The nice thing about being in Geneva for almost a week was that we had time for a couple of side trips. We took the train to Lausanne, and from there a boat to the east end of the lake, where we stopped for a tour of Chateau de Chillon, a beautiful castle set right on the water, commanding the trade routes to and from Italy.
The ferries are beautiful paddle steamers, with the most amazing engines, exposed to the view of passengers in the heart of the boat. We were able to buy a single ticket that gave us access to all the trains and ferries, so it was easy to combine the two.
The ferries were surprisingly fast and quiet 
Beautiful lines 
The massive engines were open to passengers 
The pistons must have been close to 12′ long 
…in closeup… 
Roads and railways cling to the hillside, and everything is used 
Farmhouses perched on the hill, with narrow road access 
An amazing lakeside property. No concern with rising sea levels! 
Approaching Chateau de Chillon 
…as the ferry left 
The dungeons were just above lake level 
Carved out of the rock 
The main courtyard 
The original castle keep was protected by a moat and this steep slope 
Looking out from the keep 
A view from the dungeon 
The moat 
From the land side 
And getting ready to leave 
The castle in the evening sun 
On our way back 
Lausanne – the end of the ferry ride 
Wrapped up for the night
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