Lausanne has a population of about 138,000, a little bigger than West Palm Beach, located on the shore of Lake Geneva. Like other areas we visited, the city has a French feel, not German or Italian. There is more French than German spoken, but almost everyone speaks English. We chose this as our home base while exploring the Lake Geneva area. You can learn all you need to know in this City Guide to Lausanne.
What is Lausanne known for?
It is an international city home to the Olympic Committee. Nearby, you can visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lavaux’s Vineyard Terraces. The ferry boats connect you to smaller villages on the lake, or you can take the train to other medieval towns, like Gruyères.
How was the Weather?
Our trip began in August when the average temperatures are 76°/61°; in September, it drops to 68°/55°. This was not our experience; we had higher-than-average temperatures; it was almost 90º during the day, but it felt much hotter!
Travel Notes
What to See
Hike through the Lavaux Vineyard Terraces
The vineyards were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. They date back to the 11th century and are quite beautiful. Seeing them from the train is possible, but it is better to go in person. There is a marked trail with waypoints that we could locate with the help of Google Maps, but we didn’t finish the hike due to extreme heat.
READ MORE: A Hike through the Lavaux Vineyard Terraces
Walk Around Old Town
Take the tram to the Bessières stop and walk up the stairs to cross the bridge and visit the Cathedral. This saves almost all of the uphill walking! City Guide to Lausanne Tip: the best views of the city are from the front courtyard.
Visit the Éole Sculpture
In the middle of the harbor, a 500′ weather vane shows the sailors the prevailing breeze. The waterfront is gorgeous, full of sailboats, paddle boats, and pontoons with slides. Snow-capped mountains surround the lake, and the walkway is lined with shade trees.
Visit Montreux
There are several ways to do this; I took the bus to Chillon Castle, then walked along the waterfront for an hour and took the train back. A boat to the castle might be a nice alternative to the bus. Along the water is a wide, tree-lined sidewalk and many statues. In Montreux, there is one of Freddie Mercury that has a steady line of people waiting for a photo op. If you continue to Vevey, there is a statute of Charlie Chaplin.
READ MORE: A Day in Montreux
Take a Day Trip to Gruyères
This famous cheese is made in a factory across the street from the train station, about 90 minutes from Lausanne. After the factory tour, you can walk up the hill to the medieval town and castle for lunch and views. There is a museum featuring HR Giger‘s works, which you will find very disturbing! I’m not sure if I should recommend it, but I’m glad I went in. I did not enjoy all the pieces; some of the works were painful to see.
READ MORE: A Day in Gruyères
Museums
Olympic Museum
Everywhere you go in Lausanne d’Ouchy has little tributes to the athletes and the games. At the museum you will see a showcase of exhibits celebrating the games. Please note that it is closed on Monday.
Where to Eat
Enjoy a Cafe on the Lakefront
We loved eating on the terrace, people-watching, and enjoying the view. Our hotel offered us a complimentary cocktail at their Château d’Ouchy Bar. They also had a fine-dining restaurant, L’Accademia, where we ate our last night, when I finally got my lost bag and had clean clothes. The Hotel du Port has a wonderful chicken salad with avocado that we had for lunch. We liked it so much we came back the next day for the same meal.
Pinte Besson, the House of Fondue, founded in 1780
Fondue is a specialty in Switzerland and this place in Old Town is the OG, so we decided to try it. However, it was way too hot to even think about dunking bread and potatoes into hot cheese! I had this wonderful salad with a cheese brick, a piece of cheese baked in phyllo dough.
Fleur de Pains
Our hotel did not include breakfast, so we ate at the bakery around the corner every morning. I had quiche and coffee and it was a wonderful, more economical option than eating at the hotel restaurant. There was also a COOP (grocery store) across the street.
Crêperie d’Ouchy
Among the cafes along the waterfront was a crêperie where we had dessert the first night. The great thing about a crêperie is that they are almost always open. When adjusting to a new time zone, you may find yourself hungry between mealtimes, and finding a restaurant to serve you is difficult. Crêperies are a great answer, where you can get a sweet dessert crêpe or a savory galette with egg and cheese.
Where to Stay
Hotel Angleterre & Residence
This small compound of traditional English chateaus (air-conditioned) has 75 rooms and is located on the waterfront, near the Ouchy tram station on Place du Port 11. Upon arrival, the hotel provided us with a cocktail voucher for their restaurant overlooking the lake (hooray!), a booklet of the Must-Sees, a tourist map, a city guide to Lausanne, and a transportation pass. website
Getting Around
The map below is to orient you to the various areas of the town. When we checked in, we were given our transportation pass, tourist map, and a brochure of must-see sights. Our hotel was across the street from the lakeshore in the Ouchy section. We used the tram to get to the train station and to old town at the top of the hill. Click here to see a more detailed Tourist Map and a copy of the Lausanne Must Sees.
We used trams, trains, buses, and ferry boats to get around. There are lots of options! We also walked along the waterfront, which is nicer in certain sections than others.
Getting from the Geneva to Lausanne
We activated our pass and took the train from Geneva to Lausanne. It was easy and comfortable and took about an hour; we loved traveling on the trains in Switzerland. The Swiss Flex Pass covered our transportation and museum visits for 15 days of our three weeks in Switzerland.
READ MORE: Using the Swiss SBB Transportation App and Choosing the Right Swiss Pass
Ferry Boats
It is possible to travel on Lake Geneva by ferry and visit the towns on the lakefront, passing into France, or just down the shore. In general, the boats take longer, but not always. City Guide to Lausanne: here is a link to the CGN Timetables. The N1, N2, and N3 routes will appear if you search on the SBB Transportation App.
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