Myths surrounding Lake Geneva

It is impossible to talk about the Évian region, the ‘Valley of Abundance’, without mentioning it. Vast, ever-changing and fascinating, Lake Geneva is far more than just a landscape. A natural border between France and Switzerland, it shapes the light, tempers the climate, inspires artists and has fuelled legends for centuries.

By turns peaceful and spectacular, it offers a variety of unique atmospheres: bustling harbours, secluded beaches, wild reed beds and panoramic views of the Alps.

A place for contemplation as much as for activities, it is one of the key defining features of the Lake Geneva region.

For me, a winter swan lost upon your shores,
Who returns to face a sky heavy with storms,
May I sometimes, in your wet, crystal waters,
Dip my soiled plumage once more, O Lake Léman!
May I, as I did yesterday, lie on the dark meadow
Where the great chestnut trees of Évian cast their shade,
Gaze upon the fisherman’s sail upon your waters,
A luminous triangle, its whiteness standing out.
(Lamartine, ‘Ressouvenir du lac Léman’)

Lake Geneva Melancholy

Don’t worry if, whilst staying on the shores of Lake Geneva, you feel a gentle sense of melancholy, like a pleasant numbness, a need to relax: it’s ‘La Molle duLac’, so named in reference to the winds that suddenly die down, brought on by the light of this ever-changing lake, the sounds of the water, the air, the scents… ‘I’ve got one of those “molles”!’ people say round here. It’s an illness that’s good to catch.

Fact sheet

“Léman” means “lake”. So to say “Lake Léman” literally means “lake lake”!

· Origin: glacial
· Area: 580 km², shared between Switzerland (348 km²) and France (234 km²)
· Altitude: 375 m
· Length: 72 km, crescent-shaped
· Width: less than 14 km
· Maximum depth:310 m
· Summer water temperature: an average of 20°C, down to a depth of 30 m

Lake Geneva is a dimictic lake: its waters mix completely in spring and autumn. This natural phenomenon allows the deeper layers to be reoxygenated and ensures the lake’s ecological balance.

Absolutely… inspiring!

From Gargantua…

Legend has it that the giant Gargantua, whilst passing through the region and finding the river too small to quench his thirst, dug a huge hole so he could drink to his heart’s content. As he flung huge shovelfuls of earth behind him, he is said to have created Mont Salève. The locals, seeing the mountain rise up before their very eyes, are said to have cried out:‘It’s rising ! ’. Another version of the story says that he wanted to dig a bath to match his immense size, and some even claim that the lake is the result of the giant’s urgent need whilst facing the mountains!

…to Frankenstein

In June 1816, on the shores of the lake at Cologny, a 19-year-old woman, Mary Shelley, was spending a rainy summer in the company of Percy Shelley and Lord Byron. Confined by the rain, the friends read tales of the fantastic. Byron then set them a challenge: each of them had to write a terrifying story. A few nights later, Mary Shelley, unable to sleep, was overcome by a vision:‘A pale student of the black arts kneeling beside the creature he had assembled ’. From this vision, in 1818, the novel *Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus* was born.
A tale that is both horrific and philosophical, with many passages set in the region, *Frankenstein* is also one of the pioneering works of science fiction.

Buried Treasures

Every now and then, mysterious divers emerge from the depths of the lake. Do these treasure hunters hope to strike it rich there, perhaps finding a chest forgotten in a shipwreck, or a bell – such as the Ballaison bell – stolen by the Bernese when they came to conquer Savoy and which fell into the lake whilst being transported? Be that as it may, the depths ofLake Geneva are home to numerous relics, including around 40 shipwrecks – sites that deserve to be respected and preserved, each of which tells a part of the lake’s rich history.

READ THIS

Lake Geneva: A Lakeside Culture
by Jean-Claude Vernex
Publisher: Le Dauphiné

Legends and Stories of Lake Geneva
By Christian Vellas
Publisher:Slatkine, Geneva

PLACES TO VISIT

The Lake Geneva Museum (Nyon, Switzerland)

Museeduleman.ch

At once a landscape, a source of inspiration, a recreational area and a treasure trove of biodiversity, Lake Geneva is far more than just a lake. It is a cornerstone of the region’s identity, a place to breathe and a constant source of wonder.

With its blend of ancient legends and literary works, its mild climate and vast horizons, it continues to hold an undiminished fascination for those who live on its shores or discover it whilst on holiday.

Discover Lake Geneva