Visitors to Canton Vaud (pronounced "Voh"), tend to come for the outdoor beauty. But often what they come home talking about is the food and wine of the region. Europe is the continent that raised eating to an art form, so it makes sense that somewhere there exists a museum devoted to the preparation and consumption of food. (Remember, this is the French part of Switzerland we're talking about!) That somewhere is the town of Vevey, and the museum is called the Alimentarium. This refurbished museum was established in 1985 by the Nestlé corporation, which is based, not coincidentally, in Vevey. A highlight of the museum is a fully functioning demonstration kitchen, where visitors can watch chefs prepare Swiss delights. Other exhibits explore the relationships between food and culture around the world. There is also a children's area, aimed at guests ages six-12. The grounds also include, appropriately enough, a restaurant.

Now that you've learned about food, you're ready to try some of the region's specialties yourself. This is not the place to start your vegan diet. Meat you can probably avoid, but cheese you cannot. A specialty of the region is gateau de fromage, a quiche-like cheese pie in a flaky crust. Fondue is also popular--although locals normally save the hearty dish for cold evenings, you can find it year-round if you look hard enough. Raclette--warm cheese shaved onto potatoes and onions--is also a favorite local snack. Fish dishes are popular as well, as the lake supports many freshwater varieties. And to top it all off, chocolate is also a specialty of the region. (Come to think of it, this is not a great place to start any kind of diet.)