speaking part
of Western Switzerland. It is one
of Vaud's five centuries-old vineyard regions.
While not the largest producer, Lavaux is
by far the best-known. Distinguished
by its light, crisp white wines as much
as for the picturesque landscape, the region
is characterized by steeply terraced vineyards
dotted with medieval villages and panoramic
views across the lake to the French Alps.
Lavaux
produces world renowned wines such as Epesses,
Dézaley, Lutry, Villette, Chardonne
and Montreux-Vevey, many of which are found
in some of the best restaurants in the U.S.
Chasselas is the predominant grape.
The terraced growing conditions in Lavaux
are distinguished by the "three suns";
the light refracted and warmed by the sky;
the lake; and reflected light off the pudding
stone walls.
On September 22, the Association for the
Registration of Lavaux, the local committee
that worked on the bid for the UNESCO registration,
will celebrate the prestigious designation
with a special Lavaux Festival, a celebration
of the region's traditional Vaudoise wine
and food organized around the theme of "5
Senses, 5 Appellations." The Festival
will take place in villages throughout the
Lavaux region. For more information,
go to www.lavauxenfete.ch.
The
Lavaux villages and vineyards date back
to the Romans who first planted grape vines
in the area. The vineyards of Dézaley
still bear the stone foundations that were
laid out in the Middle Ages by the Monks
of Montheron. Lausanne, Montreux and
Vevey are the gateway cities where some
of Switzerland's grand palace hotels still
reign among the world's most luxurious accommodations.
A wide range of affordable hotels throughout
the region offer remarkable value, while
retaining all of the traditional hallmarks
of Swiss quality, including a hearty breakfast
and a warm goose down duvet. The region
is the leading producer of exceptional artisan
cheeses and one of the highest concentrations
of Michelin-star restaurants in Europe.
It is no surprise that the Lake Geneva Region
has attracted a long list of celebrated
authors, artists and composers, including
Lord Byron, Nabokov, Hemingway, Charlie
Chaplin, Isadora Duncan, Noel Coward, Audrey
Hepburn and countless others. For
more on the Lake Geneva Region hotels and
attractions, click
here.
In
September, Switzerland Tourism will launch
an international campaign under the theme
of "Gastronomy and Wine." Anticipating
increased interest as a result of the UNESCO
announcement, The Lake Geneva Region Tourist
Office has produced a new brochure on the
same theme, which features the specialties
of the Lake Geneva Region. Unusual products,
AOC labels, activities, events, useful addresses
and portraits will be included. An English
language version of the publication will
be released in August.
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