Why go to Lausanne? The 10 good reasons to go Lausanne
A look at Lausanne
Explore the city with a local "Greeter" and discover his or her favorite places.
A green city
Nature in the heart of the city: parks, trees and walks offering superb views.
Wild nights
Lausanne's electro scene attracts the best DJs in Europe.
Under the sign of water
Cruise, picnic on the shore, paddle, waterski, swim or sail?
An exceptional natural setting
Lake Geneva, the Alps, the Jura, the Lavaux plateau and vineyards: a unique site.
A city of steep hills
Muscle up your legs as you stroll through the medieval town and down the slopes to the lake.
An Olympic city
Here, sports are in high demand: swimming, hiking, cycling, paddling and running.
A vast cultural offering
Museums, exhibitions, Plateforme 10, concerts, festivals: Lausanne is constantly reinventing itself.
Fondue and wine
In winter, a fondue in the gondola, an aperitif in a horse-drawn carriage at the Christmas market..
Taking the time
We're on Swiss time. There's no fire in the lake, as they say!
What to visit Lausanne?
Interview: My Lausanne
by Florent CATANZARO, author of the guide
Florent is an engineer by training and an adventurer at heart. After having travelled throughout Latin America during a sabbatical year, he returned to settle in his native region: the hinterland of Nice. Passionate about writing as much as travelling, he then began his first collaboration with Le Petit Futé as a guide on the Côte d'Azur. In 2019, he moves to Lausanne, a city he will help you discover.
See the video of the interviewGood to know to visit Lausanne
Timetable
Lausanne's museums are generally open from 10/11 a.m. and close around 5:30 p.m. on weekdays, or 6 p.m. at weekends. They are generally closed on Mondays. Some museums make exceptions to this rule. The Olympic Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 6pm. The new arts district, Plateforme 10, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., as is Aquatis, the aquarium, at the same times.
To be booked
Reservations are not required for Lausanne's museums. Whether at the Olympic Museum or Aquatis, the flow of visitors is regulated naturally.
Budget & Tips
The Montreux Riviera Card is free if you stay at a B&B hotel, campsite or most vacation accommodations. It entitles you to free public transport and a 50% discount on many points of interest, including Chillon Castle, the Chaplin Museum, the Alimentarium and the vast majority of museums and attractions. It also offers a 20% discount on tickets for CGN boats and mountain trains. It will be given to you free of charge on arrival at the hotel. There are always reduced rates for students and children. The free monthly pass is valid on the first Saturday of the month, unlike Sundays in France. You can also take out the Lausanne City pass, valid for one day or two to three days, offering very attractive discounts on museum admission. You can choose the option that suits you best. The two- to three-day pass also offers discounts at other points of interest in the region.
Children are almost always taken into consideration in museums and other cultural venues, as well as on board public transport, with discounts and other little extras such as visit programs, workshops and play corners.
Guided tours
If you'd like to see all the nooks and crannies of Lausanne, and answer any questions you may have, we recommend that you let yourself be guided by the knowledge of a local guide on a guided tour. The themes to be covered in this city can be both historical and artistic. During the summer, for example, you can take one of five guided walks around the city to discover the art hidden away.
Another excellent way to explore Lausanne is to contact the "Lausanne International Greeters" association.
In the company of a local, you can take a guided tour of Lausanne (free of charge). Greeters, who speak several languages, can take you behind the scenes of Lausanne, off beaten tracks, showing you their favorite corners, restaurants and bars. For all ages and backgrounds. World citizens welcome! An excellent initiative. Visit https://www.benevol-jobs.ch/fr/organisation/lausanne-greet ers
Smokers
Smoking is prohibited in all public places, except in designated areas.
