Lake Geneva

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For other uses, see Lake Geneva (disambiguation).
Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva -
Coordinates 46°26′N 6°33′ECoordinates: 46°26′N 6°33′E
Primary sources Rhône, Venoge, Dranse, Aubonne
Primary outflows Rhône
Catchment area 7,975 km² (3,079 mi²)
Basin countries Switzerland
France
Max length 73 km (45 mi)
Max width 14 km (8.7 mi)
Surface area 582 km² (225 mi²)
Average depth 154.4 m
Max depth 310 m
Water volume 89 km³
Residence time (of lake water) 11.4 years
Surface elevation 372 m
Islands Ile de la Harpe, Ile de Peilz (islets)
Settlements see list

Lake Geneva or Lake Léman (French Lac Léman, le Léman, or Lac de Genève) is the largest freshwater lake in Central Europe (before Lake Balaton). 60% of it comes under the jurisdiction of Switzerland (cantons of Vaud, Geneva, and Valais), and 40% under France (Haute-Savoie).

The crescent-shaped lake, formed by a withdrawing glacier, narrows around Yvoire on the southern shore, the lake can thus be divided into the "Grand Lac" (Large Lake) to the east and the "Petit Lac" (Small Lake) to the west.

View from Montreux
View from Montreux

It lies on the course of the Rhône River. The river has its source at the Rhone Glacier near the Grimsel Pass to the east of the lake and flows down through the Canton of Valais, entering the lake between Villeneuve and St. Gingolph, before flowing slowly towards its egress at Geneva. Other tributaries are La Drance, L'Aubonne, La Morges, Venoge, and Veveyse.

By the 1960s, the lake had ceased being a transport artery for commercial and construction materials. 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 sold). By the 1980s intense environmental pollution (eutrophication) had almost wiped out all the fish. Today, pollution levels have been dramatically cut back, and it is perfectly safe to swim in the lake. Today, the main leisure activities are sailing, wind surfing, boating (including water skiing and wakeboarding), rowing, scuba diving and bathing.

The shore between Nyon and Lausanne is called La Côte, and between Lausanne and Vevey it is called Lavaux.

Contents

[edit] Name

J.M.W. Turner: Lake Geneva from Montreux, 1810.
J.M.W. Turner: Lake Geneva from Montreux, 1810.
Look up Geneva in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

The first recorded name of the lake is Lacus Lemannus from Roman times; it became Lacus Lausonius, Lacus Losanetes and then the Lac de Lausanne in the Middle Ages. Following the rise of Geneva it became Lac de Genève (also translated into English as Lake Geneva). In the 18th century, Lac Léman was revived in French. It was formerly called Lac de Genève in Geneva and Lac Léman elsewhere but the customary name in French is now Lac Léman. Certain maps name the lake the Lac d'Ouchy (after the port located on the Lausanne lake shore).

In English, the name Lake Geneva is predominant.

A note on pronunciation (in IPA) —

English: Lake Geneva /leɪk dʒə'ni:və/
French: Lac Léman /lak le'mɑ̃/ or Lac de Genève /lak də ʒe'nɛv/
German: Genfersee or Genfer See /'gɛnfərˌze:/
Italian: Lago Lemano, Lago di Ginevra /'lago di dʒi'nevra/.

[edit] Miscellaneous

  • Empress Elisabeth of Austria was fatally stabbed in the heart while waiting for a ferry.
  • Mary and Percy Shelley and Lord Byron holidayed by the lake and wrote ghost stories; one of which was the basis for the novel Frankenstein.
  • Pop singer Phil Collins also lives overlooking the lake near his children.
  • Ashes of the British rock star Freddie Mercury are believed by many to be dispersed into the lake.
  • The song Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple was written about when a casino on the shore of Lake Geneva burned down just prior to their scheduled concert. The fire was caused by another band Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, as Deep Purple watched from across the lake. According to some recounts of the story surrounding the song, all of Deep Purple's equipment was destroyed in the fire as well.

[edit] Cities and places

CGN paddle steamer Montreux leaving Évian-les-Bains in July 2002.
CGN paddle steamer Montreux leaving Évian-les-Bains in July 2002.
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
Petit Lac

[edit] External links

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