This Envisat image, acquired on 22 March 2011, features an almost cloud-free look at a large portion of Europe. The Alps, with its white peaks, stand out in contrast against the vast areas still covered in brownish winter foliage. Several dark blue European lakes also stand out. The crescent-shaped Lake Geneva (north of Alps) is Europe’s largest Alpine lake. Its northern part is located in Switzerland, and its southern part in France.
With a surface of 218 sq km, Lake Neuchâtel (above Lake Geneva) is the largest lake located entirely in Switzerland. Lake Constance (northeast of Lake Neuchâtel) straddles the borders of Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Italy’s largest and Central Europe’s third largest lake, Garda, sits at the foot of the Alps.
European Space Agency
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