Lausanne

A hillside city on the north shore of Lake Geneva and home of the International Olympic Committee, where the Old Town cathedral overlooks the lake and the Ouchy waterfront and Lavaux vineyards are close at hand.

Lausanne is the capital of the canton of Vaud and Switzerland's fourth-largest city, set on the north shore of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman). The city climbs the hillside from about 372 m at the lakeshore to over 500 m, earning it the nickname "the hilly city", and as the seat of the International Olympic Committee it is also known as the "Olympic Capital". The city divides into three areas: up the hill is the Old Town, where the Gothic Cathedral of Notre-Dame, the Château Saint-Maire, Place de la Palud and the covered Escaliers du Marché are all within walking distance, alongside the Palais de Rumine and the Collection de l'Art Brut; in the middle is the Flon district and the area around the station, where the Plateforme 10 arts district brings together the cantonal fine arts museum, the photography museum (Photo Elysée) and the design museum (mudac); and down by the lake is Ouchy, where the lakeside promenade, the Château d'Ouchy and the Olympic Museum are linked, and CGN boats sail to Évian and Montreux. The Sauvabelin forest to the north has a wooden tower and a lake, good for a half-day stroll; a few kilometres east are the old village of Lutry and the terraced vineyards of Lavaux, and to the west you can visit Morges for its tulips. The best time to visit is May–September, with lake swimming, open-air music and frequent boat services; September–October is grape harvest season; winter is rather grey and chilly, but the Christmas markets and nearby skiing are worthwhile. Getting there: direct trains take about 45 minutes from Geneva Airport and about 2 hours 10 minutes from Zurich. The city's M2 metro runs from Ouchy straight up to the Old Town and the northern districts, and is one of the steepest metros in the world. Visitors staying in Lausanne receive the Lausanne Transport Card, which gives free use of city public transport. Plan to stay 1–2 days, which can be combined with Montreux, Chillon Castle and Lavaux. Note: many museums are closed on Mondays, and the Old Town is steep with lots of steps, so wear comfortable shoes.

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