Belle Epoque Paddleship

I don’t make impulsive decisions very often, but when I went online and saw an offer for a boat ride on Lac Léman with a dinner for a very reasonable price I just could not resist. At first, I arrived at the wrong ship on the wrong pier, but when Google Maps finally showed me the right pier to board I saw the most beautiful lake ship ever.

More than 110 years old, the Vevey was restored to its former glory complete with carpeted floors and wooden furniture. We were served with french fries with tartare sauce and Perch fillet with cream sauce. The menu also came with a salad and guests could have dessert for a modest additional fee. Along the way you’ll be able to spot chateaus and towns along both the French and Swiss sides of the lake. You heard of the famous Evian water? Well, that’s groundwater that comes from a protected field on the French side of the lake.

The entire vessel is air-conditioned with large panes of glass to offer you spectacular views. After dinner, you can hang out on one of the four outdoor terraces and have a chat with friends over a drink. My favourite spot is the aft terrace on the upper deck because there’s little wind to blow your hair out of shape.

When returning to Geneva, the horn doesn’t sound to warn of the ship coming into port, it warns the smooching couples at the aft terrace to get inside or be completely soaked by the Jet d’Eau! This moment is unique where the slowest form of transportation in Geneva meets the fastest thing in Geneva, the Je d’Eau sprays water at 200km/h. We were so lucky that the wind favored the direction of the ship as an on-lake shower was definitely the best free dessert after a filling meal. 

If I had to do a ranking of all the experiences in Geneva, having dinner on a Belle Epoque paddleship would be very close to the top of that list.