Lake Geneva or
Lake Léman is a lake in
SwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and
FranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It is one of the largest lakes in Western Europe. 59.53 % 345.31 km² (133.3 sq mi) of it comes under the jurisdiction of
SwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
(cantons of
VaudVaud is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and is located in Romandy, the French-speaking southwestern part of the country. The capital is Lausanne. The name of the Canton in Switzerland's other languages are Vaud in Italian , Waadt in German , and Vad in Romansh.-History:Along the lakes,...
,
GenevaThe Republic and Canton of Geneva is the French speaking westernmost canton or state of Switzerland, surrounded on almost all sides by France. As is the case in several other Swiss cantons The Republic and Canton of Geneva is the French speaking westernmost canton or state of Switzerland,...
, and
ValaisThe Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley...
), and 40.47 % 234.71 km² (90.6 sq mi) under
FranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(
Haute-SavoieHaute-Savoie is a French department in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. It borders both Switzerland and Italy. The capital is Annecy. To the north is Lake Geneva and Switzerland; to the south and southeast are the Mont Blanc and Aravis mountain ranges and the French entrance to the Mont...
). The average surface elevation of 372 m (1,220.5 ft) above sea level is controlled by the Seujet Dam in
GenevaGeneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
.
Lake Geneva, formed by a retreating glacier, has a crescent shape that narrows around
YvoireYvoire is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-Geography:Being located at the tip of the Leman peninsula , Yvoire delimits the two main parts of the Lake Geneva, the "petit lac" and the "grand lac".-Features:It is well known for its medieval...
on the southern shore. It can thus be divided figuratively into the
"Grand Lac" (Large Lake) to the east and the
"Petit Lac" (Small Lake) to the west. The
Chablais AlpsThe Chablais Alps are a mountain range in the western Alps. They are situated between Lake Geneva and the Mont Blanc Massif. The Col des Montets separates them from the Mont Blanc Massif in the south, and the Rhône valley separates them from the Bernese Alps in the east.The Chablais Alps are...
border its southern shore, the western
Bernese AlpsThe Bernese Alps are a group of mountain ranges in the western part of the Alps, in Switzerland. Although the name suggests that they are located in the Bernese Oberland region of the canton of Bern, portions of the Bernese Alps are in the adjacent cantons of Valais, Lucerne, Obwalden, Fribourg and...
lie over its eastern side. The high summits of
Grand CombinThe Grand Combin is a mountain in the western Pennine Alps in Switzerland. With its high summit it is one of the highest peaks in the Alps and the second most prominent of its range...
and
Mont BlancMont Blanc or Monte Bianco , meaning "White Mountain", is the highest mountain in the Alps, Western Europe and the European Union. It rises above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence...
are visible from some places.
Compagnie Générale de Navigation sur le lac Léman (CGN)Compagnie Générale de Navigation sur le lac Léman is a public Swiss company operating boats on Lake Geneva connecting towns in both France and Switzerland including Geneva, Vevey, Montreux, Évian-les-Bains and Lausanne....
operates boats on the lake.
Name
The first recorded name of the lake is
Lacus Lemannus from
RomanThe Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
times; it became
Lacus Lausonius, although this name was also used for
a town or districtLausonius Lacus or Lacus Lausonius was an ancient name referencing a town or region in the country of the Helvetii about Lake Geneva; it was also an ancient name of lake itself....
on the lake,
Lacus Losanetes and then the
Lac de Lausanne in the
Middle AgesThe Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. Following the rise of Geneva it became
Lac de Genève (translated into English as
Lake Geneva). In the 18th century,
Lac Léman was revived in French and is the customary name in that language. In contemporary
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, the name
Lake Geneva is predominant.
A note on pronunciation:
- English
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: Lake Geneva ˌleɪk dʒɨˈniːvə
- French
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
: Lac Léman lak leˈmɑ̃ or Lac de Genève [lak də ʒøˈnɛv]
- German
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
: Genfersee or Genfer See ˈɡɛnfər ˈzeː
- Italian
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
: Lago Lemano, Lago di Ginevra ˈlaːɡo di dʒiˈnɛːvra.
