Geneva reveals itself from the water. Over the harbour, gulls circle the paddle steamers, the quays stretch out beneath the plane trees and, on a clear day, Mont Blanc appears above the roofs. In the middle, a white plume rises into the sky.
IThe Jet d'eau, a valve that became a symbol
The Jet d'eau was born of a technical problem. In 1886, the Coulouvrenière hydraulic plant had to release excess pressure from its network, so the water was simply allowed to shoot upwards. People loved it so much that it was moved into the harbour in 1891. The one admired today dates from 1951 and rises 140 metres.
That is what we placed at the centre of our map of Geneva, between the bridges and the quays, like the beating heart of the chart.
IIA city of precision
Geneva is one of the capitals of watchmaking. Since 1886, the Geneva Seal has distinguished watches whose movements are assembled and regulated in the canton to strict criteria. That culture of precision runs through the city, its workshops and its streets.
In the Old Town, cobbled lanes climb to Saint-Pierre Cathedral. From the top of its towers, the whole city reads like a map: the harbour, the lake, the Jura on one side, the Alps on the other.
IIIThe lake in every season
Lake Geneva is one of the largest lakes in Western Europe. At the Bains des Pâquis, Genevans swim in it even in winter, before sharing a fondue on the jetty. It is a very Genevan image: simple, elegant, a little unexpected.
Our Geneva square draws on old maps, with their streets drawn one by one and their crown of olive branches. You can read it the way you stroll: starting from the fountain, then getting lost.
Next journalThe Engadine, when the lakes freeze