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La Suisse
Operating Area :
Lake Geneva, Switzerland
La Suisse at Montreux 22nd June 2024
Built 1910
by Sulzer Brothers at Winterthur
Engines: Compound Diagonal by Sulzer. 1400 HP
Length : 78.5
metres
Entered service on
25th May, 1910
Laid up during World War II, resuming service in the 1948 season
Converted from coal to heavy oil burning fuel in 1960
Upper deck partially enclosed for the 1960 season,
including removal of the rotunda.
Laid up after the 1968 season with boiler trouble. At the time there was some
thought of replacing her engine with diesels.
Reboilered in 1970 and returned to
service
Entrance to the main deck restaurant aft moved from the centre to
the starboard side
1998/89 - converted to burn light oil
2002/03 - electrics renewed
Out
of service in 2008 whilst she underwent a major renewal which also involved
changes to her appearance to return to a more traditional styling
Returned
to service in time for the main summer season of 2009
Above
and below : Two views from June 1914 by kind courtesy of
Malcolm Oliver - including close-up of the new enclosed upper deck aft
Below : Aboard La Suisse on June 21st 2024 - by Gordon Stewart
The
upper deck on LA SUISSE. Comfortable enough and a fine view out. As
soon as you sit down the server asks what you want. From what I saw it
was mainly glasses of wine and hardly any beer at all. They do bring
plated food up from down below if you want to eat up there. When I got
off, the area was being set out for a later afternoon cruise with
reserved tables, baskets of bread being placed on the tables and some
yummy-looking platters of cheese and cured meats next............
LA
SUISSE upper deck looking aft. The stairs lead down to the main deck
with the posh restaurant with tablecloths and the Belle Epoque
decorations then immediately facing you. Exits are to the left or
right, so first class passengers don't have to pass the engine gallery
.......
One
of the many things I like about LA SUISSE is that the funnel casing
comes right up through the upper deck inside the enclosed passenger
area. It reminded me of Goethe, but is typical for lake Geneva paddlers
(but not Vevey or Italie). The retro-built "smoking room" (from where I
am taking the photo) is part of the main enclosed area unlike most
other paddlers and affords a great view out ahead.
This is particularly welcome on La Suisse because in the second class area below,
there is now no view directly ahead from the roundel saloon. For many
years there was, but in her last renovation the "bar" was moved back to
the original place right at the front of the seating area. It is very
nice as far as such areas go in Swiss paddlers but due to the blocking
of the view, there is even more reason to get a first class ticket
....... which I did for the first time ever I think. At least I could
take photos in the nicer areas upstairs at leisure without keeping an
eye out for the ticket inspector !
Here
I show, in one shot, the three ways to view machinery from the main
deck : the paddle wheel panoramic window (less wide than Italie's
though), the crankshaft viewing gallery (sadly without any benches for
those wishing to admire but needing to sit down), and the relatively
newly installed strengthened-glass floor "window" for those wishing to
see the cranks better (most of the action takes place below main deck level in European paddle steamers)
La
Suisse was not very busy at all and few people bothered about the
engines - locals had seen them already no doubt if they were
interested, few tourists were aboard to enthrall, and those going to
the first-class area (which many do) totally by-pass the engines and
would have had to make a special effort to go downstairs to see them
This
is the most luxurious accommodation you will get with a second class
ticket on La Suisse (1910), the luxury flagship of the CGN on Lake
Geneva. You can't even look out straight ahead now. When the ship was
renovated in 2008/9 the waiter's station was restored to its original
position and the saloon windows behind the station plated over.
The main deck restaurant aft.
From the paddlesteamers.info archive : Go to the Photograph Collection
La
Suisse steaming
towards the Upper Lake, having just left Lausanne-Ouchy on September 11th, 2005
(seen from PS Rhone).
This photo was taken prior to her 2007-09 rebuild which
has changed her appearance quite considerably.
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