Geography
The lake lies on the course of the
RhoneRhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
. The river has its source at the
Rhone GlacierThe Rhone Glacier, or sometimes Rhône Glacier is a glacier in the Swiss Alps and the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the Swiss canton of Valais...
near the
Grimsel PassGrimsel Pass is a Swiss high mountain pass.-Position:It connects the valley of the Rhone River in the canton of Valais and the Haslital in the canton of Bern....
to the east of the lake and flows down through the Canton of
ValaisThe Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley...
, entering the lake between
VilleneuveVilleneuve is a municipality of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, located in the district of Aigle.-Geography:Villeneuve has an area, , of . Of this area, or 26.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 55.2% is forested...
and
Le BouveretLe Bouveret is a town in the commune of Port-Valais in the Swiss canton of Valais. Situated at the southernmost end of Lake Geneva and close to the French border, Le Bouveret is very much tourism-oriented with several amusement attractions, including the Swiss Vapeur Parc and the water amusement...
, before flowing slowly towards its egress at
GenevaGeneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
. Other tributaries are La Dranse, L'Aubonne, La Morges, La Venoge, and La Veveyse.
Lake Geneva is the largest body of water in Switzerland, and greatly exceeds in size all others that are connected with the main valleys of the
AlpsThe Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
. It is in the shape of a crescent, with the horns pointing south, the northern shore being 95 km (59 mi), the southern shore 72 km (44.7 mi) in length. The crescent form was more regular in a recent geological period, when the lake extended to
BexBex is a municipality in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, located in the district of Aigle. It is a few miles south of its sister town municipality of Aigle.-The Bex Salt Mine:Bex is the site of a famous salt mine....
, about 18 km (11.2 mi) south of Villeneuve. The detritus of the Rhone has filled up this portion of the bed of the lake, and it appears that within the historical period the waters extended about 2 km (1.2 mi) beyond the present eastern margin of the lake. The greatest depth of the lake, in the broad portion between
EvianEvian is a French brand of mineral water coming from several sources near Évian-les-Bains, on the south shore of Lake Geneva.Today, Evian is owned by Danone Group, a French multinational company...
and
LausanneLausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
, where it is just 13 km (8.1 mi) in width, has been measured as 310 m (1,017.1 ft), putting the bottom of the lake at 62 m (203.4 ft) above sea level. The lake's surface is the lowest point of the cantons of Valais and Vaud.
The beauty of the shores of the lake and of the sites of many of the places near its banks has long been celebrated. However it is only from the eastern end of the lake, between Vevey and Villeneuve, that the scenery assumes an
AlpineThe Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
character. On the south side the mountains of Savoy and Valais are for the most part rugged and sombre, while those of the northern shore fall in gentle vine-covered slopes, thickly set with villages and castles.
The snowy peaks of the
Mont BlancThe Mont Blanc massif is a mountain range in the western Alps. It is named after Mont Blanc, at 4,810.45 m the highest summit of the Alps. It is located in France , Italy , and Switzerland...
are shut out from the western end of the lake by the ridge of the Voirons, and from its eastern end by the bolder summits of the
GrammontLe Grammont is a mountain in the Chablais Alps, near Le Bouveret in Valais. At 2,172 metres above sea level, it is one of the highest peaks overlooking Lake Geneva. Various trails lead to the summit, mostly from the southern side....
,
Cornettes de BiseThe Cornettes de Bise is a mountain in the Chablais Alps, overlooking Lake Geneva. At 2,432 metres above sea level, it is the highest summit of the subrange running from Pas de Morgins to Lake Geneva. The mountain is located on the border between France and Switzerland .Nearest localities are Miex...
and
Dent d'OcheThe Dent d'Oche is a mountain in the Haute-Savoie region of France, in the Chablais massif, near the Swiss-French border, that rises to in altitude. It towers above Évian, Thonon, and Lake Geneva...
