The tulip and slow tourism in Morges

3 June 2022

In the year 2016, the city of Morges (canton Vaud) started the process of becoming the first “slow tourism” destination of Switzerland.

Slow Tourism is a movement against the stress of daily life and hectic tourism, a way of travelling quietly to meet local populations and enjoy nature while adopting eco-responsible behaviour.

The city, the region and nature on the shores of Lake Geneva are perfectly suited for the “slow” spirit.  The “Parc de l’Indépendance” tulip symbolizes this bond between the city, nature and tourism.

The tulip is a highly attractive flower. The annual Tulip festival welcomes many visitors. It is slow tourism par excellence. People walk, speak and enjoy without any haste and modern means of transport, although not without their smartphones.

For the 50th edition of the Tulip Festival, the Association Morges Fleur du Léman commissioned in 2020 a creative project in the public space. This mandate resulted in the sculpture ‘Silver Parrot’ by Leo Orta (1993), representing an almost five metre high tulip.

This sculpture offers the Festival a permanent residence in Independence Park and gives the city an eternal springtime, thus slowing tourism forever.

(Source and further information: www.morges-tourisme.ch).