La Buvette des Bains

This café-restaurant is part of Geneva’s Bains des Paquis, a 1930s-era public swimming baths and spa on Lake Geneva’s right bank. As such, it’s a great place to hang out in the sun right next to the lake, whether for coffee, drinks or a light bite. Open year round, it’s as popular in summer for breakfast on the spacious outdoor terrace as it is for a hearty fondue in the heated cabin in winter – and it attracts all types, from bankers to beach bums, self-employed to unemployed. The menu of salads, soups and charcuterie is simple and pretty cheap and there’s a set-price dish of the day. Mostly though, you come here for the laid-back atmosphere, the people-watching, the view of the lake and the opportunity to take a dip if you fancy it – even in winter.