, but are seen from
GenevaGeneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, and between
NyonNyon is a municipality in the district of Nyon in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is located some 25 kilometers north east of Geneva's city centre, and since the 1970s it has become part of the Geneva metropolitan area. It lies on the shores of Lake Geneva, and is the seat of the district of...
and
MorgesMorges is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud, located in the district of Morges and is also the seat of the district.-History:...
. From Vevey to Bex, where the lake originally extended, the shores are enclosed by comparatively high and bold mountains, and the vista terminates in the grand portal of the defile of St. Maurice, cleft to a depth of nearly 2700 m (8,858.3 ft) between the opposite peaks of the
Dents du MidiThe Dents du Midi is a mountain chain situated in the Chablais Alps in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland. It is composed of seven distinct summits and reaches a height of 3257 metres...
and the
Dent de MorclesThe Dent de Morcles is a 2,969 metres high mountain located at western end of the Bernese Alps, overlooking the Rhone between Martigny and St. Maurice....
.
The shore between
NyonNyon is a municipality in the district of Nyon in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is located some 25 kilometers north east of Geneva's city centre, and since the 1970s it has become part of the Geneva metropolitan area. It lies on the shores of Lake Geneva, and is the seat of the district of...
and
LausanneLausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
is called
La Côte because it is "flatter". Between Lausanne and Vevey it is called
LavauxThe Lavaux is a region in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, in the district of Lavaux. Although there is some evidence that vines were grown in the area in Roman times, the actual vine terraces can be traced back to the 11th century, when Benedictine and Cistercian monasteries controlled the area...
and is famous for its hilly vineyards.
Environment
In the late 1960s pollution made it dangerous to swim at some beaches of the lake; indeed, tourists taking a ride in the local submarine had near zero visibility (it was eventually solid). By the 1980s, intense environmental pollution (
eutrophicationEutrophication or more precisely hypertrophication, is the movement of a body of water′s trophic status in the direction of increasing plant biomass, by the addition of artificial or natural substances, such as nitrates and phosphates, through fertilizers or sewage, to an aquatic system...
) had almost wiped out all the fish. Today, pollution levels have been dramatically cut back, and it is again considered safe to swim in the lake. Major leisure activities practiced include sailing, wind surfing, boating (including water skiing and wakeboarding), rowing, scuba diving and bathing.
On a scientific footnote, in 1827, Lake Geneva was the site for the first measurement of the speed of sound in (fresh) water. French mathematician Jacques Charles François Sturm and Swiss Physicist Daniel Collodon used two moored boats, separated by a measured distance, as the transmit and receive platforms for the sounds of exploding gunpowder. The loud airborne sound coupled into the lake, establishing a loud underwater sound that could be measured at a distance. The flash of the exploding gunpowder provided the visual starting cue for the timepiece, and the underwater explosion sound striking a bell provided the finish cue.
Yacht racing
Yacht racingYacht racing is the sport of competitive yachting.While sailing groups organize the most active and popular competitive yachting, other boating events are also held world-wide: speed motorboat racing; competitive canoeing, kayaking, and rowing; model yachting; and navigational contests Yacht racing...
is a popular sport and high-performance catamarans have been developed specifically for the lake. The design of the
Alinghi 5The Alinghi 5 is a LWL, beam sloop-rigged catamaran built by Alinghi for the 33rd America's Cup.It was launched on 8 July 2009 being lifted from the construction shed in Villeneuve, Vaud by a Mil Mi-26 helicopter and carried thereby to Lake Geneva. It was subsequently carried to Genoa, Italy...
, the defender of the 2010 America's Cup, was influenced by those racing catamarans. The best-known event, the "Bol d'Or" (not to be confused with other events having the same name) runs from Geneva to the end of the lake and back.
Cities and places
List of cities and places on Lake Geneva
Starting from the entry of Rhône River on the east end, with the southern shore to the left.
|
Southern shore |
Northern shore |
| Grand Lac |
- Le Bouveret
Le Bouveret is a town in the commune of Port-Valais in the Swiss canton of Valais. Situated at the southernmost end of Lake Geneva and close to the French border, Le Bouveret is very much tourism-oriented with several amusement attractions, including the Swiss Vapeur Parc and the water amusement...
