It was cold, frosty cold, and as we ran from the tram to the lake the rain chilled us to the bone. We stumbled down on the pier in pitch-blackness, holding on to the handrail and hurried towards the old spa in the middle of the lake. We dove inside and were instantly surrounded by chatter, heat from huge coal fires, and the lovely scent of fondue au Crémant, a Swiss fondue made with sparkling wine. Fingers and cheeks thawing we swirled our bread in the cheese, blissfully forgetting the chill outside.

Nothing better on a frosty night than fondue at Bains des Paquis, at the prettiest corner of the Lake Léman. If you stroll down at daytime you may even discover a little secret: the beach sand is not sand at all, but crumbled little sea shells. A little secret of this world, just like splashing sparkling wine into a fondue.

(Geneva, Switzerland; December 2013)