In the middle of Lake Geneva lies the reference point for the elevation of all places in Switzerland – two huge boulders. Locals call them Neptune's Stones, while the official name of the larger one is «Repère Pierre du Niton». It lies farther from the embankment and slightly higher than its twin brother. And it is precisely this stone that serves as a kind of benchmark for measuring elevation. Repère Pierre du Niton itself rises 373,6 meters above another universal reference point – sea level.
You can view Neptune's Stones from the Gustave Ador embankment in the lake's bay. These remnants of the glacial period got their name from the god who, the Gauls believed, lived at the bottom of the lake. He was probably highly revered by the local inhabitants.
Historians suggest that in the Bronze Age these remnants of the Rhône glacier were of great importance and were a place where ritual ceremonies were performed. It is by this that scholars explain the presence of strange square openings on the tops of the stones.
To get closer to these monumental creations of Swiss nature, you can board a sightseeing steamboat.
