Lake Geneva

Switzerland

Jan 19

The winter of 2017 - 2018 was the winter I chose to paddle through. Before 2017, I was well known for hibernating during the coldest months of the year. I would paddle right up until the end of October and then vanish until March or April. Truth be told, I just didn’t fancy falling into cold water!

But something changed in 2017, and I decided to be brave. I paddled through November and December and, crazily, I decided to enter the world’s coldest stand-up paddleboarding race, the GlaGla, which takes place on Lake Annecy every January. Flying into Geneva, I booked one night at the Auberge Port Gitana, which lies on the shore of Lake Geneva. I had time for a quick paddle there to add Switzerland to my list before driving to France, ready to race.

Stand up Paddleboarding on Lake Geneva. January 2018.

Geneva was cold. Not perhaps quite as cold as I anticipated Annecy would be, but cold nevertheless. I wrapped myself in layers. Thermal rash vests, wetsuit, windproof jacket, waterproof trousers, and 7mm neoprene boots. I was still cold, but I managed a leisurely hour on the lake before returning to the hotel.

I just had one further task to accomplish before I left Geneva. A nostalgic trip to Bastion Park to see the giant chess set. Fifteen or so years earlier, I had visited Geneva with two of my daughters, and I vividly recalled walking through the park and being astonished by the huge chess pieces. It was exactly as I remembered.