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Quai d’Ouchy: Let’s restore access to the lake for everyone

Avatar: Francois Francois

1. Background

The section of the Ouchy waterfront stretching from the Haldimand Tower to the new swimming area currently consists mainly of concrete surfaces and low walls. These features make access to the water difficult, if not impossible, for children, older adults, and people with limited mobility.

Despite their prime lakeside location, these waterfront areas are underutilized in the summer—even on weekends—compared to other popular spots like Vidy Beach or Bourget Park. This contrast highlights a clear need: the need for more publicly accessible spaces where people can relax and swim along the lake.

At the same time, cities like Geneva are rethinking access to the lake by expanding it and making it more inclusive, with a new public beach project already completed and new projects in the works for the lake’s shores and its rivers.

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2. Proposal

I propose the creation of a large public swimming area stretching from the Haldimand Tower to Ouchy. The project would involve transforming the riprap, low walls, and concrete surfaces into a natural, green beach accessible to everyone.

This beach would be directly connected to Denantou Park to the east, thus creating a vast, continuous green and blue space. It would not only allow for swimming but also offer areas for relaxation, picnicking, walking, and activities for all generations.

This redevelopment would help enhance local biodiversity, reduce the effects of urban heat islands, and improve quality of life in the context of global warming.

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3. Motivation

This project offers numerous benefits:

  • Environmental: Renaturalization of the lake’s shores, improvement of the ecosystem around the mouth of the Vuachère River, and creation of a green corridor that supports flora and fauna.

  • Social: Free and inclusive access to the lake for a broad public, particularly families, young people, seniors, and people with limited mobility, as well as those who cannot go on vacation.

  • Health and Climate: During heat waves, providing accessible cool spaces becomes a public health necessity.

This project is not a luxury, but a pragmatic and equitable response to current societal, climate, and inclusion challenges that affect a very large portion of the population.

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