Jet d'eau
Each time we visit friends in Geneva, we can not fail but catch sight of the jet d’eau (jet of water). The fountain dominates the Geneva shore of the lake. We viewed it from the United Nations open day celebrations and again as we walked along the waterfront.
I took my usual set of photos and some footage. This afternoon I turned the footage of the jet d’eau into a short film.
As we walked along the shore, we discussed the lake’s name. Lake Geneva is the local name and one that would raise an eyebrow elsewhere. After all, Geneva is but one settlement on the edge of the lake. A lake that touches multiple countries. Google’s map refers to the body of water as Lac Léman and OpenStreetMap wisely avoids applying any name.
Wikipedia provides the following insight into the name:
The first recorded name of the lake is Lacus Lemannus, dated from Roman times; Lemannus comes from Ancient greek Limanos, Limènos Limne Λιμένος Λίμνη meaning port's lake; it became Lacus Lausonius, although this name was also used for a town or district on the lake, Lacus Losanetes and then the Lac de Lausanne in the Middle Ages. Following the rise of Geneva it became Lac de Genève (translated into English as Lake Geneva). In the 18th century, Lac Léman was revived in French and is the customary name in that language. In contemporary English, the name Lake Geneva is predominant.
