Aare Swimming
In order to float, you have to let go.
Plakat Aareschwimmen Bern
Plakat Jour d'Été, Marzilibad Bern
Plakat Aareschwumm 2033
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Plakat Jour d'Été - Thun
Plakat Jour d'Été - Bielersee
Plakat Die Hitzewelle
Postkartenset Aarewasser
Postkartenset Aare
Swimming in the Aare is THE Bernese summer tradition (the fearless do it even in winter—I can only manage it once the water reaches 17 degrees). Having grown up in the Lorraine neighborhood, I’ve had a connection to the Aare since early childhood and love to float along in Bern’s local river. Others get their ideas in the shower; I get mine in the Aare. Einstein developed his Special Theory of Relativity regarding space and time in Bern. There is no record of whether he was in the Aare River at the time. That’s how I picture it.
The Aare in Bern – My Sea and My Muse
While my classmates flew to Thailand during the semester break, I spent my summer days by the Aare River in Bern—due to a lack of funds, but not a lack of enthusiasm. So the Aare is, in a sense, my ocean—and my muse. It’s no surprise, then, that my best-selling poster is dedicated to swimming in the Aare. By the way, there’s a 2033 version of it—because even Switzerland, the “water castle,” is slowly showing cracks due to climate change.
From Aare Böötle to Aare Guru
The Aareböötle—which basically means trusting the Aare with your life in a rubber boat and pretending you’re in control—is as much a part of a summer day in Bern as the Aare Guru. The app started as my bachelor’s thesis—born from a simple question: What else do I actually do when I’m not studying? Swimming in the Aare, of course. There was no time for other hobbies. So I developed the Aare Guru app. On hot summer days, it’s used by around 125,000 people. Or, as I like to call it: the app that takes the most work but brings in the least revenue (read: none at all).
Water is always on my mind—even when it comes to design
For me, the river is something fundamental—both spiritually and archetypically. Change, purification, transformation. From an artistic perspective, the perfect expanse of water is an illusion—even Hokusai didn’t complete “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” until he was over 70 (so I still have time). Nevertheless, water won’t let me go. Sometimes I hit the mark—as with the Aare swim motif, which has since been copied often but never equaled. Heraclitus was right: you can’t step into the same river twice. One day, I’ll draw a body of water that I’m completely satisfied with. Until then, I’ll just jump right in.
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I can't do without it. It literally relaxes me, helps me forget the little worries of my daily life, recharges my batteries, and—unlike a therapist—doesn't charge me a dime.
My favorite swim is from the Altenbergsteg to the Lorrainebad. A gentle current, a stress-free exit without getting your toes cold, great fries at the outdoor pool snack bar, and plenty of evening sunshine. What more could you ask for? Except maybe an ice cream from Gelateria Di Berna at the Altenbergsteg.
First: Get wet. If you just jump right in, you haven’t really gotten to know the Aare yet. Second: Don’t be reckless—the Aare is a wild river, not a wading pool. Third: Bring an Aare bag so your clothes stay dry and you can relax and float along. Fourth: Know where to get out. And if you value your toes, swim close to the shore.
All rivers flow into the sea, but only the Aare is the real deal. For me, the Aare is the “Holy River”—the “Ganges” of Bern. But just as in India, most people around the world are denied the chance to bathe in rivers as clean as the Aare. We in Bern—or rather, in Switzerland—have the great privilege of being able to swim in our holy rivers. Something that should be a given everywhere in the world.
Me, Christian Studer, and my overworked art school student brain. The Aare Guru-App has been providing water and weather data since 2015. It has everything you need. It’s free. Available for Android, iOS (including Apple Watch).