Laconnex: Discover Winegrowing, Cultural Heritage and Hotels

Laconnex is a municipality in the Canton of Geneva. Winegrowing, historical traces and a nature reserve give the village its distinct character. When planning your trip, it is worth prioritising these themes according to your interests: they range from wine tastings by appointment to architectural landmarks and the biodiversity of the Réserve naturelle de Laconnex.

Winegrowing and tastings in Laconnex

The Château de Laconnex works with twelve grape varieties, from which 14 crus are now produced. The history of Chardonnay in the municipality is also linked to specific names: the winegrowers Samuel & Julien Lang were the first to introduce this grape variety in Laconnex. Vinimab cultivates vineyards on the Breux and Rupettes slopes within the municipality and vinifies its wines at the Domaine des Trois Lacs in Laconnex. This makes it possible to distinguish between different aspects of local winegrowing: grape varieties and crus at the Château de Laconnex, named vineyard sites at Vinimab, and a dedicated place for vinification.

The Domaine du Château de Laconnex offers wine tastings by appointment from Monday to Saturday. The tasting room is in a hangar on the way out of the village towards Soral. A prior appointment is therefore required for a tasting; check the latest dates and arrangements before your trip. The Domaine offers four tasting boxes: white wines, red wines, classics and gastronomy. As the selection may change, it is also a good idea to check the current range.

The culinary offering also includes Marie-Claire Colliard’s café-restaurant, serving Geneva cuisine and wines from Laconnex and Soral. If a restaurant visit is part of your plans, check the current opening hours in advance.

Chapel, château and places of remembrance

The Chapelle Sainte-Bernadette was built in 1958 to plans by architect Pierre Comé. Its stained-glass windows by Jean Roll were inaugurated on 21 September 1996. The Chemin de croix ensemble consists of seven small openings in shades of green, white, black and blue. They symbolise the seven last stations of the Way of the Cross. The year it was built, the artist and the design give a visit to this religious building a clear historical and artistic context.

A Catholic chapel was built in 1698 as an extension to the Château de Laconnex. The Château is considered a building of historical interest and has been rebuilt several times on the same site, following the same design. A surviving Pierre de justice recalls a former boundary between the jurisdiction of Saint-Victor and the House of Geneva. It stands on the La Feuillée plain between the villages of Laconnex and Noircier. Place du Four-Banal points to another aspect of the municipality’s former community life: its name recalls a former communal bread oven. Once a week, the grandmothers baked their families’ dough into loaves weighing three to four pounds.

The Réserve naturelle de Laconnex

The Réserve naturelle de Laconnex was created after Pro Natura Genève and the state jointly acquired a plot of land. Today, the area is very open and provides a refuge for numerous species in the heart of the Champagne genevoise. At least 117 plant species are found there. The diversity of amphibians is also clearly documented: the reserve is currently home to six species, including three frog species, one toad species and two newt species. These figures show the role the area plays in local nature; they describe the value of the protected area without presupposing any particular walking route or access.

Practical travel information

TPGFlex is an on-demand bus service that also serves Laconnex. Check the latest service details before travelling so you can plan your journey accordingly. When choosing a hotel, consider whether you would like to focus your trip on winegrowing and a pre-arranged tasting, historical sites or the nature of the protected area. These themes offer different points of interest without presupposing any particular hotel offering.

Discover more destinations: Dardagny, Lancy, Plan-Les-Ouates, Collonge-Bellerive, Vernier, Vandœuvres, Le Grand-Saconnex, Genthod.

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