, ValaisThe Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley...
- St-Gingolph
in Valais and Haute-SavoieHaute-Savoie is a French department in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. It borders both Switzerland and Italy. The capital is Annecy. To the north is Lake Geneva and Switzerland; to the south and southeast are the Mont Blanc and Aravis mountain ranges and the French entrance to the Mont...
- Bret
Bret is a male given name, which derives from Breton, a person from Brittany in France....
, Haute-SavoieHaute-Savoie is a French department in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. It borders both Switzerland and Italy. The capital is Annecy. To the north is Lake Geneva and Switzerland; to the south and southeast are the Mont Blanc and Aravis mountain ranges and the French entrance to the Mont...
- Locum
- Meillerie
Meillerie is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-References:*...
- Lugrin
Lugrin is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-References:*...
- Évian-les-Bains
Évian-les-Bains or Évian is a commune in the northern part of the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France...
- Amphion-les-Bains
- Thonon-les-Bains
Thonon-les-Bains is a town in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-History:...
- Anthy-sur-Léman
Anthy-sur-Léman is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-References:*...
- Séchex
- Sciez
Sciez is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-References:*...
- Excenevex
Excenevex is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-References:*...
- Yvoire
Yvoire is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-Geography:Being located at the tip of the Leman peninsula , Yvoire delimits the two main parts of the Lake Geneva, the "petit lac" and the "grand lac".-Features:It is well known for its medieval...
|
Villeneuve, Vaud Villeneuve is a municipality of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, located in the district of Aigle.-Geography:Villeneuve has an area, , of . Of this area, or 26.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 55.2% is forested...
Château Chillon
Territet
MontreuxMontreux is a municipality in the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.It is located on Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps and has a population, , of and nearly 90,000 in the agglomeration.- History :...
ClarensClarens is a small village in the municipality of Montreux, in the canton of Vaud, in Switzerland.Whilst in Clarens, the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky wrote his ballets The Rite of Spring and Pulcinella and in March 1878, Tchaikovsky wrote his Violin Concerto.Paul Kruger, hero of South African...
La Tour-de-PeilzLa Tour-de-Peilz is a municipality in Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut District in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. The city is located on Lake Geneva between Montreux and Vevey .-History:...
VeveyVevey is a town in Switzerland in the canton Vaud, on the north shore of Lake Geneva, near Lausanne.It was the seat of the district of the same name until 2006, and is now part of the Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut District...
CorseauxCorseaux is a municipality in the district Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.-Geography:Corseaux has an area, , of . Of this area, or 21.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 0.0% is forested...
St-Saphorin
RivazRivaz is a municipality in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, located in the district of Lavaux-Oron.-Geography:Rivaz has an area, , of . Of this area, or 67.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 0.0% is forested...
CullyCully is a former municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud, it was the capital of the district of Lavaux until 2006 when it became part of the district of Lavaux-Oron...
LutryLutry is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud, located in the Lavaux-Oron.-History:Lutry is first mentioned in 908 as in Lustraco villam. In 1124 it was mentioned as monasterium Sancti Martini cum villa quae dicitur Lustriacus and in 1147 it was Lustriey.-Prehistory:In 1835 and again in...
PaudexPaudex is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud, located in the district of Lavaux-Oron. It is a suburb of the city of Lausanne.-Geography:...
PullyPully is a municipality in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, located in the district of Lavaux-Oron.It is one of the eastern suburbs of the city of Lausanne, located on the shores of Lake Geneva and at the foot of the vineyards of Lavaux on the road to Vevey and Montreux.-Prehistory:In 1826 a...
LausanneLausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
with OuchyOuchy is a commune, port, and popular lakeside resort located south of the city of Lausanne in Switzerland at the edge of the Lake Léman ....
and Vidy
St-SulpiceSaint-Sulpice is a municipality in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, located in the district of Ouest lausannois. It is a suburb of the city of Lausanne.-Geography:...
