Geneva is a lovely city graced by French influence. Geneva is frequently thought of as a 'new' city-a city of banking and commerce, an international city housing the Palais des Nations, a sophisticated city of beautiful shops, a cultural city with many museums, an industrial city. All this is true, but Geneva also contains one of the most attractive 'old towns' in Switzerland: on the south side of the River Rhône the hills rise steeply and twist and turn in a maze of little shops, fountains, flowers, and charming buildings. This area is crowned by Saint Peter's Cathedral.

At the east end of Lake Geneva, take a short detour to visit the Castle of Chillon, dramatically perched on its own little peninsula jutting into the lake. After visiting the castle, return to the freeway and continue following the River Rhône as it winds its way down the flat valley. The section of the Rhône Valley between Lake Geneva and the Zermatt turnoff is pretty, but does not have the pristine beauty found so frequently in other Swiss valleys-the road passes through many industrial areas. However, there are countless side valleys and intriguing passes to explore.

For a detailed description of this suggested car rental driving itinerary Auto Europe highly recommends Karen Brown's Guide to Switzerland, Charming Inns & Itineraries.