This weekend La Tour-de-Peilz on Lake Geneva hosts the 48th edition of the Régate des Vieux Bateaux, which pits a number of vintage sailboats against each other in front of the harbour. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Among the featured boats, four Lake Geneva lateens – the Vaudoise, the Neptune, the Demoiselle and the Aurore – will be competing in the Centenary Regatta on Sunday. This year's event will be a special one for these lateens, given that Switzerland and other countries submitted an application in spring to have this tradition included in UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list. Lateens first appeared on Lake Geneva in the 13th century, where they reigned supreme until the Belle Epoque before declining. These boats are distinguished by their triangular sails rigged on a large yard, which allows them to sail upwind. + How I survived the Bol d’Or boat race on Lake Geneva Today, lateens are best known thanks to the Vaudoise, whose trips on ...
