Swimming the Aare
“You just have to be a strong swimmer.”
In my jet-lag fog, this is the only sentence that registers in my brain as our friends share with us the fun plan they have lined up for our first day in Switzerland.
“…what the locals do on a hot day, fast current, just stay away from bridge pillars and the edge, tourists die every year, exit before the power plant turbines, SO FUN…”
Wait, we’re doing what exactly?!
According to Google AI (which I opted to read now, as I write this, not before myself and my family jumped in) ‘Swimming in the Aare River in Bern, Switzerland is a popular recreational activity, especially in summer, but it’s important to be aware of the river’s current and potential hazards. While the water is generally clean and safe for swimming, it’s crucial to be an experienced swimmer and to take necessary precautions.’
We arrive in Bern by train and head straight to the river, passing by a perfectly harmless and inviting outdoor public pool. As soon as the river comes into view we Americans all gasp audibly. The river is really moving. “Holy shit!” Paul blurts out. We watch people whiz by. I see ‘exit’ signs, warning swimmers on how many meters they have left before they need to exit. I watch an old lady reach out to a railing and hoist herself out of the current, clearly a local that’s done this before.
The swiftness of the blue-green glacier-fed river is memorizing, and irresistible. Silas and Paul decide to take a short test run with Manu and his son Rio. They jump in, sail past us a few hundred feet, and then paddle hard to an exit canal. “AWESOME! It’s not that hard! C’mon, you gotta try it!!!” Ivan and I agree that this looks way too fun to pass up. Let’s do this!
With the exception of little Rosa, we all walk up river for a nice long swim. We find a lesser-threatening launch off point. We wade in a couple feet until we can feel the current wanting to take us off our feet, then jump in, paddling hard to get away from the rocky edge. And…we’re cruising! Fast!! Awesome is right! We glide under a bridge, steering clear of the pillars and potential jumpers. We bob along past spectators and other swimmers taking a break on the bank. We attempt to swim up-river against the current just to see how hard it really is (impossible). And before we know it the joyride is over. I see the final exit sign and get positioned next to Ivan, making sure he’s seeing it too. We approach the exit canal, paddle a few hard strokes through the current to get into it and then grab the first ladder, letting the current pull us sideways, giggling our heads off.
Confirmed. The locals really like know how to have a good time on a hot day!
posted by ARR
This entry (Permalink) was posted
on Saturday, July 19th, 2025 at 8:03 am and is filed under Backpacking, Bouldering, Cute Kids, Hiking, Route Climbing, Switzerland, Switzerland.
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