Hi
We're planning to move to Geneva from Paris in the next month and would like to find anglophone playgroups in either Geneva or Nyon. Does anyone have any ideas?

I'd like to specify that I am looking for mother/toddler group rather than a day care facility. Having said that, feel free to give any input/advise you may have on anything remotely related to the above!

Thanks!

We have been here since August and so far I have only found La Nacelle in Nyon and Edukids in St Sulpice. La Nacelle is a drop in centre; it is nice and friendly but can get quite busy as it is small. Edukids is bigger. They run a drop in centre but also do various activities like playgroups and classes for the kids and adults. The downside is it is quite a long way from Nyon. So I would also be really keen to hear about any others...
Good luck with the move and settling in.

Thanks for the info. I shall let you know if I hear of anything else closer to Nyon. By the way, what's it like living in Nyon? I would appreciate any input you may have as we haven't got a clue where to live.

Thanks!

Hi,
I am also looking to move to Nyon/Gland/Rolle area this summer. Got two kids (5 + 3) and a baby due in May. Got some good information from a woman during a house viewing in Gland last weekend that might be interesting to check into.

There is an organisation called The International women's Club of Nyon and they have a monthly newsletter packed with information regarding activities for moms aswell as kids. Web site www.iwcn.ch and you can also download the newsletter as a PDF from http://www.iwcn.ch/grapevine/february07.pdf

Good luck and I will let you know more if I find out more specific info regarding playgroups and kids activities.
Annette

Nyon is a wonderful area – so pretty. If you want to live in a town with all facilities handy, then Nyon is it. It is surrounded by lovely little villages along the lake and further back. So you can have countryside surroundings if you prefer.

I am going to try Baby Gym in Gland today for activities for my 15 month old and my 2 3/4 year old daughters. My friend tried the American Women’s Club and was told you had to be either American or related to an American! If this is miss-information can someone please let me know? I think someone else has already mentioned the book Know-it-all Passport, I can't recommend that enough for finding out about all sorts of things.

Hello
In Geneva theres also Gymboree (look under gymboree.ch) thats Anglophone and they do classes etc and play sessions for up to age 4 or thereabouts...also theres some baby music (mubabil.ch) which is pretty international (not just anglophone!) and they are at the Babys Lounge in Geneva and in a few other locations as well

Btw Babys Lounge, if you hadnt heard if it is a great cafe in the centre of geneva which is aimed completely at parents and small children. So theres high chairs, loads of play things, proper baby changing facilites and als a really nice menu for adults and children as well. It can be quite a relaxing spot for lunch/coffee as your toddlers can run around the place while adults can relax ! I do sound a bit like a sales pitch dont I, but its definitely a useful place to know about!

S

Hi, I'm new to this site and would like to offer my little experience.
I live in Rolle and there are two very good facilitiies here , my son having attended one of them and friends children having attended the other.
Rolle is only 15 minutes by car from Nyon and its tiny so once you are here, you don't have another 20 minutes to find the places.
Places are limited and you will have to check for availability but both facilities have a fabulous garden.
La Barcarolle (hope I have spelt it correctly) and Le Cygne (not sure of the spelling but it means the swan.
I don't know if they do mother and toddler classes but they do childcare which I have to say La Barcarolle I was very impressed with.
please note they are both French speaking but La Barcarolle has so many English speaking kids that some of thier staff speak English.
As for mother toddler sort of gathering or courses I am also looking for one for a friend who has just moved to Nyon and who doesn't know anyone and I thought I would find her some places to meet other mother's with small children. If anyone has any information on this sort of service I would also really appreciate the info.

Now being here things are starting to unfold a bit. Daycare is still a difficult issue to solve for my 3 year old though. Most places are full and has a waiting list you can sign up to. A site that has been helpful for me is following:

http://www.nyon.ch/puce_a_l_oreille/...se.htm#creches

It has information about daycare, day moms, playgroups, medical centers.

We have settled in Prangins (5 minutes by bus from Nyon) and we absolutely love it!!! Nyon is a great place to go to for some small shopping and hanging out in playgrounds, cafées or bu the water. You will love it. I know this thread is a bit old now but as I am investigating the daycare issue today I just thought I would put in a comment again.
Annette

Dear Annette,
I am glad you are liking it here. You might find it easier to look for childcare outside of Nyon, smaller towns like Gland or Rolle, otherwise try the local private schools, I know that Mont Olivet in Vich has a creche (not far from you) not sure about the English/French (champitet ??? I think thats what its called) it might have one and its in Nyon.
Any way good luck and welcome to the area.

Thanks Watch girl
Will check out that creche in Vich. Had a spot at Croquelune Creche in Nyon that I turned down as there was an opening localy in Prangins (much more convenient I thought...), but when going there to register my boy they informed me they couldn't take him full days, only mornings or afternoons 3 times a week... Feel so stupid now. Wish I had done my homework before I turned down the offer of a full time daycare position (including lunch which is very rare to find... Hate this mentally of having to pick up kids for lunch and then bring them back again. Just doesn't make scence... Switzerland really does NOT encourage women with children to get back to work... it's impossible!)

Anyway, will try and organize my days with different playgroups and activities to keep my active 3-year old happy and entertained until I hopefully will find a solution.

Ciao
//A

Hi!

We live near to Rolle and I took my little girl to parent and toddler sessions at Baby gym. The sessions were held in French although lots of nationalities went and we had lots of fun there. Their website for more info. is: http://www.babygym.ch/

Hope this helps

meant to add that Baby gym is in Vich, just outside Gland or I think there's also one in Geneva.

Baby Gym is a great place, they also do vacation groups for older children, very useful for those who work.

Oh yes in reply to the comment about CH not being very pro-women at work. .......

you are lucky you are not living in the country, in some villages there are no childcare facilities at all, some schools don't have cafeterias and the children must be picked up for lunch and taken back at 14.00 and picked up again at 15.30!!!!

welcome to the 1950's!!! I mean......
Welcome to Switzerland.....