The Jet d'Eau shoots 500 litres of water per second to a height of 140 metres above Lake Geneva, the plume visible from much of the city and from the air on the approach to the airport. The fountain operates daily from March to mid-October and on selected dates in winter; at full pressure the water reaches a speed of 200 kilometres per hour at the nozzle.
The jet stands on a pier extending into the lake from the southern quay of the Vieux-Port. You can walk out along the pier and stand directly under the mist — which on a windy day means getting thoroughly soaked. The surrounding lakefront — the Quai du Général-Guisan and the Quai des Eaux-Vives — is pleasant for walking, with views back toward the old town and across the lake to the Alps. On clear days Mont Blanc is visible on the horizon.