On Saturday, August 1, 2026, the Port of Crans was transformed into a true festival venue to celebrate Swiss National Day. Organized by the Crans Yacht Club in collaboration with the Municipality of Crans, this event will be remembered as one of the finest celebrations in recent years.
A Successful Open House Afternoon
It all began at 2:00 p.m. with our sailing school’s traditional Open House. Under bright sunshine and in excellent sailing conditions, people of all ages were able to try their hand at sailing and paddleboarding for free: one-hour outings aboard our Surprise with a skipper, an introduction to dinghy sailing, and open SUP sessions—all supervised by our certified instructors.
Nearly 40 people took advantage of these introductory sessions—a great turnout that confirms the growing popularity of water sports in the region.
“This year’s Open House exceeded our expectations,” says Gilles Morelle, director of the CNC sailing school. “Seeing so many new faces discover sailing and leave with stars in their eyes—that’s exactly why we do this job. Several families have already told us they’ll be back for summer lessons.”
Let the party begin at 6 p.m.
Once the introductory ceremonies were over, the evening continued with an official program full of excitement:
- 6:00 p.m. – Welcome cocktail reception hosted and served by the Municipality of Crans
- 18h15 – Concert des Thomas Winteler’s Jazz Serenaders
- 7:00 p.m. – Food service begins
- 8:45 p.m. – Official speech by the mayor, followed by the national anthem
- 9:15 p.m. – Procession with lanterns*, flags, bonfire*, and a free snack for the children
- 10:00 p.m. – Fireworks launched from the lake by the Municipality of Crans
- 11:00 p.m. – DJ Night
* Due to the heat wave plan, open fires were prohibited in the canton
An evening filled with camaraderie
If there’s one word that sums up this evening, it’s “conviviality.” In the kitchen, our invaluable CNC volunteers took turns throughout the evening to treat young and old alike: raclette, veal sausages, and hot dogs delighted everyone’s taste buds, complemented by a generous spread of desserts made and brought by our members, whom we warmly thank for their generosity.
The event was even more successful than we’d anticipated: we sold out of all our food items! Proof, if any were needed, of the public’s enthusiasm for this popular lakeside festival.
“An event like this doesn’t happen on its own,” notes Xabier Duparc, president of the Crans Nautical Club. “I’d like to thank each and every one of our volunteers from the bottom of my heart for giving their time and energy to make this celebration a success. It’s this club spirit that is the strength of the CNC.”
A Grand Finale
Around 8:45 p.m., silence fell over the harbor for the mayor’s official speech, followed by the national anthem, sung with fervor by young and old alike. Then, the flag procession brought the evening’s onshore festivities to a close, before a magnificent fireworks display launched from the lake lit up the sky over Crans at 10:00 p.m., offering a spectacular show to the many visitors who had come to enjoy the event.
The evening then continued well past midnight, with the dance floor remaining packed as the DJ spun his sets, bringing this national celebration to a spectacular close.
Thank you, everyone!
A huge thank you to the Municipality of Crans for its support and cooperation, to our volunteers for their unwavering dedication, to our members for their delicious desserts, and to everyone who came to celebrate this wonderful National Day with us.
We’ve already set the date for next year! In addition to the traditional August 1 celebration, the Crans Yacht Club will celebrate its 60th anniversary.
