Cycling in Geneva and Deptford - including infrastructure, flat hunting, and fondue

I've been quiet the past couple of days, on account of trying to find somewhere to live in Geneva. Which is about as easy as trying to understand a Swiss German with a mouth full of fondue.

We are moving there in about 6 weeks, and frantically looking for flats. This is no mean feat when the average studio or one-bed costs about the same as some country's annual GDP. Added to that, Geneva is freezing, and grey, and operates in a language I don't understand at all... All points to a fun relocation, I am sure you can agree.

But arse-backwards systems in unknown utterances are made a whole lot easier by the Genevan approach to one of my favourite things - bikes.

The infrastructure is amazing. Just walk out of the main train station and you are met with the 'Velostation', a lockable, multi-level bike storage cage. And if that makes you a little sad, because say, your bike is in London, then why not nip next door to the bike rental place.

Walk round the station to the main bus depot, and you'll find more bike parking than the whole of South London. Seriously, every streets got a ton of racks, just waiting to look after your bike. Added to that every road has well marked designated bike paths, and boom, your laughing. In fact some roads don't even have space for cars, like this lovely cycle path/pedestrian walkway across the lake...

So yeah, anyway, first impressions were kinda awesome. Added to that when we were flat hunting, we weren't met with a slightly demented look when we asked about bike storage in the building, no, we were told unprompted about the cellars and the basements and the home within a home for our bicycles. Only the older buildings struggle with tiny lifts and inadequate indoor parking, but make up for that with street parking. In fact it is easier to find a house with bike parking that it is to find a home with car parking.

Boris take note, Geneva's bike policy only came after investment, and resulted in more trips being taken by bike than by any other form of transport. Oh yeah, and despite the mountains, the fixie contingent have made it there too. These guys get everywhere...

So, I was a bit sad to be returning, on account of the fact we cyclists have probably halved in numbers due to death/fear of death/Boris saying something stupid since I left. But, I was delightfully cheered to find that the die-in at TFL has gathered pace, that Deptford has a new bike shop, and that my new cycle cap (to keep the cold out the old lug holes) has arrived.

Three reasons to be cheery on this, frankly, freezing Friday. Happy cycling!