In short
Behind a boat, a glassy lake makes a good session: in My Lake, wakeboarding and water-skiing are “Perfect” up to 15 km/h of gusts, wakesurfing up to 10 km/h. According to the canton of Geneva, these sports can be practised freely on Lake Geneva, within safety rules. Verified schools and clubs below, from Geneva to Montreux and on the French shore.
Why do you need a glassy lake?
Wakeboarding and water-skiing are done towed by a boat; wakesurfing is surfed on the wake wave, without a rope. Chop scrambles that wave and makes riding uncomfortable. The app’s guidelines:
- Wakeboarding and water-skiing: “Perfect” up to 15 km/h of gusts, “Good” up to 25, “Meh” up to 32.
- Wakesurfing: more demanding, “Perfect” up to 10 km/h, “Good” up to 18, “Meh” up to 25.
Rain or air below 10 °C costs one notch. Calm mornings are often the best.
Where can you go wakeboarding, wakesurfing or water-skiing?
- Tropical Corner, Cologny (April to October), near Tropical Corner: Windsurf school since 1981: board and paddle rental, wakeboard pontoon.
- GenevaBoats, Genève, near Bains des Pâquis: Boats with or without a skipper from Quai du Mont-Blanc; wakeboard, wakesurf and water-skiing outings with a driver.
- Pieds dans l’O, Lausanne, near Lausanne – Ouchy: At Ouchy’s old harbour: pedal boats, electric or motorboats, wakeboard and water skiing.
- Wakeboard Geneva, Pregny-Chambésy, near Pregny-Chambésy: Wakeboard and wakesurf school at Reposoir beach, water-skiing and tubing too.
- Water Sports Montreux, Montreux, near Veytaux: One of Switzerland’s oldest watersports clubs, pier at Territet: wakeboard, wakesurf and water-skiing, gear included.
- W-school, Thonon-les-Bains, near Thonon: On the town beach, Quai de Ripaille: wakesurf, wakeboard, water-skiing, foil and wing.
- Poolsnap, Sciez, near Sciez: Water-ski school at Sciez harbour, specialising in wakesurf and wakeboard, beginner to expert.
- Wake Up, Cologny (April to October), near Cologny: Wakeboard and wakesurf school at Quai de Cologny, daily on request from April to October.
- Fit Wake, Genève, near Bains des Pâquis: Wakeboard and wakesurf sessions from Quai Wilson, right in the harbour.
- Ski Nautique Club Lausanne, Lausanne, near Lausanne – Ouchy: Ouchy club since 1966, Tour Haldimand pier: water-skiing, wakeboard and wakesurf lessons open to non-members.
Prices, seasons and hours should be checked with each school.
Do you need a licence?
Not for an outing with a school or a driver: they drive the boat. The canton of Geneva states that these sports are free on Lake Geneva and that the rules aim at the safety of other lake users; they mostly concern people using their own boat.
Lake Geneva’s water right now
Each beach’s water temperature is in the My Lake app, updated every three hours.