Lake geneva - Genfersee

The Lake Geneva (French Lac Léman) is located in Central Europe on the French and Swiss Border. Geographically, almost the entire south bank belongs to the department Haute-Savoiewhich in turn belongs to the region Rhône-Alpes belongs. The lower part of the west bank belongs to the canton Geneva, almost the entire north bank belongs to the canton Vaud, the eastern tip at Le Bouveret belongs to the canton Valais.

Regions

• Geneva - in the far west, on the lower part of the west bank

• La Cote - Between Geneva and Lausanne

• Lavaux - Terraced vineyard between Lausanne and Vevey as a UNESCO World Heritage Site

• La Riviera vaudoise - The Vaudois Riviera - Vevey - Montreux

• Chablais - The Chablais in Switzerland is a delightful region that stretches from Lake Geneva to Martigny, with inviting towns and villages such as Aigle and Bex. The tourist center is Villars-sur-Ollon.

• Le Chablais français - The Chablais in France is a flat region south of Lake Geneva with the towns of Evian-les-Bains and Thonon-les-Bains, which ends abruptly under the massif of the Cornettes de Bise.

background

Lake Geneva is the second largest lake in Central Europe, after Lake Balaton in Hungary. It is 372 m above sea level. M., has an area of ​​580 km² and the deepest point is 310 m deep. Lake Geneva is traversed by the Rhône, which flows into the lake at Le Bouveret. The Rhône leaves the lake again near Geneva, with the water taking over 10 years to flow through. Other important tributaries are the On it, followed by the Venoge and the Aubonne.

There are a total of seven small islands in Lake Geneva, all of them in the Swiss lake area. The largest, with a length of 120 m and a width of 48 m, is the rocky island near Veytaux, with the Chillon Castle. The other islets according to size are the Île de Rousseau in Geneva, the Île de la Harpe at role that Ile aux Oiseaux at Préverenges, the Ile de Salagnon at Clarens that Île de Peilz at Villeneuve and the Île de Choisi at Bursinel.

Cities

The following cities are located directly on the lake.

• 46.26.151 Geneva - One of the most popular destinations in western Switzerland for tourists, business people and heads of state: United Nations headquarters, the Red Cross, etc.
• 46.5333333333336.63333333333332 Lausanne - Olympic capital and IOC headquarters
• 46.4005555555566.593 Evian-les-Bains - known for the mineral water and Palais Lumière, Maison Gribaldi, town hall, theater and casino, funicular, church, Cachat refreshment bar, thermal park, water gardens of the Pré-Curieux, water bottling plant of Evian in Amphion-les-Bains, spa and summer sports and Leisure center, beach, harbor. Musical interludes, Evian Masters, summer theater, Village Le Fabuleux.

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  Geneva

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  Lausanne

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  Evian-les-Bains

• 46.3705555555566.47972222222224 Thonon-les-Bains - former capital of Chablais. Church, basilica, monastery, Hotel-Dieu, Chablais-Museum, town hall, harbor, ecomuseum for fishing and sea, castle and estate in Ripaille, forest, nature reserve of the Delta-de-la-Dranse, beach, health resort and summer sports resort. Festival of Montjoux, les Fondus du Macadam, Festival of Crete, Festival des Courants d'airs.

• 46.3819616666676.238885 Nyon - UEFA's headquarters, the charming town of Nyon, is halfway between Geneva and Lausanne on Lake Geneva, in the heart of the La Côte vineyards.
• 46.4333333333336.91666666666676 Montreux - Smoke on the Water, the song by Deep Purple, was written in Montreux during the casino fire on December 7, 1971.
• 46.5094472222226.49861111111117 Morges - The small town not far from Lausanne is known for its interesting sights and museums as well as for the numerous excursion possibilities in the area.

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  Thonon-les-Bains

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  Nyon

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  Montreux

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  Morges

• 46.4666666666676.858 Vevey - the pearl of the Vaudois Riviera: Charlie Chaplin's house (Corsier-sur-Vevey), Nestlé headquarters, Grande Place on the shores of Lake Geneva, Alimentarium
• 46.2421388888896.14347222222229 Pregny-Chambésy - is known for its large estates, castles and mansions.
• 46.4166666666676.933333333333310 Veytaux - is famous for the Chillon Castle on the banks of the lake.
• 46.3833333333336.858333333333311 Le Bouveret - with the amusement park on the theme of steam trains
• 46.376.326666666666712 Yvoire - wonderful port and small medieval town

getting there

By plane

46.2383333333336.1094444444444There is an international airport in Geneva  Geneva airport (IATA: GVA) last change: not specified

By train

Geneva and Lausanne are with InterCitys from Basel, Zurich and Bern reachable from. Geneva also with TGVs Paris.

In the street

The Autobahn 2 (A2) leads from Zurich to Lausanne, the Autobahn 12 (A12) from Bern to Vevey. They run parallel to the northern shore of the lake Autobahn 1 (A1) in the west and the Autobahn 9 (A9) in the east. The southern shore of the lake is accessed by the French D 1005 (the former N 5).

mobility

By train

SBB line (Swiss Federal Railways) - between Geneva, Lausanne, Montreux, north of the lake. The Lausanne - Vevey route is beautiful because the train is only a few meters away from Lake Geneva on part of the route and passes through the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lavaux.

Line of the SNCF (w: Léaz – Saint-Gingolph railway line, French state railway) - south of the lake, connects Evian-les-Bains with Annemasse. The eastern continuation into the Valais forms the w: Saint-Gingolph – Saint-Maurice railway line.

