Long live summer!
The pleasures of swimming in French -speaking Switzerland
In French -speaking Switzerland, there are countless romantic places by the water. A new guide presents the hundred most beautiful bathing sites, with detailed descriptions of the routes. Here we go?
Lake Retaud is located 1,700 meters above sea level in the Vaudois Alps.
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- The death organs offer an impressive rock wall with old stories of smugglers.
- Les Gorges de l’Areuse offer spectacular landscapes between Neuchâtel and Val-de-Travers.
- Lac de Lessoc seduced by its turquoise waters nestled in preserved hills.
- Lake Retaud, located 1700 meters away, offers a refreshing swimming facing the Diablerets.
The organs of death
The imposing “deaths of death” amount to more than 70 meters on the Doubs, north of Chaux-de-Fonds. This 500 -meter -long rock wall has ribs that look like the pipes of an organ. It is said that they sometimes play soft and disturbing music when the winds sweep them. But that is not the reason, or not the only one, for which the Death organs bear this somewhat macabre name. In the nineteenthe century, smugglers rose and often descended the steep rocky walls of the river. Some then fell from makeshift wood scales and lost their lives.
Times have changed. Today, just sit on the edge of the Doubs, feet in sparkling water, to experience a wonderful feeling of relaxation. For thrill seekers, it is possible to climb the “scales of death”, which are nearby. They lead to a point of view on the death valley. The ascent of twenty minutes is within the reach of families. But the most daring can embark on the via ferrata of the death scales.
The gorges of the Areuse
The Les Gorges de l’Areuse, 10 kilometers long, lead Lake Neuchâtel in Val-de-Travers.
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There is also an impressive landscape with a beautiful expanse of water in the middle of the rocks in a more central place, in The country of Trois-Lacsmore precisely in the canton of Neuchâtel. Here, the most southern jura chain is cut by the Ause gorges10 kilometers long. They lead from Lake Neuchâtel to Val-de-Travers, more isolated. It is a world apart, tinged with melancholy and marked by the watchmaking industry and the green fairy, the absinthe which was distilled there illegally for decades.
In the lower part of the gorges is a spectacularly narrow rocky passage, which can be admired from the hiking trail. In other places, the area is easily accessible and conducive to swimming. There falling from the glass roof is a particularly beautiful site. This several level waterfall spills with a crash in a large green basin. To eat after swimming, you can get in 20 minutes on foot to the Trout restaurant, located in a more clear part of the gorges. On the welcoming terrace of the garden, we serve the trout fished in the restaurant pond and the perfect absinthe.
Lessoc Lake
At Lake Lessoc, it feels like you are in the middle of a romantic painting.
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For people who prefer sweetness, we recommend the Lessoc lakethe dam on the Sarine located in Gruyère. On his promontory, one has the impression of being in the middle of a romantic painting. In front of the visitors extends a sparkling lake surface of acute-marine color, nestled in intact wooded hills. The only traces of civilization are, in the distance, a building resembling a castle (the Montbovon power plant) and a farm. On the shores grow many feet of fragrant petasite and mint.
To spice up the experiment, it is possible to be brought to swimming by the Sarine through a rocky bottleneck and to return to firm land at the mouth of the next stream. The hiking trail allows you to return to the promontory.
Lake Retaud
A pretty mountain inn awaits the hosts on its banks on Lake Retaud, in the Vaudois Alps.
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During hot summer days, there is nothing better to cool off than to take altitude and dive into a mountain lake. Located 1700 meters above sea level in the Vaudois Alps, the lac Retaud is the perfect place for that. It is easily accessible (you can get riding by car or with a bus that shuttles).
A pretty mountain hostel awaits the hosts on its banks and cows complete this idyllic painting with the tingling of their bells. In addition, there is a splendid view of the Massif des Diablerets, whose ski area is known as Glacier 3000. Only 170 meters long, the lake is quite small and the water temperature is around 18 degrees.
By taking the path rising to the lake, it is worth making a detour by the nearby DAR waterfall. Its thin jet, which crashes on a rocky wall 60 meters below, is a real spectacle.
In the Trient Valley, in Valais, an attraction nearby is the Emosson dam, accessible by a spectacular funicular and by a small rack train, the surroundings of which overlook the imposing snowy massive of Mont-Blanc.
Bécassine park beach
The beach of the Bécassine Park, near Versoix, on the shores of Lake Geneva.
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The Beach of the Bécassine Parknext to Versoix, on the edges of Lake Genevaoffers a special view of a completely different kind. By raising your eyes to the sky, you can see the giant metal birds very closely which are approaching Geneva airport. It’s entertaining, and not only for aircraft fans. Romanticism is not neglected. The park has magnificent old trees as well as a well -maintained master’s house (cantonal archeology is installed there).
This place offers a view of the Savoyard Alps with the Salève, the favorite mountain of Genevoises and Genevans. Picnic tables and toilets are available to park visitors, which is very practical. You can walk on the 40 meter long beach bordering the old wall of the Port de Versoix. This beach is almost entirely surrounded by water. We have the impression of being on an island and everyday life suddenly seems very far.
The Baignade Guide in French -speaking Switzerland
Cover of the guide “Au Fil de l’Eau – Swiss French -speaking”
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The new book “Over the water – French -speaking Switzerland” Guide adventurers, swimming fans and gourmets of all ages in places in French -speaking Switzerland particularly beautiful and located by the water. Many of them are relatively little known. 100 swimming sites with idyllic beaches, jade green rivers, spectacular rock walls and impressive waterfalls are presented with photos and texts. They are all accessible in a maximum hour on foot from a stop of public transport or parking.
Thanks to cards, coordinates and precise descriptions of access, we always arrive by the easiest way. Many security tips and addresses of pleasant restaurants with garden complement this guide. This is the second book in the series “Au Fil de l’Eau”. The first volume presents the most beautiful Baignade Passin places (ISBN 978-3-907267-00-4).
“Over the water – French-speaking Switzerland “: lakes, rivers and waterfalls: the most beautiful unusual swimming, Iwona Eberle (texts) and Christoph Hurni (photos), Salamander Verlag, 2025, ISBN 978-3-907267-05-9, 39 fr. 90; The book is also available in German under the title “Wild und Frisch – Romandie”.
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