In Switzerland, kitesurfing is subject to a particular regime. In fact, it is more like 3 particular regimes: federal rules, cantonal rules, and sometimes even communal rules. Following a discussion on our Facebook group, I noticed that few riders were actually well-informed on this topic, while from the authorities' point of view, it can be a "sensitive" issue. So, I decided to delve into the different legislations in order to create a clear map of where kitesurfing is allowed and where it is not. This map does not include swimming areas or areas with distance restrictions from ports and jetties (see the end of the article).
To get a better understanding, I also received help from the team at Grande Cariçaie (thanks to them for their hospitality and feedback), and it turned out that indeed, it is quite complex, if not impossible, for a kitesurfer to simply know where they can or cannot navigate. In any case, there is no single place where one can find a map to know where they can navigate...until today.
To determine if a part of a lake is navigable, one must look at the nature protection areas OROEM, Swiss navigation law, cantonal navigation law, and some other poorly referenced information (such as the bird island of Préverenges).
It should be noted that kitesurfing is subject to a more restrictive regime than any other sailing equipment on Swiss lakes. This is due to the fact that our kites are seen by local wildlife as a predator. Therefore, by default, kitesurfing is not allowed in OROEM areas, unless an exemption is specified in the law. This is the case, for example, in the Promenthoux and Les Grangettes areas. Apart from these specific cases, all OROEM areas are by default prohibited for kitesurfing (even the southern area of Lake Morat).
In a second layer, there are cantonal regulations that add prohibited areas (such as the Rade de Genève, the ends of Lake Joux, the northern area of Lake Biel, and a bunch of areas in the canton of Fribourg). For the cantons of Vaud and Neuchâtel, there is also the notion (which kiteboarders contest) of distance from a port: 100m for the canton of Vaud and 200m from a jetty (for concessionary boats) for the canton of Neuchâtel. The Kitesurfer Association is on the case, and in the next revision of the law, this should change by introducing the notion of wind direction (one will be able to go into the water downwind of a port, but not upwind).
Therefore, the map of areas on Let's Kite does not include these two specificities, as no geographical data exists, but we obviously encourage you to respect the law, as not doing so may result in fines if you are checked.
Navigation areas on Let's Kite: current status
For now, I have finished adding all the areas in French-speaking Switzerland, as well as Lake Brienz and its neighbor, Lake Thun. In the coming months, I will continue to research the various cantonal and local regulations in order to complete the OROEM areas on the German-speaking part of the map.
If you notice any errors or omissions, please feel free to send me an email.