After visiting the Audrey Hepburn + Hubert de Givenchy Une Elégante Amitié exhibition, I walked around Morges to get a sense of what life may have been like for the late, great actress. I found Morges to be extremely charming and intimate; a small European town feel, bordering the beautiful Lac Léman or Lake Geneva.
I came across the town hall where Audrey Hepburn married Andrea Dotti in 1969, before hitting Espace 81 where another small Audrey Hepburn exhibit was being displayed. The Espace 81 exhibition traced Audrey Hepburn’s role as Goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, from 1987 to her death in 1992.
During her time with UNICEF, Audrey Hepburn worked tirelessly and used her profile to help raise awareness on drought-stricken Ethiopia, a polio vaccine project in Turkey, educational programs in Venezuela and Ecuador, clean drinking water initiatives in Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, literacy projects in El Salvador, and camps for displaced children in the Sudan.
Some pictures from Espace 81’s instagram:
After exploring Morges, I took the bus over to the next village, Tolochenaz, where Audrey Hepburn lived from 1963 to her untimely death in 1993.
Tolochenaz is a quiet and tranquil little place and I can certainly see the appeal of living something so peaceful – especially for a celebrity of her stature.
There are several places related to Audrey Hepburn that one can visit in Tolochenaz:
La Paisible is the house where Audrey Hepburn lived (and not possible to visit).
The Church of Tolochenaz where her funeral took place in January 1993.
The cemetery where Audrey Hepburn rests.
Place Audrey Hepburn where a bust was offered by her son to the townsfolk of Tolochenaz in 2012.
It was quite the amazing day for me – to walk in her footsteps in her beloved Morges and Tolochenaz and get a sense of who she was as a person, and not only as an actress. I’m so happy that I was able to do this during my trip. If you’re a fan of Audrey Hepburn’s and find yourself in or near Switzerland, I would highly recommend a visit. Morges and Tolochenaz is positively quaint and quite walkable. In Tolochenaz, you can easily walk to all the places that represents or honours her memory.
View more photos of Morges and Tolochenaz on my Flickr album. For more on the Audrey Hepburn and Hubert de Givenchy Une Elégante Amitié exhibition, see my blogpost.
Here’s a walking map of the places I went to:
Instagram photo credit: Espace 81
2 Comments
I visited Tolochenez and Morges in December 2023. Both are beautiful places to visit. I went to Audrey’s home and resting place, and to see her bust in the town square. Morges is well worth a visit. Stunningly beautiful and picturesque as you walk along beside the lake. If you’ve never been to Switzerland, I can highly recommend it.
One of the highlights of my trip. Switzerland is beautiful and Morges + Tolochenez absolutely lovely. Would love to go back someday. Glad you got to visit there too!