By boat

All public ferries that operate on the lake are owned by the Compagnie Générale de Navigation CGN. The timetables vary according to the seasons. A total of more than 35 ports are called around the lake. Tickets can be bought online, at the counter or on board. Passengers must be able to present a valid identity card or passport to travel from Switzerland to France and vice versa. Bicycles are not allowed on tours. Access is usually possible for wheelchair users, but can be difficult depending on the number of participants and the size of the ship. There are disabled toilets on all ships except "Col-Vert" and "Général-Guisan". Day tickets are valid until 5 a.m. the next day.

A maximum of ten bicycles per ship can be taken. It is advisable to inform the on-board staff in advance at [email protected] or 41 (0) 848 811 848. The price for bike transport is CHF 8 (2021) for the whole day.

The regular connections for passengers and partly bicycles are from CGN with up to 100 crossings per day on the 3 lines between:

• Lausanne - Evian-les-Bains
• Lausanne - Thonon-les-Bains
• Nyon - Yvoire

Liner docking stations:

By bicycle

The bike ride Tour du lac Léman à vélo around the lake follows a route that avoids busy roads. It is marked on the Swiss side by the cycle signpost 46 and on the French side by the "Tour du Léman". The entire tour is 200 km long and can be done in one day for the more sporty, but it is advisable to plan 3 days in order to better enjoy and visit the region. The clockwise loop around the lake allows you to be as close to the water as possible.

Tourist Attractions

• The 46.4141666666676.92751 Chillon Castle, Château de Chillon, is a medieval castle that was built in a prominent place on a small island and is connected to the shore by a bridge. Inside there is an exhibition and most of the castle can be visited, but it also offers very nice views from the outside. The château is one of the most visited attractions in Switzerland.

activities

Boat trips

The Belle Epoque steamers "Vevey" and "Italie" operate all year round, "La Suisse" and "Savoie" operate from mid-April to mid-October, "Simplon" and "Montreux" are in operation from mid-June to early September. Of CGN Touristic tours with and without meals are offered by various ports. There are 1st and 2nd class tickets. Access to the upper deck is only permitted for 1st class customers. Access to the dining room on the main deck is also permitted for 2nd class customers while eating. Tickets can be bought online, at the counter or on board. Passengers must be able to show a valid identity card or passport to travel from Switzerland to France and vice versa. Bicycles are not allowed on tours. Access is usually possible for wheelchair users, but can be difficult depending on the number of participants and the size of the ship. There are disabled toilets on all ships except "Col-Vert" and "Général-Guisan".

swim

• 46.2143456.1728241  Geneve plague, Quai de Cologny 5 Port-Noir 1223 Geneva. An inner-city outdoor pool right on the lake, with many swimming and sports opportunities.Open: daily 9 a.m. - 8.30 p.m.Price: Children from 6 to 15 years: 3.50 Adults (from 16 years): 7.– Adults from 5 pm: 4.50.last change: May 2020

• 46.34932876.35967412  Plage d'Excenevex, 253 avenue de la Plage, 74140 Excenevex. Excenevex beach is the only natural beach with fine sand on Lake Geneva. A gently sloping beach with shallow water, the water temperature around 25 ° all summer. Swimming is supervised daily from 6 July to 31 August 2019 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.last change: May 2020

sailing

• Every year there is an important competition, the Bol d'Or.

surfing

Windsurfing, kite surfing. Excenevex beach, near Thonon-les-Bains, is the lake's only natural sandy beach. It is a good starting point for kite surfers or windsurfers.

fishing

Lake Geneva has an excellent reputation as a fishing district. You can bring the bait to the fish from the bank or from the boat. Pike, whitefish, char, perch (perch) and lake trout can be caught depending on the season.

kitchen

• The Longeole is a traditional raw pork sausage with a protected designation of origin. The difference to other sausages are the fennel seeds and the rind, which should not be missing in the sausage. The raw sausage must be cooked for between 2 and 3 hours at around 70 ° C to get the rind soft. The Geneva specialty is usually served with artichoke or potato gratin, potato or carrot salad are also possible.

• At Cardon genevois (German Kardy) is a vegetable that is reminiscent of artichokes. Many farmers in the Geneva region grow thistle-like vegetables. The raw stalks are often doused with bechamel sauce and baked with cheese. But it is also sold as a can in a jar.

• There is a lot of fish in the lake such as pike, perch and whitefish. Quenelles au Poissons (Fish dumplings) are a popular specialty in the Geneva area.

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  Longeole

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  Cardon epineux genevois

• The grape variety widespread in Lavaux is the Gutedel, it is Chasselas called.

nightlife

The pulsating nightlife takes place in the big cities on the lake.

security

• Storm on the lake is always dangerous. You should get to safety beforehand.
  • Strong wind warning shows an orange flashing light that flashes approximately 40 times per minute
  • Storm warning shows an orange flashing light that flashes approximately 90 times per minute

climate

Lake Geneva has a continental climate that is moderated by the lake. The mild spring days are often affected by rainfall. The summer weather is usually perfect, quite warm and rain is rare. Temperatures drop rapidly from October onwards. In winter there are cold temperatures and the chance to see snow.

literature

• MERIAN extra Lake Geneva culinary. Jahreszeitenverlag, distribution by GRÄFE UND UNZER VERLAG GmbH, 2016, ISBN 978-3834222527 .

• Daniel Anker: Around Lake Geneva: Geneva - Chablais - Riviera - Lavaux - La Cote - Jura. 50 tours. Bergverlag Rother, 2013 (3rd edition), ISBN 978-3763341542 .

Web links