A view of Lake Geneva from the rooftops of Nyon. (©_Switzerland Tourism)

Some 9km north of Coppet, NYON – a major town under the Romans which has mellowed into a laconic and attractive little port – is a perfect stopover on a leisurely tour of the lake. The town, on a flattish plain sandwiched between the Jura and the lake, is spread out among verdant fields and lawns which reach down to the water, and is backed by acres of vineyards on the gentle slopes behind. There’s a château and an excellent Roman museum, and the nearby Château de Prangins houses the regional branch of the National Museum. And if museums aren’t your thing, there’s the option of riding a mountain railway up to the little Jura resort of St Cergue.