2007-2009: General renovation of the flagship, the S/S La Suisse

La Suisse enjoyed a complete refurbishment between November 2007 and April 2009.

A complex project

Before beginning the work, the thickness of the boat’s entire structure was measured. The most corroded areas were identified and marked. Only 15% of the original panels were replaced – a small percentage for a hundred-year-old vessel.

The hold now contains a veritable water treatment plant. The boat was made much more manoeuvrable thanks to its bow thrusters.

Both the steam engine and the boiler were given a face-lift. The galley and restaurant areas are worthy of the very best restaurants.

The main stages of the project were as follows: installation in the dry dock, disassembly of the interior fixtures, disassembly of the decks, sandblasting of the inside and outside of the hull, re-tubing of the boiler, light works and finally the installation of the shelter.

A sophisticated boat

The wheelhouse – the “brain” of the boat, centralises all instruments. Numerous bulkheads are built in honeycomb format, the floors and decks are made from plywood while the roof of the shelter makes extensive use of Airex foam. A solid link has been created onboard between the craftsmanship of old and our modern technologies.

A desire and respect for flawlessly authentic heritage

The work in reconstructing the heritage aspect of the boat as closely as possible to its original condition was carried out under the auspices of the Association Patrimoine du Léman (APL) and the supervision of the curator of monuments and sites of the Canton of Vaud.

This work enabled La Suisse to rediscover its prow and stern carvings as well as its historic lifeboat.