Les Bains des Pâquis: Geneva’s Holy Grail

They say that high performers are early risers. It was 4:50 a.m. and I felt like achieving nothing. 

I was attempting to slip away from beneath my bed sheets to greet the dawn at les Aubes Musicales, the sunrise concerts held every day during Geneva’s hottest months at les Bains des Paquis. I had that feeling before an early morning flight- so sleep deprived that a sudden burst of energy, le deuxième souffle, was somehow keeping me afloat. 

Moonlight shone from our balcony window, with specks of golden light from the outside lamp posts casting glimmers of color across our wooden floor. Our cat seemed pleasantly surprised to see me up ahead of his usual 5:00 a.m. wake up call. I slipped on worn converse and camera gear and headed out the door, crossing paths with a select few staggering their way home, nearly concluding their Friday evening. 

The Bains des Pâquis is Geneva’s holy grail, where Genevois and expats alike flock. Walking down the artificial peninsula jutting out into Lake Geneva, one notices the invisibly marked areas designated to each of the city’s demographics- families with small children to the left, and hormone hyper-charged teens and gym buffs wishing to show the fruits of their hours of labor to the right. 

During the winter months, the scent of fondue au cremant fills les Bains, made with sparkling wine to give the Gruyère a cloud-like texture. Only the daring swim in the icy lake water, while the rest of the crowd gathers at la buvette, warming up near the outdoor firepits. Dressing rooms in the summer transform into closets each winter for clients to place their heavy coats during the meal, attempting to eliminate the cheese odor from their belongings. Dining shoulder-to-shoulder next to strangers around long banquet style tables and benches, the cozy atmosphere resembles a cross between an 18th century tavern and a high school cafeteria. 

The popularity of the Bains des Pâquis is nothing new. First constructed in 1872 with wood and remodeled in 1932 in concrete, the public went up in arms when the City of Geneva wanted to demolish the site in the late 1980s. An association was launched in 1987 and collected 9,000 signatures to overturn the City of Geneva’s decision.  

By 7:00 a.m. I was already on my third coffee. As we listened to a seven-piece band slamming poetry, we made our way towards the counter to order tartines lathered in butter and jam, accompanied by raspberry Bircher, the equivalent to Swiss overnight oats. 

There is something invigorating about rising to see the sun, fully dressed and wide-eyed while the rest of the city sleeps. I attempt to attend les Aubes at least once a summer, where I sit upon a large rock towards the end of the pathway leading to a small lighthouse. Strangely this time of day is when I find the lake water to feel the warmest. 

Perhaps the early bird really does get the worm. 

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Resource: https://aubp.ch/lassociation/historique/