Y-Plage

Y-Plage is the water-sports centre and beach bar on the beach at Yverdon-les-Bains, at the southern end of Lake Neuchâtel (canton of Vaud). It is run by Jérémy and Ludovic, two riders from the Lake Geneva area: after starting in windsurfing, they competed at the top international level in stand up paddling, and they also surf and wingfoil. The centre is part of Nautic Center, which runs a second site in Montreux.

For wing, Y-Plage gives lessons with a professional instructor and a support boat, two students at most. Learning happens in three stages: handling the wing on land and then on a paddleboard with a centre fin, boat-towed foiling (the gear lifts off at around 10 km/h), then combining the two. Stand-alone boat-towed foil sessions are also offered (15 or 30 minutes, three people at most). Life jacket, helmet and wetsuit are lent free of charge. The centre also works as a test centre for wing gear. There is no kitesurfing.

Y-Plage rents out wings, stand up paddles, kayaks and pedal boats, runs SUP activities for schools, camps and companies (up to 40 people on the water, one instructor per 8; instructors hold the ES-SUP diploma, the SSS lake lifesaving certificate and BLS-AED), travels with its gear (mobile school) and rents seasonal SUP storage spaces. The beach gives access to the Yverdon canals; the swimming area and the Grande Cariçaie reserves, marked by yellow buoys, are off-limits to boards and boats.