Discover the first biography of Henri Copponex dedicated to his one-design sailing boats
Immerse yourself in the world of Henri Copponex, a major figure in Swiss nautical culture. An engineer trained at ETH Zurich, an Olympic medallist and nicknamed the Prince of the Lake, he had a profound impact on 20th-century naval architecture. A visionary, he designed sailboats of a new elegance that shaped recreational boating on our lakes.
Between 1935 and 2023, more than 450 boats were built according to his plans, including 323 iconic one-designs such as Moucheron, Espadon, Paladin and the legendary Lacustre. These creations popularised sailing and today constitute a unique nautical heritage. The book traces this adventure through unpublished archives, original plans and rare testimonies.
This launch is an opportunity to discover the first biography dedicated to Copponex, with the presence of the author Carinne Bertola, former curator of the Musée du Léman and secretary of its foundation. She has supervised the restoration of several boats, including the famous Fleur Bleue, Switzerland's most successful sailing boat, and is also the author of Ella Maillart, navigatrice. Libre comme l'eau (Ella Maillart, navigator. Free as water), published in 2024 by Glénat in Grenoble.
