Avec La Bise, Lave La Chemise...

We had some major weather changes this week. Most of you have probably heard us say how lovely the weather had been so far and how lucky we thought we were to have such a nice mild year so far... Well... that luck is over...

After a day of pretty snowfall last Tuesday, when the city looked like it was wrapped in a beautiful white blanket, the conditions took a turn for the worse and we got slammed with La Bise, a brutally cold wind, specifically characteristic of this area...
Many people have mentioned it to me, even my French teacher warned that it was coming at some point and that I should watch out when I go out walking with my big belly. Sure enough it is here and it made Geneva MISERABLE.

What is it? Here is a description I found on the internet...

"  Location: Switzerland and France

The Bise is a cold, vigourous and persistent north or north-easterly wind blowing from the alpine mountains, that affects Switzerland and eastern France. The Bise is especially prominent in the Geneva area at the southwestern end of Lac Leman (Lake Geneva).

Anticyclones over NW or central Europe push the air through the gap this lake was formed in. Freed from the friction when over the water and funneled at the narrow end of the lake, it may reach 6-7 Bft. Being continental, it is a dry and, in winter especially, cold wind bringing snow and hail.

The Bise whips up the surface waters of Lake Geneva and in winter the sea spray encases the nearby vegetation under thick ice. During summer the dry Bise is a perfect laundry drier finding its refelection in the local folklore: "avec la bise, lave ta chemise", when the bise blows, wash your shirt.  "

It is soooooooo cold!!!! Starting a couple of days ago the temps have not gotten above -8 Celcius, which is like 15 F. Add to that the hurricane force wind (or at least it feels like it) that just chills you to the bone and whips you around when you're walking down the street and you have the Bise. I now wear my big winter coat with a sweather underneath, a warm wool hat AND hood over top of it and it is still super cold.

Hope this ends soon! I chose to live in the South for a reason...

Anyways, here are some pictures from around the city before it turned into this miserable freezer. The first snowfall was actually pretty looking.

First snow... View out of our balcony...

 Tree behind our building...

 Same view couple of hours later... so pretty!

 After lunch I was able to get out with my camera and this is what was going on.

  Parc des Bastions...

 City already cleaning up...

Trees on the lakefront...

 And the water taxis are still going...

 That's how much snow fell that morning...

And after a few days of La Bise, this is me walking to a grocery store. I am FREEZING!!!! Hat, hood, and it is still unbearable!! So ready for this weather to be over!