Cully (Lavaux)
Cully is 78 km from Geneva Airport, about an hour by car along the A1 and A9 motorways past Lausanne, with no border to cross. This lakeside wine village sits in the middle of Lavaux, the steep vineyard terraces between Lausanne and Vevey that are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Booking a car with AirportsTransfers.ch takes you from arrivals straight to a lakeside hotel or a winemaker's door.
- Distance from GVA: 78 km
- Drive time: about 1 hour
- Border crossing: none, the route stays in Switzerland
- Best for: wine tasting, vineyard walks, music lovers, quiet lakeside stays
- Known for: the UNESCO-listed Lavaux terraces and Chasselas wine
Getting from Geneva Airport to Cully
The car follows the A1 motorway along Lake Geneva to Lausanne, then the A9 bypass high above the city, leaving it at the exit for Lutry or Belmont and dropping down through the vineyards to the lake. The final descent is narrow in places, which is part of the charm. Traffic around Lausanne is the main variable: weekday rush hours can add a good quarter of an hour, while Sunday mornings are usually quiet.
Cully has a station on the regional line along the lakeshore, reachable from the airport with a change in Lausanne. For visitors with a light bag this is pleasant and simple. A private transfer is more convenient when you are staying at a wine estate up the slope, when you arrive late at night, or when you want to load several cases of wine for the return journey.
Lavaux: the terraces and the wine
Lavaux stretches for around 30 kilometres of lakeshore and was shaped by monks in the Middle Ages, who built the first stone walls to hold vines on the steep slopes. Today the terraces form an extraordinary landscape of walls, stairs and narrow roads dropping straight into the lake, with the Alps of Savoy rising on the opposite shore. The local saying of the three suns, the sky, the lake and the warm stone walls, explains why grapes ripen so well here.
The main grape is Chasselas, a delicate white variety that expresses differences in soil and slope, and the wines are named after their villages and appellations, such as Villette, Epesses, Calamin and Dézaley. Many family estates open their cellars for tastings, often in tiny village wine bars called caveaux. The Lavaux Vinorama, a wine centre in Rivaz, lets you taste a broad selection in one place.
Cully village and its atmosphere
Cully itself is compact: a small harbour, a lakeside promenade with plane trees, a sloping old village of stone houses and a handful of restaurants serving lake fish such as perch fillets. In spring the village becomes a music venue, as it hosts a well-known jazz festival that fills its cellars, courtyards and tents with concerts. During the rest of the year it is calm, which suits travellers looking for a quiet base close to Lausanne.
Accommodation is limited to a few hotels and guest rooms in the villages, plus holiday rentals, so book early in summer and during the grape harvest in autumn.
Walking and exploring Lavaux
- Vineyard trail: a marked path runs through the terraces between Lutry and Saint-Saphorin, with Cully halfway
- Lavaux Express: a small tourist train climbs the vineyard roads in season
- Lake boats: paddle steamers call at the Lavaux villages in summer
- Chexbres: a village high above the terraces with sweeping views
Walking is the classic way to experience Lavaux: start at Cully, climb to Epesses or Chexbres and descend to Rivaz or Saint-Saphorin, then return by train along the lake. The slopes are steep and offer little shade, so take water and sun protection in summer. In autumn the colours of the vines are at their most spectacular, and harvest activity brings tractors and pickers into the narrow lanes.
Day trips from Cully
Lausanne, with its Gothic cathedral, the Olympic Museum and the Ouchy waterfront, is just a few minutes away. Vevey and Montreux lie further east, along with Chillon Castle on its rock in the lake. For a mountain outing, the Rochers-de-Naye above Montreux or the Gruyère region over the hills are both within an hour. A chauffeur by the hour, minimum two hours, is a smart way to combine tastings in different villages without anyone in the group having to drive.
Booking your Lavaux transfer with AirportsTransfers.ch
Select your car online, check the fixed price per vehicle and pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay before you travel. Your driver tracks the flight and will be waiting in the arrivals hall with a sign showing your name, with no charge for waiting if the plane is late. A Mercedes E-Class takes three passengers and three bags, the S-Class suits a special occasion, the V-Class carries up to seven people with ten bags, and the Sprinter is made for tasting groups. Child seats come on request; declare skis, bikes or wine cases at booking. To plan a tasting day or a return to GVA, call or WhatsApp +41 78 346 56 77 at any hour.
