The Lausanners' spots to explore Lausanne from every angle

Go under the Grand Pont bridge, built in 1844. At the time, this arched structure had two storeys, under which flowed the River Flon. Several decades later, the embankment works to the river covered up the lower row of arches, depriving this splendid edifice of its original elegance.

On the lookout for decorated electrical cabinets.

The Pont Chauderon, 250 m, is completing in 1905 the new area. Underneath is a fireengine storage.

Also known as the Louis Bourget Park beach, Vidy beach is the largest beach and green space on Lake Geneva. Several small coves dot the shoreline, while the main beach features over 500 metres of sand.

The Lavaux Express will whisk you off for a wine-lover’s trip through the terraced vineyards of Lavaux, one of UNESCO’s world heritage sites. Once on board this unusual means of transport you will be able to admire the beauty of the Lavaux region and wonder at the exceptional vista over the lake and mountains. Depending on the day of the week, departure from Lutry or Cully landing pier.

An ideal park for relaxing with your family

In the heart of the urban area, discover a unique vineyard. Finish by taking in the view from the hill in the botanical gardens. At the heart of the urban area, this council-owned vineyard is one of a kind. It reminds us that for many centuries the lower part of the city was thickly planted with vines.

Until the beginning of the 19th century, the Rue de Bourg, which is a pedestrian zone today, was one of the main thorough fares of old Lausanne. In those days the town only extended over three hills, those of Cité, Saint-Laurent and Bourg.

If you were to take a helicopter flight over these nine hectares of green space, located to the south of Lausanne railway station, you might summarily describe it as a vast grassy square (Place de Milan) with a steep mound (Montriond Hill).

At the heart of the old town, the majestic Lausanne Cathedral overlooks the city. Seen as one of the most beautiful gothic art monuments in Europe, it attracts more than 400,000 visitors every year.

The EPFL is an institution at the cutting edge of training, research and innovation. Ranked among the best institutes of technology in the world, it provides an education ranging from engineering disciplines to life sciences, taking in information technology along the way.

A real Lausanne institution, the town centre market sets out its stalls every Wednesday and Saturday morning from the Place de la Riponne to the Place Saint-François as well as in the adjacent pedestrianised streets.

360° views open up multiple vistas from the top of this 35-metre-high tower, which was built in 2003: you can view the Lausanne conurbation, Lake Geneva and the three geographic regions of Switzerland - the Alps, the Jura and the Plateau.

Built in 1932 by Alphonse Laverrière, Bel-Air Tower was based on the American model (with a metal framework covered in stone). Standing at a height of 55 metres, this was one of Switzerland’s first “skyscrapers”.

Beaulieu Lausanne Convention Center is ideally situated in the heart of Lausanne. It is a vast events complex located at the heart of French-speaking Switzerland and offering a rich array of services directly connected to the car park but also accessible to pedestrians from the outside.

Its 19 modular rooms and its large halls associated with the largest theater in Switzerland can accommodate between 100 and 5,400 persons, who also enjoy the use of 12,000 sq.m. of gardens.

Flon is the heart of the city of Lausanne, pulsing with life, day and night, in a modern and innovative setting. It’s the town’s architectural success: this district of former warehouses that begins at the Place de l’Europe was rehabilitated as a living area with a wide array of restaurants, bars, clubs, boutiques, cinemas, bowling and exhibition spaces. A must is to enjoy a drink on one of the rooftop terraces. In the winter, you can enjoy the ice-rink and in the summer the sandy beach.

This site is one of the most beautiful balconies from which to view the lake.
Here you will find a statue depicting a legendary Helvetian hero equipped with his crossbow: Guillaume Tell. In this ancient city centre square, just a stone's throw from the Church of St. Francis, Montbenon Esplanade offers you an extraordinary range of environments along a stretch of entirely flat ground covering more than half a kilometre, a novelty in Lausanne!

Take a walk through some of the most beautiful scenery in Switzerland: the UNESCO-listed Lavaux vineyard terraces are criss-crossed with marked trails with stunning views over Lake Geneva and the Alps. Little trains on wheels help you up the incline so you can enjoy a walk at your own pace.

Formed by an ancient glacial moraine, this hill offers a unique panoramic vista over Lake Geneva, the mountains and the city.

This is a quarter full of typical small bistros and craft shops. To the north of the Cité hill, at Place du Tunnel, avenue César-Roux avenue and Place de l’Ours, shops and quirky bistros cry out to be discovered. It is around the Cité hill, sculpted by the Flon and Louve rivers, that the mediaeval town grew. Its cobble-stoned pedestrian streets as well as its monuments, the Cathedral of Lausanne, the St-Maire Castle and the Old academy, bear witness to that.

The Escaliers du Marché staircase, a direct and steep route that runs between Place de la Palud and the Cathedral, is one of the most picturesque sites in Lausanne. Its existence was first recorded back in the 13th century and its present-day appearance – a winding wooden stairway with a cover and a very steep cobbled street running alongside it – dates back to the years 1717 - 1719.

Here, each can truly do their own thing, because it has everything: history with a capital H, sport, boats and picnics, theatre and camping, strolls and competitions, delicacies and silence. To visitors of the Vaud capital, Expo 64, the national exhibition, is still regarded as boasting an exceptional leisure area by the lake which has nothing like the appearance it had before.

Built in 1901, the lakeside walk links the old port (1793) and the Haldimand Tower (1823), previously located on an island - an oddity it shared with the Château d’Ouchy (12th century).

Rollerskaters can weave and speed for hundreds of yards without crossing a road, and strollers admire masses of roses set amid sloping lawns. With its gently sloping paths, thousands of rose bushes and extraordinary architecture, the Vallée de la Jeunesse seems almost surreal, as if frozen in time.

Of all the beautiful parks which make up the historical natural heritage of Lausanne, Mon-Repos is without a doubt the most extraordinary: exceptional for the diversity of its architectural elements (neo-Gothic tower, waterfall, neo-Classical temple, orangerie, aviaries etc.), and also for the richness of the documentation in our possession and for the harmony of the ensemble.

Recently remodelled, the upper part of Valency Park plays on Mediterranean impressions: its white gravel walkway shaded by lime trees is reminiscent of the "Places de Lices" (tournament areas) in the south of France where they play games of petanque. Indeed, the gravel replaced lawns that were a sorry sight in the summer due to the shade produced by those great trees.

Tiered terraces, majestic trees, seductive views across the Savoy Alps: there are so many different elements to the prestigious Elysée Park!

Don’t be misled by the name - there’s nothing desert-like about the park. Just the opposite! In fact, it’s water feature is the principle attraction of this charming park which is an oasis of green in this part of the city

A natural haven of peace located on Montriond hill in the heart of Lausanne, the botanical garden is open every day, with free admission.