Lake Geneva

The Alpine pearl, Lake Geneva (Leman), is the largest body of water located within the famous mountain range. It is also the second largest in Central Europe. A huge 147-meter fountain has been towering over Leman for 125 years, the hallmark of the lake.

Only the flat Lake Balaton in Hungary is bigger than Geneva, but its mostly flat shores are not as fascinating to tourists as the snow-capped peaks of the Alps reflected in the waters of Leman.

The length is approximately 73 km.
The maximum width is 14 km.
The area is 582 km2.
The volume of water is about 89 km3.
The maximum depth is 310 m.
The average depth is 154.4 m.
The height above sea level is 372 m.

The shape of the reservoir resembles a crescent moon, both edges of which face south. The northern coast belongs to Switzerland, the southern coast belongs to France. The two countries have divided 580 square kilometers of the lake between them in a ratio of approximately 60:40. The cities of Geneva, Lausanne and Montreux are located in the upper, Swiss, part of the crescent. On the French side, the only major city on the southern coast is Thonon-les-Bains. All these settlements are developed tourist centers.

Because the lake was formed by a retreating glacier, the water in it was originally crystal clear and cold. It is also quite deep, which contributes to the development of shipping, including sailing. Although the wind in the summer very rarely disturbs the water surface: an Alpine wall has been built around the reservoir, preventing the winds from blowing over the expanses of the lake. Catamarans for outdoor activities on the water were even developed especially for Lehman.

It also attracts diving enthusiasts. In July and August, the water warms up well, its temperature is kept at +23 ° C. In the clean, warm waters, you can admire the richness of the animal and plant world for a long time. The reservoir is home to valuable fish species: whitefish and lake trout, as well as perch and pike. There are many waterfowl on the surface, both permanent inhabitants (gray heron or hissing swan) and temporary ones. The lake annually becomes a shelter for migratory birds that travel from the Swiss Alps to the Jura mountain range, which stretches in the west of the country. Among the hundreds of bird species found in the waters of Lake Geneva, there are rare species. They are hunted by birdwatchers and ornithologists. Of course, hunting takes place with cameras. No one and nothing threatens the birds of the reservoir. Respectable guests of the "Swiss riviera", as the coast of Lake Geneva is called, are least inclined to harm its inhabitants.

However, it was the increased interest in the beauty of the lake that once almost destroyed its ecosystem. More recently, Lehman has been going through the worst years of its existence. Its flora and fauna were on the verge of death, people were forbidden to swim in polluted muddy waters, fish resources were reduced to a critical minimum. The peak of the environmental crisis occurred in the 60s of the last century. Then it was decided to immediately develop resuscitation measures, including both physical cleaning and educational work with tourists and the local population, including the younger Swiss and French, who were to take over the environmental baton from the older generation. The result of the Europeans' efforts was a really clean lake, conducive to the development of ecotourism. Its water has a category of "very high quality", and its condition is monitored by a special commission — CIPEL. Thanks to the efforts of scientists and public figures, Lake Geneva has become one of the cleanest in Europe. Now that his condition is no longer a cause for concern, experts are ready to share their experience with the international community.

To be fair, not all of the lake's problems have been fully resolved. A few years ago, the Swiss side reported a huge oil slick that was moving across the surface of Lehman towards France. Similar situations may well happen on the lake, whose waters hide more than 40 sunken ships, several airplanes and many motorboats and sailboats. Crowded coastal towns also serve as a source of water pollution. However, we hope that the serious threat of half a century ago will never happen again.