Last modified: 2014-06-04 by rob raeside
Keywords: société des mouettes genevoises navigation |
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image located by Ivan Sache, 13 May 2014
Société des Mouettes Genevoises Navigation SA (SMGN) operates small yellow
boats called "mouettes" (seagulls) in the natural harbour of Geneva. The four
lines (all together, 4.3 km) operated by the company are a quick, convenient
means to connect the two banks of the harbour. The five landing stages of the
company (De Châteaubriand and Pâquis on the right bank; Molard, Eaux-Vives and
Port-Noir, on the left bank) are densely connected with the other means of
public transportation (buses and tramways). The yellow boats that cross the
harbour all the day long and all the year round are an emblematic element of the
identity of Geneva, together with the world-famous Jet d'Eau, the Pont du
Mont-Blanc, and the Pierres du Niton.
The first boat line crossing the
harbour was founded in 1825 by the businessman Edward Church, also Consul of the
USA in France. A paddle ship powered by horses walking all around the deck
connected the landing stages of Pâquis and Eau x-Vives (the today's M2 line of
SMGN); deemed too noisy and slow, the ship was soon disbanded.
The SMGN
was established on 1 March 1897. It operates now three historical, wooden boats
(30-50 passengers), a steel-hulled boat (50 passengers) and two boats powered by
solar energy (60 passengers).
http://www.mouettesgenevoises.ch - Corporate website
The house flag
of SMGN, hoisted on the company's terminals (except Molard), is vertically
divided yellow-red - like the flag of Geneva -, with the company's emblem all
over. The company's emblem is made of an anchor and of the writing "Mouettes /
Genevoises / Navigation", all blue except the ring, which is filled with the
Swiss national flag - red with a white cross.
[Photo taken on 4 May 2014 at
the Pâquis landing stage]
Ivan Sache, 13 May 2014