Lavaux () is a region in the canton of

Vaud Vaud ( ; , ), more formally Canton of Vaud, is one of the Cantons of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. It is composed of Subdivisions of the canton of Vaud, ten districts; its capital city is Lausanne. Its coat ...

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

, in the district of Lavaux-Oron. Lavaux consists of 830

hectare The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100-metre sides (1 hm2), that is, square metres (), and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. ...

s of terraced vineyards that stretch for about 30 km along the south-facing northern shores of

Lake Geneva Lake Geneva is a deep lake on the north side of the Alps, shared between Switzerland and France. It is one of the List of largest lakes of Europe, largest lakes in Western Europe and the largest on the course of the Rhône. Sixty percent () ...

. Although there is some evidence that vines were grown in the area in Roman times, the actual vine terraces can be traced back to the 11th century, when Benedictine and Cistercian monasteries controlled the area. It benefits from a temperate climate, but the southern aspect of the terraces with the reflection of the sun in the lake and the stone walls gives a mediterranean character to the region. The main wine

grape A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus ''Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters. The cultivation of grapes began approximately 8,0 ...

variety grown here is the

Chasselas Chasselas () or Chasselas blanc () is a wine grape variety grown mainly in Switzerland, France, Germany, Portugal, Hungary, Romania, New Zealand, Croatia and Chile. Chasselas is mostly vinified to be a full, dry and fruity white wine. It is ...

World Heritage Site

Under cantonal law, the vineyards of Lavaux are protected from development. Since July 2007, Lavaux is a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

s. Since 2016, the vineyards of Lavaux are not treated with synthetic

pesticide Pesticides are substances that are used to control pests. They include herbicides, insecticides, nematicides, fungicides, and many others (see table). The most common of these are herbicides, which account for approximately 50% of all p ...

s any more.

Hiking trail

There are many hikes possible through the vineyards of Lavaux. There is a hiking trail ("Terrasses de Lavaux"), going from Saint-Saphorin to Lutry, recommended by the Tourism Office of Switzerland.

Legal protection

In 1977, the voters of the

Canton of Vaud Vaud ( ; , ), more formally Canton of Vaud, is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of ten districts; its capital city is Lausanne. Its coat of arms bears the motto "Liberté et patrie" on a white-green bicolou ...

accepted (55%) the cantonal

popular initiative A popular initiative (also citizens' initiative) is a form of direct democracy by which a petition meeting certain hurdles can force a legal procedure on a proposition. In direct initiative, the proposition is put directly to a plebiscite o ...

"Save Lavaux" Consequently, in 1979, a law was made to protect Lavaux (''Loi sur le plan de protection de Lavaux''). In 2003, the new constitution of the

came into force but did not contain the article about the protection of Lavaux. A second popular initiative "Save Lavaux" was launched to re-introduce it and was accepted in 2005 by 81% of voters. In 2009, Franz Weber launched a third initiative "Save Lavaux" to reduce the possibilities for new construction in Lavaux, which was rejected on 19 May 2014 by 68% of voters. The counter-initiative of the regional government ( Council of State of Vaud) was accepted by 68% of voters (strengthening the protection but less strictly than the initiative of Franz Weber).

Influences and tributes

* ''Lavaux'' is the name of a song by

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

, on his album '' 20Ten'' (2010). * In 2011, the Swiss Post issued three special stamps celebrating the region of Lavaux.« Lavaux », three special stamps
Swiss Post (page visited on 4 June 2016).

Gallery

Lake Geneva Lavaux.jpg, Vineyards near

Lausanne Lausanne ( , ; ; ) is the capital and largest List of towns in Switzerland, city of the Swiss French-speaking Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Vaud, in Switzerland. It is a hilly city situated on the shores of Lake Geneva, about halfway bet ...

File:Lavaux Alpes et Lac léman.jpg,

and the

Swiss Alps The Alps, Alpine region of Switzerland, conventionally referred to as the Swiss Alps, represents a major natural feature of the country and is, along with the Swiss Plateau and the Swiss portion of the Jura Mountains, one of its three main Physica ...

from Lavaux. File:Lavaux+Léman 2.jpeg,

from the Lavaux, looking towards

. File:Aran Patrimoine mondial 2007 10 06.JPG, Lavaux Vineyard Terraces. File:Geneva lake.jpg, Lavaux from the railway line going from Lausanne to Palézieux and Bern. File:Lac Léman on sunset.jpg, Lake Geneva seen from the vineyards.

Notes and references

External links

*
Lavaux Vineyard Terraces hiking trail

Lavaux Vinorama
{{Authority control Wine regions of Switzerland Geography of the canton of Vaud World Heritage Sites in Switzerland