Lake Lucerne
Fly here
A branching lake at the heart of the founding cantons, ringed by rock walls.
From the basket
In the heart of Switzerland, around Lucerne, Lake Lucerne is unlike any other. From the balloon it has not one shape but several: narrow, winding arms pointing in every direction, slipping between the mountains. It stretches for thirty-eight kilometres and plunges to more than two hundred metres deep.
All around, the summits dive into the water. Pilatus and the Rigi face each other on either side of the lake; further south, the Stanserhorn and the Uri Rotstock raise their limestone walls above the shores. Each basin has its own character, more open near Lucerne, wilder towards Uri, where the cliffs drop sheer.
To the west, Lucerne spreads along the water, where the Reuss leaves the lake. From there, boats link the villages on the shores. The shores of the lake are also the cradle of Switzerland: the first cantons of the Confederation lie all around.
Follow the arms of the lake one after another, from Lucerne to the far end, towards Uri, along the cliffs.
Sources: Wikipedia, “Lac des Quatre-Cantons” (in French).