Lake Geneva
Lago de Ginebra
Lake Geneva – this land-locked lake (a.k.a. Lac Leman in French) is the largest body of water in Switzerland, with France taking up its southern shore, and the Alps themselves acting as a picturesque backdrop. The north shore (east of Lausanne) is nicknamed the “Swiss Riviera” because of the pricey real estate found there. During the Summer months, visitors can swim, dive, windsurf and go rowboating.
The western extremity of the lake is dominated by the city of Geneva. Travelling eastwards you enter the canton of Vaud, whose capital Lausanne is known for the Musée de l’Art Brut, a world-famous survey of early outsider art, as well as a museum celebrating the Olympic Games, whose governing body is situated here. Further east you pass through Vevey, the heart of the Swiss Riviera, before coming to picturesque Montreux, famous for its jazz festival and the imposing Château de Chillon, a medieval bastion right on the water.