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Side-Wheeled Paddle Steamers
LAKE
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
: Compagnie
Generale de Navigation sur le Lac Leman (CGN)
Above: Motor Paddle Vessel Vevey
calls at Montreux in 2007, her 100th year. She is the second oldest
vessel in the fleet, and after some doubt about her future, she was
sent for a major refit, completed in late 2013, which saw her
substantially rebuilt, re-engined and restored to her historic profile.
Her sister ship Italie followed (see below)
Above
: A refurbished Diesel-electric paddler Italie, sister of Vevey,
showing her new restored profile at Montreux on 17th July 2019
The CGN operates
eight paddlers*, five in steam, built between 1904 and 1927. Services
no longer run the full length of the lake, but concentrate on shorter
circuits around the lower and upper lakes. Lausanne to Geneva
services call at the touristy village of Yvoire on the French shore but
otherwise, services to Thonon and Evian are now commuter shuttle
routes. In recent years there has been and increasing separation of the
public transport services and those more aligned to tourists and a
"Nelle Epoque" subsidiary was recently set up within the CGN
organisation. Paddlers
are rarely to be found on the public transport routes except as relief
vessels and where the "tourist" service between Yvoire and Nyon helps
strengthen the existing shuttle service.
*Motor
paddler Helvetie is currently in long-term lay-up.
Go to the website
of CGN for Lake Geneva timetables, news
etc
Up to date information including special sailings (and future timetable
plans when known) shown on John
Bird's Swiss Steamer Timetables website
The Annual Report & Accounts of the CGN are in the
public domain and can be viewed/downloaded from the CGN website
OPERATIONAL PADDLE
STEAMERS
Montreux (1904)
La Suisse (1910)
Savoie (1914)
Simplon (1920)
Rhone (1927)
OPERATIONAL MOTOR PADDLE
VESSELS (Converted from steam)
Vevey (1907, 1955)
Italie (1908, 1958)
Helvetie (1926, 1977)
Out of service for the long term (As at 2019, a return to service before at least 2030 is highly unlikely).
.
HISTORICAL PADDLE STEAMERS
MPV (ex paddle steamer) Geneve - in static preservation
.
List of Paddle Steamers
of the past from Guillaume Tell to Valais, the last vessel to be scrapped
LAKE GENEVA PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION
Go to the Photograph Collection
ANNUAL PARADE OF STEAM
The CGN fleet comes out for an annual Parade of Steam early
each season, when all operable paddlers sail in various formations for the benefit
of enthusiasts and general spectators. The ships are generally fully booked
for the cruise on this special day
Click
here to see some photos taken on 5th June 2011, kindly supplied by Enrico Crosti
who was aboard PS Rhone for the occasion
LOCAL PRESERVATION SOCIETIES
Association des Amis des Bateaux a Vapeur du Leman (ABVL):
Fund raising organisation for the preservation
and restoration of the 8 Belle-Epoque paddlers
Amis des Bateaux a
Vapeur a Lac Leman
Association Patrimoine du Leman
(APL) :
Covers the wider naval heritage of the lake - but very active
in supporting the paddlers
website
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Brief
details of the vessels can be found in the following more general
Swiss steamer
guides:
Dampfschiffe
Schweiz
Anton Raber and Peter Horlacher
1982
Verlag Dampferzeitung, Luzern, Switzerland
Brief detals in four languages including
English
Paddle Steamers of the
Alps
Leslie Brown and Joe McKendrick
Ferry Publications
ISBN 1-871947-19-7
Illustrated profiles of the steamers and operating
areas
Schiffahrt auf den Schweizer
Seen
Anton Raber
1972
Orell Fussli Verlag, Zurich
ISBN 3-280-00285-0
Illustrated round up of Swiss lake vessels, with fleet lists and
sections on vessel design and engineering.
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