In short
Wind sports need a steady wind. In My Lake, kitesurfing is “Perfect” between 22 and 40 km/h, windsurfing between 20 and 40 km/h, and foiling from 12 km/h, or in a bise of at least 25 km/h for downwinders. The bise, the north-easterly MeteoSwiss calls Lake Geneva’s most characteristic wind, is their best friend.
How much wind for each sport?
- Kitesurfing: “Perfect” from 22 to 40 km/h, “Good” from 16 to 45 km/h; one notch lower if gusts exceed the mean wind by more than 20 km/h, and “No” above 55 km/h of gusts.
- Windsurfing: “Perfect” from 20 to 40 km/h, “Good” from 15 to 45 km/h; it copes better with gusts, up to 60 km/h.
- Foiling: little wind is enough, “Perfect” from 12 to 30 km/h; with no wind, there is still pump foiling.
These are the app’s guidelines, not standards: skill level and gear size matter just as much.
Why is the bise ideal for downwinders?
The bise blows from the north-east, steadily and often strongly, and raises a swell that runs down the lake. For foiling, a bise of at least 25 km/h gives a “Perfect” rating: enough for long runs carried by the waves. On the Haut-Lac it turns north-north-west (MeteoSwiss).
Where can you rent or learn windsurfing and wing foiling?
- Tropical Corner, Cologny (April to October), near Tropical Corner: Windsurf school since 1981: board and paddle rental, wakeboard pontoon.
- SwissPaddle, Corseaux, near Corseaux: Paddle boards and wing foil in Corseaux, next to Nestlé in Vevey.
- Nautic Loisirs, Montreux, near Montreux – Clarens: Quai des Fleurs: paddles, kayaks, windsurf boards and motorboats.
- W-school, Thonon-les-Bains, near Thonon: On the town beach, Quai de Ripaille: wakesurf, wakeboard, water-skiing, foil and wing.
For kitesurfing, we do not have a verified rental place yet; spots depend on the wind direction, shown on each beach page.
Lake Geneva’s water right now
Each beach’s water temperature is in the My Lake app, updated every three hours.