Where to base in Switzerland

Given your time frame, I would not recommend the Berner Oberland area. The one place your mention, Gimmelwald, is nothing. You should stay close to Geneva. Geneva itself is certainly worth at least the day you arrive. Be sure to walk up the lake to the international area. There is a wonderful, free "old tech" museum in a stately Georgian home. It has beautiful microscopes, models of the solar system, etc. Go a little further to the park. It has the most unique carousel I have ever seen. Then train to Lucern and spend whatever time you have before you have to think about departure to Paris. The Geneva-Lucerne train takes about 3 hours. If you prefer, you can catch it from the airport and go to Lucerne first and then return to Geneva.

Dawn, you have plenty of time to enjoy the Berner Oberland; three days is the perfect amount of time. Instead of Gimmelwald, there are more places to stay just above in Murren. It will be very easy top reach Paris.... from Interlaken (which is the gateway to the region) there are direct trains to Basel. From Basel there are lots of high-speed TGV trains which go direct to Paris in just 3 hours. http://rail.ch

Dawn, I agree with Michael! You have plenty of time to head to the Berner Oberland area. Take the Golden Pass from Geneva to Interlaken, and stay in Lauterbrunnen with day trips up to the Jungfrau, and Gimmelwald / Murren.

The Berner Oberland has so much to offer, I would stay in Lauterbrunnen. I hope you are traveling by car because it gives you great flexibility and you can see so much just driving around that area, especially if you encouter some rain. One time when we were there we had light rain for most of the day and just took a pleasant tour of the area. We have stayed in Murren as well and it was a great experience for one night to have a hotel room on the edge of the valley with a just incredible view. The problem with Murren is that there are too many things to see and do that start out in the valley. The train to the Jungfraujoch leaves from Lauterbrunnen. The boat trip around the Brienzer See is nice, leaving from Interlaken. The place we found last September is the Ballenberg Open Air Museum and it is fantastic. The aerial tram to the Schilthorn starts in the valley at Steckleberg with stops in Gimmelwald and Murren. Your October date is crowding the start of their off season when many hotels and restaurants close until the start of the winter season so I would get on the internet and see what is available. Altough we have not been able to book rooms there, the reatuarant at the Hotel Oberland is a very good value. I would also spring a couple extra bucks if needed to get a room with a view wherever you stay. It sounds trite, but the most common thing I have heard people say about Luaterbrunnen and environs is, "It's just a little piece of Heaven." I hope you have good weather and a great time!

Thank you all so much for the great information! What would I do without all of the helpful, knowledgable and generous folks on this site. This will be my 3rd trip abroad and I couldn't have created the successful trips I've taken ( nor those that are ahead) without each piece of information gathered here!! Thanks again!!! And I am sure it will not be the last you hear from me, October is a ways off, so many months left to ask and plan :)

If you arrive on the 5th and depart on the 8th, you actually have three nights and two full days. It is well worth the trip to the Berner Oberland. You can be iin Lauterbrunnen in a little over 3 hours from the Geneva airport. And for travel in October, the Swiss Travel System has a 2-for-1 deal on 4-day Swiss passes, so if there are 2 of you going, you can get two passes for 226 CHF total. This will cover all your train travel, and also provide a discount on the trip up the Schilthor or Jungfraujoch if you want to do one of those. Boats on the lakes would be covered as well.

3 days in the BO is fine. I've stayed in Gimmelwald. It was magical-a real villagenot touristyquietfabulous views. I hope to stay there every time I go to the area.

Thanks again for the oh-so helpful advice! So here is what we are thinking: Fly into Geneva at 7:30 am on the 5th, train to lausanne for one night , visit the chateau de Chillon and then travel to Lauterbrunnen for 2 nights, using it as a base to travel to gimmiwald, etc....does that work? Anyone know if this is feasible and what kind of time we are talking about with regard to actual time in transit.

Geneva Airport to Lausanne is 42 to 50 minutes by train. Lausanne to Lauterbrunnen is just over 2.5 hours. You can see the schedules at rail.ch.

Thanks, that confirms our plan is doable :)

Lauterbrunnen with a trip up to the Jungfrau station is very doable in your time frame...and breathtakingly beautiful.

What should I anticipate as far as weather in October?

Agree with the previous comments that should definitely visit the Berner Oberland. Lauterbrunnen is a great base in the valley, also Murren is very nice, a little higher up in the Alps. Murren will add about 20 min to your commute, cable car and train up the mountain, but all are perfectly coordinated and convenient. Weather will vary greatly depending on the elevation. Probably 60's in the valley, but cooler the higher you go. I was there in June and went snow sledding with my kids on the Jungfrau, it was in the 30's up there. Bring a waterproof jacket because it rains frequently.