The French refer to the lake as Lac Léman. The city’s emblem reflects how integral and special the lake is for Geneva: the Jet d’eau water fountain stands guard over the city.

Lake Geneva was also the launchpad for Justine Mettraux’s sailing career. Raised in Versoix, she spent much of her childhood on the shores of the lake and aboard her parents’ boat. This is where she learned to harness the winds. Her passion for sailing was born.

Justine Mettraux moved to Brittany for the sake of her sport. Nonetheless, she still has fond memories of her early sailing days. “Conditions on Lake Geneva are ideal for learning this sport,” she says.

Justine Mettraux still frequently returns to Lake Geneva. “The lake has a reputation for being quite changeable,” she explains. “The winds can change direction often. That’s why I like to come back to Geneva. It always inspires me to get back on the water here.”

There is a long tradition of sailing on Lake Geneva. The Société Nautique de Genève has been organising one of the most important inland lake regattas in Europe, the Bol d’Or, here since 1939. The race covers a distance of 125 kilometres and attracts more than 500 boats.

Justine Mettraux is not just drawn to Lake Geneva for the sailing. “I often like to go stand-up paddle boarding. It is the perfect place for this because the water is often calm in the morning. The surface of the lake is smooth, so you can see right to the bottom,” she explains enthusiastically.

The lake is as much a part of Geneva as the Jet d’eau. It is therefore hardly surprising that many Genevans use the mouettes shuttle boats to get from one bank to the other whenever possible. Various projects have emerged in recent years aiming to interlink the lake and city even more closely. A beach with a recreational area, for example.