In the week before Easter, my husband had to be in Chamonix, a ski resort in the French Alps, for work. (No, it is not lost on me how ridiculous that sounds. We have been very blessed.) He was flying through Geneva, a city neither of us had ever visited, in a country neither of us had ever traveled. Decision made. Several people had warned us that Geneva was expensive and boring, with “not much to do there,” but we found Geneva to be a great base for touring nearby towns, especially the beautiful villages surrounding Lac Léman (Lake Geneva). We visited Chamonix, with glorious views that make the trip worthwhile even for non-skiers, and Gruyères, the home of one of my favorite cheeses. From Geneva you could also get to the Cailler chocolate factory in Broc, Switzerland but we didn’t make it there.