Lonay

Lonay lies halfway between the Morges and the Venoge rivers, one kilometre from Lake Geneva. The village sits on a sunny slope connecting the small Bief plain with the broad, hilly plateau to the north. When planning your trip, you can therefore consider nature, architectural history and village events as distinct highlights.

Natural surroundings and landscape

In the upper part of Lonay, the Bomelet nature reserve is located in the Faclay forest. It comprises two ponds fed by the Flon d’Echandens, a wetland downstream and a surrounding forest belt. The entire area covers approximately one hectare. The ponds, wetland and forest thus form the main components of the reserve within a compact area.

The ponds were also created at different times: the first was excavated in 1976 and the second in 1997. Those interested in the landscape will find here not only a woodland setting but also two specific milestones in the area’s development. Together with the wetland and forest belt, they make up a varied natural environment whose individual elements can be clearly identified.

Church and architectural history

Lonay’s present-day church preserves a 12th-century choir with a pointed barrel vault. A broad niche with a small Gothic pointed-arch window is set into the south wall. These features give the church a distinctive architectural character: the choir, vault and window are distinct details that can be identified in a description of the building.

The church’s architectural history comprises three key phases: the 11th and 12th centuries, the second half of the 13th century and the second half of the 15th century. The present-day building thus reflects development over several centuries rather than a single period of construction. Historically, the parish church was dedicated to Saint Germain.

Village life and culture

The Abbaye de Lonay organises a village festival every three years. It includes shooting competitions in which both experienced participants and beginners can take part. The festival thus combines a recurring village event with an activity that explicitly welcomes people with different levels of experience.

The cultural programme also features a variety of formats. Lonay’s Commission culturelle organises a craft market, various performances at the Salle des Pressoirs and Advent window events. Individual performances and dates may vary depending on the programme. Théâtre les Branle-Cloches usually prepares a play each year for late January; the programme may change. Past productions have mainly included boulevard theatre and comedies, including works by Feydeau.

Wine, sport and getting there

The Virée des Vins de Morges combines a walk of approximately five kilometres with wine tastings at participating winemakers along the route. The walk mostly follows paths through the vineyards of Lonay. For the Virée, departures take place between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Salle des Pressoirs in Lonay; the meeting point and schedule may vary from one edition to the next. Before your trip, check the details for the current edition and the booking information.

There is also a sports and leisure centre on the hills above Lonay. It was completely renovated and redesigned between 2017 and 2018, and offers local sports enthusiasts modern facilities for their activities. Lonay is connected by road, rail and bus. The nature reserve, historic architecture, cultural events, wine walk and sports each offer a distinct focus when planning a stay.

Discover more destinations: Etoy, Préverenges, Lavigny, Denens, Tolochenaz, Saint-Livres, L'isle Vd, Bière.

For the main travel overview: Morges.