When summer arrives in the canton, Lake Geneva becomes the perfect place to cool off, swim, and spend long days outdoors. Beyond the city centre, the canton is home to a variety of beautiful lakeside beaches, offering grassy sunbathing areas, family-friendly spaces, natural shores and charming waterfronts.
The five beaches listed below offer some of the best places to enjoy the lake during the warmer months in the Geneva canton.
Plage de la Bécassine | VersoixLocated at the mouth of the Versoix river within the Parc de l’Institut Forel, Bécassine beach is a scenic and natural swimming spot. The beach was created by the State of Geneva in 2010 as part of the renaturation project of the Versoix river, giving the area a more natural and environmentally protected character. The site combines pebble lakeside access, grassy relaxation areas, shaded parkland, reedbeds, and beautiful views across the lake, creating a peaceful space for swimming and summer walks.
Useful information:
The beach is open daily from 9am to 10pm. Facilities on site include:
Plage Gitana | BellevueA well-loved lakeside destination in the commune of Bellevue, Gitana beach is located beside the marina and esplanade of Port Gitana. The beach offers grassy relaxation areas, easy lake access, swimming zones, and open spaces ideal for spending a summer afternoon beside the water. During the summer season, the buvette at Port Gitana provides drinks, snacks, and casual outdoor dining from its lakeside terrace overlooking the marina and swimming area.
Useful information:
Free access. Paid entry during peak times. Facilities on site include:
Showers
Changing rooms
Sun umbrellas and deckchairs are available for use free for visitors with an entrance ticket or season pass. When the beach is freely accessible, they can be rented for CHF 5
Plage d’Hermance | HermanceOn the shore of Geneva Canton’s most picturesque lakeside village is Hermance beach, which blends swimming, historic charm, and beautiful lake views. Just a short walk from the medieval village centre, the beach provides grassy relaxation areas, shaded areas beneath trees, a pebble shoreline, and easy lake access. The beach’s village setting also makes it especially pleasant for combining swimming with a stroll through Hermance’s historic streets. At the entrance to the beach, the Buvette Camping & Plage d’Hermance serves drinks and snacks from its popular summer terrace. The promenade itself is particularly pleasant for a stroll beside the water, leading towards the harbour and Restaurant du Quai, whose terrace overlooks the lake at the far end of the promenade.
Useful information:
The beach is open daily from 9am to 6pm. Entry costs CHF 4 for adults and CHF 1 for children (6-16yrs) from mid-May to mid-September. Free entry after 6pm. Facilities on site include:
Children’s playground
Pétanque court
Facilities nearby include:
Toilets
Showers
Plage de la Savonnière | Collonge-BellerivePositioned on Collonge-Bellerive on Geneva Canton’s left bank, Savonnière beachis a popular, family-friendly beach. Set within a spacious lakeside park, the beach features large grassy sunbathing areas, numerous trees for shade, pebble lake access, and beautiful open views across Lake Geneva. The wide swimming areas and generous green spaces make the beach especially popular with families and groups. During the summer months, the beach’s lakeside pizzeria/buvette serves drinks, ice creams, and snacks. The terrace, set directly beside one of the pebble beaches, offers casual outdoor dining.
Useful information:
The beach is open daily from 8am to 11pm. Entry costs CHF 4 for adults and CHF 1 for children on weekends and public holidays from mid-May to mid-September. Facilities on site include:
Toilets
Paddleboard rentals
Facilities nearby include:
Two car parks are located on Chemin Armand-Dufaux; one at the entrance of the beach, and the other on the other side of the road
Plage de Port-Choiseul | VersoixSituated beside a marina, Port-Choiseul beach is one of the canton’s best-equipped lakeside beaches and an ideal destination for a full summer day by the water. The beach has grassy areas, shade provided by lots of trees, pebble lakeside access, and wide swimming zones with beautiful views across Lake Geneva. There is also easy access to the port promenade, making it particularly popular with families and groups of friends during the warmer months. For lakeside dining, the elevated Restaurant du Club Nautique de Versoix has a wonderful terrace thatoverlooks both the beach and Port-Choiseul marina, offering a pleasant summer setting for drinks or dinner by the water. At ground level of the restaurant, its more casual lakeside buvette provides snacks and refreshments throughout the season. On the opposite side of the marina, La Buvette du Port Choiseul offers another relaxed terrace directly beside the lake and boats.
Useful information:
The beach is open daily from 8am to 10pm. Facilities on site include: