Geneva has seen a remarkable boom in cold water swimming in recent years. But this ultra-modern phenomenon actually goes back a long way. There is evidence from the Middle Ages that people partook in year-round bathing in Lake Geneva, and we can easily imagine the biting chill of the water. In the 18th century, Rousseau was a fervent advocate of the outdoor lifestyle, cold water swimming and public bathing in the lake, or in the Rhône and Arve rivers.
The European hydrotherapy craze in the 19th century promoted the use of cold water and went hand in hand with the new-found awareness of the benefits of hygiene. But it was in the early decades of the 20th century that cold water swimming really took off, in parallel with the growing popularity of public swimming pools. Cold water swimming started to be seen as a practice that benefitted everyone’s health, and as a joyful and exhilarating collective experience.
The history of cold water swimming is marked by the creation in 1934 of the Coupe de Noël, following the renovation and permanent construction of the Bains des Pâquis in 1932. The number of participants in the event has since continued to grow, from just seven swimmers in the first edition, to 4,500 in 2023. Today, winter swimming in Geneva, which has also become a draw for tourists, proves that the popular Coupe de Noël event and cold water swimming are now very much part of the individual and collective cultural heritage of Geneva.
