The Bains des Pâquis in Geneva: swimming, winter fondue, sauna and opening times
A concrete pier in the middle of the harbour, diving boards, a canteen-priced snack bar, a sauna in winter and fondue by the lake: the Bains des Pâquis are the most Genevan place in Geneva. 2026 prices, opening times season by season, what is worth it and what disappoints.
If one place sums up how Genevans live with their lake, this is it. The Bains des Pâquis occupy a pier on the right bank, right in the harbour: people swim there in summer, take a sauna in winter, eat a fondue facing the Jet d'eau, and entry costs two francs.
It is neither a quiet beach nor a luxury spa, and that is exactly what makes it worthwhile. Here are the 2026 prices and opening times, season by season, and how to enjoy it without running into the crush.
How much do the Bains des Pâquis cost?
Photo: Pymouss, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
| Service | 2026 price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Adult entry | 2 CHF | from age 16, according to the tpg |
| Child entry (6 to 16) | 1 CHF | free under 6 |
| Sauna, hammam and Turkish bath | 22 CHF | winter season, single entry |
| Sauna on Mondays | 15 CHF | weekly reduced rate |
| Card of 11 sauna entries | 170 CHF | about CHF 15.45 per entry |
| Crémant fondue | 27 CHF | at the Buvette des Bains |
Two discrepancies between sources, which we leave visible. Visitor reviews mention an entry fee of CHF 5, with no published context (season, service). And for the summer hammam, the tpg list 10 CHF while another listing gives CHF 20 in winter: prices depend on the season and the option.
No family rate, free first Sunday or tourist discount is published. Membership of the users' association, from 20 CHF a year, supports the place but does not include any announced free entry.
What are the opening times, summer and winter?
Swimming
Geneva Tourism publishes beach hours from 9am to 8pm in June, July and August, and from 10am to 6pm in May and September. The official site sums it all up as "every day, hours depending on the weather": in wind, rain or cold, the appeal of a swim collapses.
The sauna, hammam and Turkish bath
The winter season runs from 20 September 2026 to 23 May 2027. The association lists two mixed saunas, a mixed hammam, a women-only hammam and a Turkish bath, with these hours:
- Tuesday to Friday, from 9am to 9:30pm;
- Monday and Saturday, from 9am to 10:30pm;
- Sunday, from 8am to 10:30pm.
Tuesday is women-only according to the tpg. The sources give no further detail of a men's and women's schedule, and we will not invent one. Last entry one hour before closing is reported by one source, to be checked on site.
What is really worth doing?
A morning swim in summer
This is the most compelling experience: a dive into the lake in the heart of the city, for two francs. In the morning the light is lovely, the water fresh and the pier still has room to breathe. Allow 1.5 to 3 hours, including a meal if you stay.
Winter fondue
The Buvette des Bains serves a fondue made with Crémant de Dardagny, a wine from the canton, at 27 CHF, with service announced from 11:30am to 10:30pm. Eating a fondue by the lake, between the saunas and the winter swimmers, is more specific to Geneva than a meal in a tourist restaurant.
Book by phone for the evening, especially at weekends and in cold weather: it is the most sought-after offering here, and capacity is limited. A vegetarian dish is listed at 15 CHF, and evening service depends on mild weather.
Photo: Brücke-Osteuropa, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
The sauna on a grey day
On a rainy winter day, it is the best activity in Geneva. The principle is that of Nordic baths: the heat of the sauna, then a plunge into the cold lake for the bravest. Come on Monday for the 15 CHF rate, on a weekday for peace and quiet.
The view over the harbour
From the pier, the Jet d'eau is directly opposite, in profile, and the overall photo is one of the best in the city, while staying dry. The details are in our page on the Jet d'eau.
What can disappoint?
- It is not a beach. The site is mineral, urban and narrow: concrete, pontoons, ladders. For a family beach day, Genève-Plage or the Eaux-Vives beach are better.
- The crowds on hot days. On summer afternoons, the pier fills up and finding a spot for your towel becomes a sport.
- The hammam in summer has little appeal when it is already hot and the lake is two metres away.
- The extras. The ticket includes neither a towel (rental at CHF 5 is reported), nor food, nor the sauna.
- The too-perfect photos. They show ideal light, not the barriers, the concrete and the real density.
When should you go, depending on what you are after?
| What you want | The right moment |
|---|---|
| A quiet swim | summer morning, on a weekday |
| The most beautiful light | late afternoon, more people |
| Sauna and hammam | winter weekday morning, Monday for the rate |
| Fondue | winter evening, booked ahead |
| Just a photo of the harbour | any time, 30 minutes are enough |
To avoid: hot weekends in the middle of the day, and Tuesday at the sauna if you are a man. Geneva's seasons, month by month, are in when to go to Geneva.
For a swim at opening time or a late fondue, stay in Pâquis: the Bains are at the end of the street, a few minutes from Cornavin station. Ask for a room at the back, as the district is lively in the evening.
See hotels in Pâquis →Partner link: booking through this link supports the site at no extra cost to you.How do you get there?
The Bains are on Quai du Mont-Blanc, a few minutes' walk from Cornavin station through Pâquis. From the left bank, the M1 Mouette crosses the harbour to Pâquis on an ordinary transport ticket, or free with your hotel's Geneva Transport Card.
Do not come by car: parking around the harbour is scarce and expensive, and our parking page explains why. The Bains are marked on the map of Geneva, between the station and the lake.
A little history
Photo: Pymouss, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Bains became public and municipal in 1890, according to the history relayed by the tpg, and were then free on Sundays and public holidays. Today they remain a neighbourhood facility, supported by its users' association, more than an attraction.
That explains the canteen-priced snack bar, the regulars who swim all year round and the atmosphere mixing pensioners, students and office workers on their lunch break. The place is used to foreign visitors, and a simple visit works perfectly well without speaking French.
Around the Bains
The Bains are part of the great harbour promenade, from Pâquis to Eaux-Vives via the Pont du Mont-Blanc, which we describe in things to do in Geneva. They are the evening stop in our weekend itinerary for Geneva.
For a proper outing on the water, the CGN boats leave from the same quay (boats on Lake Geneva). In December, combine a fondue at the Bains with the Christmas market, set up on the same Quai du Mont-Blanc, a few minutes' walk away.
Buvette des Bains des Pâquis★ 4,3 · 1,951 reviews
Auberge de Savièse★ 4,6 · 5,375 reviews
Fancy an outing on the lake after your swim? Harbour cruises, boat trips and guided tours leaving from the quays are gathered on our partner's Geneva page.
See activities on the lake →Partner link: booking through this link supports the site at no extra cost to you.Sources
Sources: tpg (Bains des Pâquis, getting to the Bains des Pâquis, 2026 prices), Bains des Pâquis users' association (sauna, hammam and Turkish bath, 2026-2027 season; becoming a member), Bains des Pâquis website, Geneva Tourism (Bains page, 2026 swimming hours, Buvette des Bains), goforexperiences.com (snack bar prices, towel).
The CHF 5 entry fee mentioned in reviews and the summer hammam price are not confirmed by a single official price list. Research carried out on 22 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much is entry to the Bains des Pâquis?
Do you need to book the fondue at the Bains des Pâquis?
Is the sauna at the Bains des Pâquis mixed?
Are the Bains des Pâquis open in winter?
Can you swim at the Bains des Pâquis with children?
Mathieu Jaquet
Mathieu guided groups through the Old Town for seven years, from St. Pierre Cathedral to the Bastions. He builds his routes on foot, stopwatch in hand, and cuts whatever does not fit into a real day. He would rather write that a visit is not worth the ticket than pad out a list.
