François-Alphonse Forel (1841-1912) was born in Morges, on the edges of Lake Geneva. Professor of Medicine at the University of Lausanne, he deals during his life to the study of the Leman, in all aspects scientists known to the time (geomorphological, movement of waters, sedimentation, water chemistry, biological diversity). These research are among the first of the new science which he created the neologism "limnology". He explains at the beginning of its monumental monograph grouping the results of its research on the "Lake Geneva," the reasons for his choice.