Kitesurfing the Three Lakes: where it is allowed

On the Three Lakes the same question comes up before every session: am I allowed to ride here? The answer changes from one shore to the next, because Lake Neuchâtel borders three cantons and each has its own decree. Here is what the official documents say, with the links to check for yourself.

The federal rule: allowed, unless the canton restricts it

Kitesurfing has been permitted on Swiss waters since February 2016. The Federal Office of Transport is clear that cantons keep the power to restrict or ban it on specific bodies of water, under article 54 of the inland navigation ordinance.

Two obligations apply everywhere:

• A buoyancy aid meeting the SN EN ISO 12402-5:2006 standard must be carried. A collar lifejacket with at least 75 N of buoyancy also qualifies — 100 N on Lake Constance.
• Water bird and migratory bird reserves are closed to kitesurfing by default, unless an exemption is written into the cantonal text.

The State of Fribourg's press release adds that riding takes place in daylight and clear weather, between 8 am and 9 pm, keeping 200 metres from boats and landing stages.

Lake Neuchâtel: three cantons, three regimes

This is what most people miss. Lake Neuchâtel is shared between Neuchâtel, Vaud and Fribourg, and the rule depends on the shore where you launch.

Neuchâtel shore

Cantonal decree 766.393 of 21 May 2003, in its version in force as of 27 May 2025, is short and clear. Article 1 authorises kitesurfing on the Neuchâtel part of the lake, subject to inland navigation rules. Article 2 requires a minimum distance of 200 metres from scheduled boats and landing stages.

Fribourg shore

The Fribourg State Council opened kitesurfing on 15 February 2016 on four bodies of water: the Fribourg waters of Lake Neuchâtel and Lake Morat, Lake Gruyère and part of Lake Schiffenen. Exclusion zones were defined to protect birdlife and appear on the maps annexed to the ordinance. Every other Fribourg body of water remains closed.

Vaud shore

Vaud has its own regulation, 747.23.5, which has been amended several times. Check the version in force before riding the northern shore.

Lake Morat

Lake Morat has been open on the Fribourg side since 2016, with the same bird exclusion zones. One detail that matters: those zones are enforceable. A 150-franc fine for kitesurfing on Lake Morat was upheld after four years of proceedings, all the way to the Federal Supreme Court. The marking is not advisory.

Lake Biel

Lake Biel falls under the canton of Bern. The Bernese navigation office publishes a kitesurfing memorandum setting out permitted and prohibited zones on Bernese lakes, including nationally and internationally protected natural areas. A change in the law relaxed some restrictions, with a focus on the safety of both kiters and boat traffic.

On the water, remember one thing: protected exclusion zones are marked with yellow buoys. The marking outranks your memory of a map.

What about wingfoiling?

This is the question we get most often in the shop, and it deserves an honest answer: the cantonal decrees quoted here name kitesurfing specifically, meaning boards towed by a kite. Wingfoiling, where the wing is held in the hands and is not connected to the rider by lines, does not fall under that definition.

That does not mean there are no rules: nature reserves, safety distances and general navigation rules apply to everyone. But the stricter kitesurfing regime does not transfer automatically. When in doubt, the cantonal navigation office will answer — it is the only source that binds.

Before you go: four reflexes

1. Identify the canton of your launch, not the canton of the lake.
2. Watch for yellow buoys. They mark the protected zones and they are what counts.
3. Keep your 200 metres from landing stages and scheduled boats.
4. Carry your buoyancy aid. It is compulsory, and it is the first thing checked.

Regulations checked on 22 August 2026. Cantonal texts change: check the version in force with your canton's navigation office before your session.