Machine bridge

The Pont de la Machine

The Geneva audio-guided tour has you cross the Pont de la Machine, the oldest of the Geneva structures on the Rhone in an urban setting.

At the origins of industrialisation

The Pont de la Machine allows one to reach the other bank of the Rhone, there where the river re-forms on leaving Lake Geneva. An emblematic figure of Geneva, this pedestrian bridge is the oldest of the structures of the city on the Rhone in an urban setting. It gets its name from the hydraulic machine, as it was called at the time, built right next to it in 1843: an important witness of the beginnings of the industrialisation of the city. Endowed with an esplanade by the water and a building that today hosts exhibitions, it offers a moment of calm conducive to the contemplation of the Rhone that flows just below. It is a place charged with history, at the crossroads of industrial heritage and urban walk.

What there is to see

The Pont de la Machine charms with its esplanade by the Rhone and its history linked to the hydraulic machine of the nineteenth century. The oldest Geneva structure on the river in the city, it offers a peaceful stop along the water. It is a precious witness of the beginnings of the industrialisation of Geneva.

Practical information

The Pont de la Machine is a pedestrian bridge on the Rhone, in Geneva, at the place where the river leaves Lake Geneva. It can be crossed freely on foot at all hours; its building hosts exhibitions, according to hours to be checked on site.

Why is the Pont de la Machine emblematic?

It is the oldest of the Geneva structures on the Rhone in an urban setting, linked to the beginnings of the industrialisation of the city.

Where does the name of the Pont de la Machine come from?

From the hydraulic machine built next to it in 1843, witness of the industrial beginnings of Geneva.