Lateen-rigged barques and the expertise needed to sail them have been preserved thanks to the commitment of a passionate group of enthusiasts. As opposed to rectangular sails, lateen or Latin-rig sails allow the vessel to sail into the wind. Nowadays, this tradition is being continued in French-speaking Switzerland thanks to the voluntary work of two associations in Vaud, one in Geneva, one in Valais, and two in France. Altogether, they have around 1,000 members and 260 boatmen and boatwomen who bring to life this unique type of sailing at regular outings that are open to the public throughout the summer season, and at various regattas celebrating cultural heritage and festive occasions. This knowledge is passed on through the regular training of new boatmen and women.
Lateen sails originated in the eastern Mediterranean at the dawn of the Christian era, and were introduced to Lake Geneva in the 13th century, where they turned out to be remarkably well suited to the lake setting. Lateen sails were initially used for military purposes and only featured on civilian boats from the second half of the 17th century. With the transportation of building materials, the Belle Époque was both the golden age and the beginning of the end for lateen sailing boats. From the 1920s onwards, the number of lateen sailing boats declined, and by 1958, there were only two left: the Neptune in Geneva and the Vaudoise in Lausanne, which was bought by the Pirates d’Ouchy in 1948. In 1976, the Neptune underwent restoration and in the early 2000s, several replicas were produced, including the Savoie, currently the world’s largest lateen sailing boat. Since then, these sails have been a common sight on Lake Geneva.