MorgesMorges is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud, located in the district of Morges and is also the seat of the district.-History:...
TolochenazTolochenaz is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud, located in the district of Morges.-Geography:Tolochenaz has an area, , of . Of this area, or 34.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 6.9% is forested...
St-Prex
BuchillonBuchillon is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud, located in the district of Morges.-History:Buchillon is first mentioned in 1228 as Chanliva. In 1339 it was mentioned as Buschillion.-Geography:...
AllamanAllaman is a municipality in the district of Morges in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.The village is famous for the medieval Allaman Castle , built by the Count of Vaud in 1253.-Allaman Castle:...
PerroyPerroy is a municipality in the district of Nyon in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.-History:Perroy is may have been first mentioned in 910 as Prihoiam though that identification is disputed. In 1172 it was mentioned as Perrueis.-Geography:...
RolleRolle is a municipality in the Canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It was the seat of the district of Rolle until 2006, when it became part of the district of Nyon. It is located on the northwestern shore of Lake Geneva between Nyon and Lausanne...
BursinelBursinel is a municipality in the district of Nyon in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.-Geography:Bursinel has an area, , of . Of this area, or 74.0% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 11.3% is forested...
DullyDully is a municipality in the district of Nyon in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.-Geography:Dully has an area, , of . Of this area, or 53.0% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 15.1% is forested. Of the rest of the land, or 28.9% is settled .Of the built up area, housing and...
GlandGland is a municipality in the district of Nyon in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.-History:Gland is known to have been a prehistoric settlement. During the Roman period a farm called Villa Glanis was there...
Promenthoux |
| Petit Lac |
- Nernier
Nernier is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.With its bigger and more renowned neighbouring village of Yvoire, Nernier shares the medieval village center and beautiful flower decoration during the summer season.-External links:* * *...
, Haute-SavoieHaute-Savoie is a French department in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. It borders both Switzerland and Italy. The capital is Annecy. To the north is Lake Geneva and Switzerland; to the south and southeast are the Mont Blanc and Aravis mountain ranges and the French entrance to the Mont...
- Messery
Messery is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-References:*...
- Chens-sur-Léman
Chens-sur-Léman is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-World heritage site:It is home to one or more prehistoric pile-dwelling settlements that are part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps UNESCO World Heritage Site.-References:*...
- Tougues, Haute-Savoie
- Hermance
Hermance is a municipality of the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland.-History:Hermance is first mentioned in 1247 as intra Armentia. In 1271 it was mentioned as Eremencia.-Geography:...
, GenevaThe Republic and Canton of Geneva is the French speaking westernmost canton or state of Switzerland, surrounded on almost all sides by France. As is the case in several other Swiss cantons The Republic and Canton of Geneva is the French speaking westernmost canton or state of Switzerland,...
- Chevrens
Chevrens is a hamlet of Anières in Geneva, Switzerland. A wine growing area in a slender body of land between the French border and the left bank of Lake Geneva....
- Anières
Anières is a municipality in the canton of Geneva in Switzerland.The inhabitants are known as "Aniérois".-History:Anières is first mentioned in 1179 as [Guillelmus] dasneres. It became an independent municipality in 1858 when it separated from Corsier.-Geography:Anières has an area, , of...
- Corsier
Corsier is a municipality of the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland.-History:Corsier is first mentioned in 1297 as Corsiacum. Between 1816-58 Corsier and Anières formed a single municipality.-Geography:...
- Collonge-Bellerive
Collonge-Bellerive is a municipality of the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland.-History:Collonge-Bellerive is first mentioned in 1153 as Collonges. In 1275 it was mentioned as Sancto Mauricio. Until 1799 it was known as Collonge sur Bellerive. It became part of the Canton of Geneva in...
- Vésenaz
- Cologny
Cologny is a municipality in the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland.-Geography:Cologny has an area, , of . Of this area, or 17.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 4.1% is forested...
|
- Prangins
Prangins is a municipality in the district of Nyon in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is located on Lake Geneva.-Geography:Prangins has an area, , of . Of this area, or 54.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 13.1% is forested...
