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GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB DE BONMONT CHÉSEREX 50 Golf & Country Club de Bonmont Text: Simone Leitner Photos: Tim X. Fischer Situated in a park with trees over a hundred years old and a Cistercian church which dates back to the XII century, the Château de Bonmont is only 7 km from Nyon and Lake Geneva. A scenery which could neither be more romantic nor more beautiful: historical rooms in the castle, a restaurant, a bar, a large sun terrace, swimming pool indoor, fitness, sauna, solarium, 18-hole golf course, tennis and, last but not least, a magnificent view of Lake Geneva and the MontBlanc. The oldest evidence of a monk community, abiding by the rules of the Benedictine of the year 1123, originates from Bonmont near Nyon. After a visit from Abbot Bernard von Clairvaux, Bonmont was proclaimed the first Cistercian abbey of Switzerland in 1131. Immediately thereafter, the construction of the abbey church Sainte-Marie was begun, which marked the transition from Romanesque to Gothic. The Golf & Country Club de Bonmont is a gem for golfers, pleasure-lovers and those seeking peace and quiet. It lies in the middle of a golf course which is considered as one of the most beautiful in the Romandie. The construction was completed shortly before the year 1200. The abbey was at its prime in the middle ages. In the 13th century it was under the protection of the House of Savoy, one of the richest monasteries in the Lake Geneva area. So much for the history. In 1979, the former castle became a hotel business to which the numerous historical rooms lend a special ambiente. Today, the abbey church and the hotel lie in the middle of a golf course which is considered one of the most beautiful in the Romandie. Golfers, as well as non-golfers, can relax in these wonderful surroundings. The hotel director says “whether for a romantic weekend, some days of golf or a wedding this is the ideal spot”. Not only that, business meetings can also be held in the Golf & Country Club de Bonmont; five conference rooms with a capacity of up to 100 persons are available.