Lausanne / Montreux - Vevey

Anyone travelling along the sunny side of Lake Geneva will notice them time and again on menus: freshly caught "filets de perches" (perch fillets), served fried, à la meunière, or in a fine white-wine sauce. Professional fishermen sail out onto the lake early in the morning to collect the perch from their nets. Their glittering catch can be bought at the harbours in Lausanne, Montreux and Vevey, as well as at the region's markets. Or you can simply head out onto a breakwater with your rod and try your luck.

This ancient grape variety of the Lavaux had been all but forgotten when four enterprising winegrowers in the Cully region had the idea of cultivating the fine red grape again. It paid off. The "Plant Robert" is a characterful wine, comparable to Gamay; it goes well with rustic fare, but with its finesse can also accompany the most sophisticated dishes with bravura.

One of the finest edible fish of the region is the whitefish, a member of the salmon family (Coregonus). It is served in the region around Lausanne and Montreux – Vevey in a host of ways: as a whole fish, filleted, smoked, as a mousse or in a terrine. "La féra" tastes best of all enjoyed at one of the numerous restaurants with views of the lake.

With its 36 hectares, the city of Lausanne is the leading public owner of vineyards in Switzerland. The vines of the Domaine de la Ville are cultivated in integrated production, and since 1803, the fine Pinot noir grapes have been auctioned publicly on the second Saturday in December in the Town Hall. The resulting top-class wines are also available at many top restaurants.

In the picturesque Old Town of Lausanne lies the Rue de Bourg, birthplace of the celebrated Pavés de la Rue de Bourg. These "cobblestones" with their exquisite filling and coating of fine chocolate were created at the Confiserie Chez Tony. You can still buy them here – either the classic version, or filled with Kirsch, absinthe or damassine (plum brandy).

Tomme vaudoise is a soft cheese best enjoyed young, when its taste is rounded and mild. But the mature version, with a clear rustic note, also has its fans. Its creamy consistency and soft rind make it an ideal dessert cheese, as well as the highlight of any cheese platter. It can also be enjoyed as a meal in itself – for example, served with vegetables or salad.

Only a handful of confectioners are permitted to produce these cork-shaped sponge delicacies. Their filling comes as a surprise: the finest almond praline mass. Their name is a wordplay that refers both to their form, in the shape of a cork (French: "bouchon"), as well as to the French word for mouth ("bouche").