The Swiss Woman Who Brought River Swimming To Boston

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) Renata von Tscharner brought river swimming from Bern to the United States. Over 25 years ago, she founded the Charles River Conservancy and spent almost two decades campaigning to ensure that people in Boston and Cambridge could swim in their river again. This content was published on August 9, 2026 - 10:00 6 minutes

In my work, I focus on topics that are relevant to Swiss citizens abroad – from political developments in Switzerland and their impact on the diaspora to social, economic, and cultural issues. Before joining SWI swissinfo, I worked as a local journalist for the Aargauer Zeitung. I hold a Bachelor's degree in Multilingual Communication and, as is typically Swiss, completed an apprenticeship as a commercial employee.

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Deutsch de Die Schweizerin, die das Aareschwimmen nach Boston brachte Original Read more: Die Schweizerin, die das Aareschwimmen nach Boston br Français fr La Suissesse qui a révolutionné la baignade fluviale à Boston Read more: La Suissesse qui a révolutionné la baignade fluviale à B Italiano it Dal bagno nell'Aare, alla rivoluzione dei fiumi a Boston Read more: Dal bagno nell'Aare, alla rivoluzione dei fiumi a B 中文 zh 从阿勒河游泳到波士顿的河流复兴 Read more: 从阿勒河游泳到波士顿

Whenever Renata von Tscharner visits Switzerland, there is one tradition she never misses: she goes for a swim in the Aare or the Rhine. For the 78-year-old, swimming in rivers is as much a part of home as the mountains or the local dialect.“I've always loved swimming in the Aare and the Rhine,” she says. This experience has been a constant in her life.

Today, this Swiss expatriate lives in Cambridge, near Boston in the US, where swimming in rivers is severely restricted, not only because of the water quality but also for legal reasons. However, this has done nothing to dampen her passion for rivers – on the contrary: it has become the driving force behind her professional life's work.

More More Swiss Diaspora The Swiss who 'love that dirty water'

This content was published on Jul 13, 2019 Members of the Swiss Society of Boston have traded the Aare, Emme and Rhine for the Charles.

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