Lausanne – charming city on Lake Geneva

I am always fascinated by the fact that you only drive a few kilometers further within Switzerland and suddenly nobody speaks German anymore. Lausanne is located in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, on the beautiful Lake Geneva.

During our hiking holiday in the Lavaux area, we decided to go sightseeing in the beautiful city on Lake Geneva for a day.

Personally, I would divide Lausanne into 3 parts … the busy city center, the inviting promenades along the lake and the green, relaxing parks.

It all adds up to a very interesting and livable city.

Here are our highlights of Lausanne which we saw in 1 day 😊

THE OLD TOWN:

The old town, which is well worth seeing, is largely car-free. Small alleys with cafés and boutiques characterize the streetscape in the medieval town center.

The main attractions for us were the Place de la Palud, the Escaliers du Marché, the Cathédrale de Lausanne and the Palais de Rumine. Everything within walking distance.

view from the **Cathédrale de Lausanne**

LAUSANNES GREEN AREAS:

Of course, Lausanne offers a lot more green space, but we decided to take a closer look at the following 3 parks:

Esplanade de Montbenon
Parc Hermitage
Bois de Sauvabelin

The Esplanade de Montbenon is located in the middle of the city and offers a breathtaking view over the city of Lausanne and the lake.

Parc Hermitage is just a 10-minute walk from the city center and offers one of the most beautiful viewpoints in Lausanne. From the “Le Signal” viewpoint you have a sweeping panoramic view of the city and the surrounding area.

The Parc Hermitage merges almost seamlessly into the Bois de Sauvabelin … in the middle of the forest and yet so close to the city center. The highlights are the Sauvabelin Tower, a 35 m high wooden tower, and the Lac de Sauvabelin, an artificially created lake with a zoo.