Lavaux (http://www.lavaux.com/) is internationally famous as a terraced wine-growing region on the shores of Lake Geneva Lac Léman in western Switzerland. It covers the territory roughly from Lausanne to Montreux, extending to an altitude of roughly 500 meters above lake level and including 6 lakeshore villages and the city of Vevey. Part of the Lavaux bas-Lavaux has been recognised since 2007 as a world heritage site by Unesco. The territories of two additional communes Savigny and Forel, also belong to the Lavaux, but lie entirely outside the UNESCO world heitage site. With only distant glimpses of the lake, at 700-900 meters altitude, along with the upper reaches of the commune of Puidoux, these outlying parts of the Lavaux lie too high above the Léman for commercial wine-growing, but nevertheless benefit from stunning views of the entire mountain range from the Moléson of the Fribourgeois Préalps to the Dent D'Oche of the Chablais Français. In winter the haut-Lavaux is often sufficiently snow-covered that it is not unusual to encounter off-piste cross-country skiers on the rolling farmland and abundant forest trails. In Autumn, Savigny and Forel may bask in sunny blue skies on the days when Lausanne and the bas-Lavaux remain shrouded in mist. Highly accurate local weather predictions for the region can be had from the web site of the local weather station, MeteoLavaux.
