Lausanne is a beautiful city in Switzerland, located on the shores of Lake Geneva, the second largest cultural and economic center of the French-speaking part of the country after Geneva. The city is located in a picturesque place, surrounded by majestic hills and vineyards. This is a wonderful cosmopolitan city, in which the narrow old streets of the historical center are harmoniously combined with new modern quarters. The city is the fourth largest settlement of the Confederacy.
Climate
It is dominated by a mild continental climate. Summer in Lausanne is not too hot - about +22-25 degrees, and in winter the temperature very rarely drops below zero - on average it adheres to the mark of +2-3. It is Lake Geneva that plays a key role in the formation of the local climate - in summer it gives the city coolness, and in winter it does not allow to arrange frosts.
Lausanne has a significant amount of precipitation during the year, the average annual norm is 1350 mm. The driest month is April, with 96 mm of rainfall.
Population
Approximately 150,000 people live in the city, of which approximately 42% are foreigners. On the territory of the city you can meet the French (18%), the Portuguese (17%) and the Italians (11%). Less common are Spaniards and citizens of the countries of the former Yugoslavia - 8%. Almost half of the population lives in private homes.
Lausanne Landmarks
Marina Tsvetaeva House
Beautiful historic house in which little Marina lived while studying in a French boarding school.
Ouchy promenade and Chateau d ́Ouchy
Lausanne's promenade is a great place for romantic walks.
Musée olympique
The museum has a huge collection of sports, art and cultural artifacts, including a collection of stamps and coins, a library, an information center, a video library with the most significant historical moments of the games.
Palais de Rumine
Now in the building of the palace there are cantonal and university libraries and several museums work: the Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Archaeology and History, the Museum of Currencies, the Museum of Geology, the Museum of Zoology.
Kathedrale Notre-Dame – Cathedral of Our Lady
The church is one of the most beautiful Gothic cathedrals in Europe. The plan of the building is somewhat unusual: the apse is slightly inclined to the sky, as if the Virgin Mary bowed her head to her child.
Musée Historique de Lausanne/Ancien-Evêché
The Historical Museum of Lausanne is located very close to the cathedral. Ancien-Evêché has a fortified tower of the XIII century and a collection of archaeological finds from the territory of Lausanne.
Design Museum – Museu de Design et d ́Arts Appliques Contemporains
Place de la Palud
The building has a facade of the XVII century in the spirit of the Renaissance. Today it is the headquarters of the city council. On the square is the Fountain of Justice.
L ́Eglise Saint-François - Church of St. Francis
During the Middle Ages, the temple was the center of a large monastery complex, protected by the southern city wall.
Château de Beaulieu and Musée de l ́Art Brut
The castle houses the unique Art Brut Museum with a collection of bizarre paintings of the mentally ill and prisoners.
Musée Romain de Lausanne-Vidy
It is one of the most intriguing Roman museums in Switzerland.
Aquatis
Aquatis is Europe's largest freshwater aquarium and terrarium, home to more than 10,000 fish, reptiles and amphibians. Here you can make a trip to all the most important freshwater ecosystems of the world.
Local food and delicacies
Traditional Lausanne dishes are made from cheese - this is raclette and fondue. Traditional fondue and other cheese dishes can be enjoyed at the Chalet Royalp Hotel & Spa, while the hotel's gastronomic restaurant serves sophisticated dishes from the Michelin chef.
Other restaurants and cafes worth visiting:
- Chocolate on ancient technologies
Small chocolate manufactory Blondel Chocolats Fins. In the company store you can try more than 120 types of handmade chocolate.
- Sky Lounge Restaurant
- Traditional food at Pinte Besson
A great place to try fondue or papet vaudois!
Transport in Lausanne
In Lausanne, there are 2 branches of the underground metro, which intersect near the lausanne train station - Lausanne Flon.
The new M2 metro line, which is fully automated, connects the pier and the promenade of Lake Geneva with the northern suburbs, passing through lausanne's main station with several stops around the city. It is the shortest line of a fully automated metro in the world. Also in the city there are clean and fast buses on the routes, which provide a dense transport network within the city.