- Nyon
Nyon is a municipality in the district of Nyon in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is located some 25 kilometers north east of Geneva's city centre, and since the 1970s it has become part of the Geneva metropolitan area. It lies on the shores of Lake Geneva, and is the seat of the district of...
, Vaud
- Crans-près-Céligny
Crans-près-Céligny is a municipality in the district of Nyon in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.-Geography:...
, VaudVaud is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and is located in Romandy, the French-speaking southwestern part of the country. The capital is Lausanne. The name of the Canton in Switzerland's other languages are Vaud in Italian , Waadt in German , and Vad in Romansh.-History:Along the lakes,...
- Céligny
Céligny is a municipality in the canton of Geneva, Switzerland. It consists of two small exclaves of the Canton of Geneva into the Canton of Vaud, near Crans-près-Céligny.-Geography:...
, Geneva
- Coppet
Coppet is a municipality in the district of Nyon in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.-History:Coppet is first mentioned in 1294 as Copetum. In 1347 it was mentioned as Copet.-Geography:...
, VaudVaud is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and is located in Romandy, the French-speaking southwestern part of the country. The capital is Lausanne. The name of the Canton in Switzerland's other languages are Vaud in Italian , Waadt in German , and Vad in Romansh.-History:Along the lakes,...
- Tannay, Vaud
- Mies
Mies is a municipality in the district of Nyon in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.It is approximately half-way between Geneva and Nyon. Mies sits on Lake Geneva , which lies to the southeast and is 410m above sea-level. The highest point of Mies is 455m above sea level. The part of Mies touching...
, Vaud
- Versoix
Versoix is a municipality in the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland, which sits on the right bank of Lac Léman. It is the last town of the Canton of Geneva on the road northeast towards Lausanne, before the Canton of Vaud starts. It is a train stop on the SBB-CFF-FFS railway line running between...
, GenevaThe Republic and Canton of Geneva is the French speaking westernmost canton or state of Switzerland, surrounded on almost all sides by France. As is the case in several other Swiss cantons The Republic and Canton of Geneva is the French speaking westernmost canton or state of Switzerland,...
- Bellevue
Bellevue is a municipality of the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland.-History:The village of Colovrex is first mentioned in 1257 as Colovray...
- Genthod
Genthod is a municipality of the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland.-Geography:Genthod has an area, , of . Of this area, or 36.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 8.0% is forested. Of the rest of the land, or 53.7% is settled .Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 44.6%...
- Chambésy
Pregny-Chambésy is a commune in the canton of Geneva in Switzerland. It is located directly north of the city of Geneva, on the south-western shore of Lake Geneva....
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GenevaGeneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
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Famous residents
Mary and Percy Shelley and Lord Byron holidayed by the lake and wrote ghost stories, one of which became the basis for the novel
FrankensteinFrankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
.
Vladimir LeninVladimir Ilyich Lenin was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and communist politician who led the October Revolution of 1917. As leader of the Bolsheviks, he headed the Soviet state during its initial years , as it fought to establish control of Russia in the Russian Civil War and worked to create a...
rented a little "chalet" at the
FrenchThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
bank, near Geneva. Actor
Charlie ChaplinSir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
spent his final years and passed away in Vevey (there is a memorial statue of him along the promenade). Pop singer
Phil Collins Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
lives in a home overlooking the lake. Rock band
QueenQueen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
owned and operated Mountain Recording Studios (which is still in use today) in
MontreuxMontreux is a municipality in the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.It is located on Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps and has a population, , of and nearly 90,000 in the agglomeration.- History :...
, and a statue of lead singer
Freddie MercuryFreddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
stands on the northern shore of the lake. Current Formula 1 driver
Michael SchumacherMichael Schumacher is a German Formula One racing driver for the Mercedes GP team. Famous for his eleven-year spell with Ferrari, Schumacher is a seven-time World Champion and is widely regarded as the greatest F1 driver of all time...
lives with his family in a home overlooking the lake.
External links