Alfred Betrand's Park - Geneva

This Park belonging to Alfered Betrand is a large parc close to the Natural History Museum. It has climbing frames, slides, a tunnel and good climbing trees. The park also has a paddling pool.
It only took me 10 years to find this park.

Nyon Beach, Human Snakes and Ladders

Nyon Plage has recently been updated with a new ship with spectacular mountain views. In the woods there are three tiers of steps, rope walk ways and slides. Nyon beach even has something almost approaching real sand. The modern buvette provides lunch, ice cream and beer. A popular destination for good reasons and always busy on a sunny day.

Corbusian Concrete Maze at Bulle

Bulle is a typical Swiss town up near Gruyères. There is a castle and a museum in a park. The playground is a unique cast concrete maze with four slides descending from a couple of high points. There is no place you can stand from which all of the maze is visible so you will loose your children.

Eaux Vives Park and Paddling Pool

The Eaux-Vives park borders Lake Geneva close to the Jet d'Eau. The park itself is beautifully kept with very impressive flower beds. On a hot day the park has a well shaded paddling pool which is not photographed here.
To find the playground walk uphill to the top of the park. The cafe in the park has ice-creams and a reasonable menu-du-jour. As well as the main wooden climbing frame there are some easy swings for toddlers. The day we were there free deck chairs were are also available.

The Secret Playground in Sergy

Two years ago I commented on Sergy's playground with some harsh comments. It seems Sergy was listening and they have updated. A big climbing frame with a wooden chip floor. There are some swings and some springy things.

It's  a large green space and very quiet. It also has an excellent two lane 100m athletics circle for scooter races.

Top tip is to go on Thursday when there is also a take away pizza van on the opposite side of the road.

The playground is located behind Sergy's school.

Signal de Bougy

Signal de Bougy is easily one of the best collection of playgrounds in this region. Everyone should visit here at least once per year!
There's a water play area, numerous climbing frames including a rocket and a large rope polygon.
The park also boasts collections of pigs, cows, chickens, ... to stroll around.
There are lots of picnic tables, a BBQ area and a Migros cafeteria, which includes an indoor play area. Signal de Bougy is  free to enter and enjoy.
For older children there are tree walk ways within parc adventure.

The Tall Ship of Lausanne

It's never too cold to play, even with ice on the ground. The tall ship playground in Lausanne is by the lake in Ouchy. There are also giant chess and draft sets by the fountains.

One of the highlights of visiting here is the journey! You can travel from Lausanne city centre on what must be one of the only sloping tube lines. You can sit up front to "drive" it down the hill!

The Tram at Confort

Confort is a pretty village just outside of the Pay de Gex region. It has a lovely surprise in its centre - a smart little play ground with an adjacent Tapas restaurant, the tram bar. Partially housed in an old railway carriage. This is a great and unfortunately rare combination: a restaurant with great reasonably priced food with good fenced in play structures which are easily visible from the restaurant terrace. This is good location to start many waymarked paths into the Jura.

Hoover your Car and Play

This playground is just off of Route de Meyrin, a four lane road through Geneva with trams whizzing by. It only has one purpose - to occupy your children in safety while you wash and vacuum the car. I admire the owner for providing these facilities.

Sailing Boat in Genthod

For the first time it was one of our children who led us to this playground - she 'discovered' it on a school trip! 
Genthod is a very well to do village of many châteaux and, of course, it has an immaculate and well appointed park. Play structures include a sailing boat, an arial runway, a sandpit and various wooden climbing frames.
It's a short walk from this park to the lake side where you can have a wee paddle. Go down the hill, past the train station and you're there. I think you are really meant to land here on your yacht and head to Le Creux-de-Gentold for your filet de perches... but we just stopped for ice-cream.

Tipping Water Buckets in Meyrin

Meyrin has surpassed itself with its newest playground. I am sure that Meyrin must hold a record for playground density. The water is button activated, the entire area is covered in bouncy rubber flooring. There are also two climbing frames and some swings. I expect this is where we'll be spending many of our lunch hours over summer.

The Immaculate Plage at Hemance

Hermance is the last piece of Switzerland on Lake Geneva before you enter France. Hermance is a very pretty village that boasts one of the best kept lake side beaches there is. It's a great place for swimming and the playground and sandpit are also extremely well located. The views of Lake Geneva are among the best. There is also a buvette selling wine, beer, saucisse and ice cream. To get to Hermance there is a ferry from Nyon or it is the last stop on Bus E 25 minutes from the center of Geneva. The plage costs 4CHF per adult to enter. Hermance plage is incredibly well kept.

The village itself has a few shops, restaurants and a large stone tower.

The Tower at Chancy

Chancy has one of our most recent playground discoveries. This is a big and high climbing frame. Once a year this park hosts a Fête des Enfants which is a good time to visit.

La Plage de Saint Jorioz, Annecy

The municipal beach at Saint-Jorioz on Lake Annecy has some good sand in particular. I imagine this place is hugely busy in the summer months. There's a well fenced playground but the main attraction is paddling of course.

The Woods in Argentière

Argentière is 9km from Chamonix. The Petit Balcon Nord is a woodland walk between the two and has a picturesque playground. There's a river beach for paddling in. An unusual thing about this playground is that is impossible to drive to which makes a change.

Lake side Park at Le Vengeron

Between Versoix and Geneva is Le Vergeron. The playground is small but this park is for playing in by the lake side. The park has a  youthful feel with ball games, music and plenty of personal barbecues about.

On the lake in Pregny along from Jardin Botanique

One of the more tranquil and close "beaches" to Geneva is opposite and along from the Jardin Botanique.  I don't know the name of this little park but in has a good buvette and restaurant. The Restaurant Reposoir serves drinks, ice cream, snacks and meals on some very comfy sofas.

The beach  is some sloping concrete but none the less you can paddle.

I've added a new tag Lake Side for playgrounds on the lake.

Fly the Plane in Petit-Saconnex

This plane and climbing frame are in a school in Petit-Saconnex so visit out of school hours. Nearby is probably the oldest restaurant in Geneva, fondue of course. Just past the playground is an impressive vegetable shop also.

The Icosikaioctagon at Bois-de-la-Bâtie

Bois-de-la-Batie is some woodland right in the middle Geneva affectionately known as Batty Woods. The climbing frames are big, there's an Octopus, a wooden train and a paddling pool with fountain frogs. Within the woods there is an extensive animal park with goats, rabbits, wild boar, chamois, peacocks, .... On a practical note, there isn't a cafe at the park that we know of, so if you are planning to stay a while bring a bait box.

Springy Bull-rushes at Parc de Mon Repos

Parc de Mon Repos is the park by the lake on the way to the botanic gardens from Geneva. It looks to be good for summer with water channels and dams. There is also a recently renovated paddling pool.

As well as a strap in swing there are some springy bull-rushes, which actually look a lot better than they really are.

The nearby History of Science Museum is a great place to visit with children.