The Swiss have not shunned their pleasure during this weekend of Pentecost. They rushed to the edge of the lake or to the mountains. To see people walking in groups is almost as if the coronavirus has almost disappeared.
Many Genevans gathered this weekend thanks to the reductions announced this week by the Federal Council. No problems were observed, according to the cantonal authorities.
“Reassuring” situation
The first weekend allowing meetings of up to 30 people was “very positive,” said a spokesperson. The few fines imposed were all linked to the parking of vehicles in the areas still protected by the authorities.
Among the points run this weekend, nearly thirty whitewater bathing sites could reopen in accordance with the recommendations for physical distance. Those who have already welcomed the Genevans have seen a large crowd, but well distributed among small groups of people.
“People honor physical distances”, a “reassuring” situation, explains the spokesperson. He hopes that this “empowerment” will continue in the longer term.
Bye-bye cars
Groups, couples, teenagers, children, cycling, walking, rollerblading: the shores of Lake Geneva in Lausanne were taken by storm early Sunday morning. The population quickly found the pleasure of going out together in the open air barely a day after the end of the ban on gathering more than 5 people.
The quays of Ouchy and Belgium free of cars were particularly popular. Riding a bicycle without fear of being hit by a car or a truck is now a reality every weekend until September.
Elsewhere in the canton of Vaud, Pentecost will have been fairly calm, with no major overflows. Among the events out of the ordinary, a “rave party” was notified to Epesses (VD), but it brought together less than 30 people.
Bernese off-wall
The German-speaking Swiss have also left their four walls. Thousands of people in the canton of Bern have embarked on mountain and waterfront excursions.
The Gurten hill in Bern or the St-Pierre island in the middle of Lake Biel were popular places. And on Sunday morning, the cars leaving Bern in the direction of Interlaken had to drive slowly.
Cyclists and bikers also went out on the roads in numbers, resulting in several accidents. In Thun, some Alemannics brought out their inflatable boats, one of the usual big summer attractions on the Aare, towards Bern. Swimmers did not hesitate to jump into the river, the temperature of which did not exceed 16 degrees.
The Gantrisch nature park, also in the canton of Bern, attracted the city dweller. Never before have there been as many hikers on Pentecost as this weekend, said Caroline Zwahlen, who has operated a mountain restaurant for 23 years.
In the canton of Zug, many excursion enthusiasts put on their walking shoes or got on their bikes. Several car parks close to natural sites have even approached the indigestion of sheets.
Created: 05.31.2020, 8:59 p.m.
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