Kayak Aventure in La Roche: kayak, canoe and paddle on Lake Gruyère
Fancy seeing Lake Gruyère from the water rather than from the beach? In La Roche, Kayak Aventure rents kayaks, canoes and stand up paddleboards on the lakeside, with a half-price rate for 8 to 16 year olds. Guided outings lead all the way to the Île d'Ogoz.
Kayak Aventure in La Roche: kayak, canoe and paddle on Lake Gruyère photo gallery
Practical information
Le Port de la Serbache, 1634 La Roche
La Roche · Fribourg
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Lake Gruyère seen from the surface
There are two ways to discover a lake: from your towel, or from the water. On the shore of Lake Gruyère, at La Roche, Kayak Aventure offers the second. The provider makes available a varied assortment of one- and two-seater kayaks, canoes and stand up paddleboards, with a starting point directly on the shore. A few strokes of the paddle take you away from the beach and reveal a long, narrow lake lined with forests and cliffs, with the Fribourg Prealps behind. The business also has a rental shop in Le Mouret, but it is here, by the water, that the adventure begins.
What your children will discover
They discover the feeling of moving a boat with nothing but their arms, which is worth all the explanations in the world. In a two-seater canoe with a parent, the youngest take part without carrying the whole effort; in a single kayak, the older ones gain their independence. On the water the programme changes completely: the cliffs seen from below, a cave visible from the lake, the Île aux Oiseaux and its colony, and above all the Île d'Ogoz with its ruins growing larger as you approach. It is a geography lesson no map tells as well.
What you do there and the atmosphere on site
You choose your craft, listen to the briefing and set off. Some go for an hour of quiet paddling along the shore, others for a guided outing with a specialist who points out the sights of the area. The atmosphere is that of a small lakeside watersports base: simple, sporty and family-friendly, without the formality of a club. The La Roche shore, quieter than the big beaches on the lake, makes departures and returns pleasant even in high season.
Before you go
- Recommended age: from 8 years old to paddle, younger children accompanied in a canoe according to the provider's conditions
- Duration: from an hour's rental to half a day
- Price: charged; half price announced for children aged 8 to 16, detailed rates from the provider
- Booking: recommended, the season is short
- Pushchair accessibility: access to a natural shore, poorly suited to pushchairs
- Transport: by car from Bulle or Fribourg
- Best season: roughly June to September, the rental opening period
Tips from parents
- Book ahead: the rental season only runs from around June to September.
- Ask about the minimum age and the conditions when booking, they vary with the craft chosen.
- The two-seater canoe is the best format with young children: they paddle when they want and rest when they tire.
- Bring sun cream, a cap, secured sunglasses and a waterproof bag for the phone: on the water, the sun hits twice.
- If you are aiming for the Île d'Ogoz, set off early: the wind often picks up on the lake in the afternoon.
Useful information
- Address: Le Port de la Serbache, 1634 La Roche, on the shore of Lake Gruyère
- Official website: https://www.kayakaventure.ch/
- Opening hours: rental open from around June to September, times to be confirmed with the provider
- Access (transport): by car from Bulle or Fribourg; public transport connections to be checked on cff.ch
Why we recommend it
Because it is the most memorable way to discover Lake Gruyère as a family: you see cliffs, a cave, birds and a medieval island that you would never suspect from the road. The half-price rate for 8 to 16 year olds keeps the outing affordable, and the option of being accompanied by a specialist reassures parents who have never paddled.
In a nutshell
Rental of kayaks, canoes and paddleboards on the shore of Lake Gruyère at La Roche, with half price for 8 to 16 year olds and guided outings to the Île d'Ogoz.
Frequently asked questions
From what age can children paddle?
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Can you reach the Île d'Ogoz by kayak?
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Nearby activities
Fancy a beach where you can still hear the birds? The one at La Roche is among the least busy on Lake Gruyère: generous vegetation, calm water and a refreshment stand in summer. It is also from this shore that kayak and paddle outings set off.
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Escaping the crowded beaches? The one at Pont-la-Ville is smaller and more intimate, with clear water and welcoming banks on the shore of Lake Gruyère. A quiet corner with open access, two steps from the Golf de la Gruyère and the Rossens dam footbridge.
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Do your children dream of an island with a real castle? In the middle of Lake Gruyère, the Île d'Ogoz keeps two towers from the 13th century and a small white chapel. You reach it by solar-powered boat from the Port du Bry, and on a few days each year, on foot.
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Fancy a beach where you can spread out your towels without bumping into anyone? At Gumefens, the lawn unrolls nearly 2,000 m2 on the shore of Lake Gruyère, with the Île d'Ogoz and its medieval ruins as a backdrop. Entirely free, with a large car park right beside it, along the Route du Marais.
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