Vaud
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1. Cathédrale de Notre-Dame
Old TownA Burgundian Gothic architectural treasure, this cathedral is Switzerland's largest church—and probably its finest. Begun in the 12th century by Italian, Flemish, and French architects, it was completed in 1275. Pope Gregory X came expressly to perform the historic consecration ceremony—of double importance, because it also served as a coronation service for Rudolf of Habsburg as the new Holy Roman emperor. Eugene Viollet-le-Duc, a renowned restorer who worked on the cathedrals of Chartres and Notre-Dame-de-Paris, brought portions of the building to Victorian Gothic perfection in the 19th century. His repairs are visible as paler stone contrasting with the weathered local sandstone. Streamlined to the extreme, without radiating chapels or the excesses of later Gothic trim, the cathedral wasn't always so spare; in fact, there was brilliant painting. Zealous Reformers plastered over the florid colors, but in so doing they unwittingly preserved them, and now you can see portions of these splendid shades restored in the right transept. The dark and delicate choir contains the 14th-century tomb of the crusader Otto I of Grandson and exceptionally fine 13th-century choir stalls, unusual for their age alone, not to mention their beauty. The church's masterpiece, the 13th-century painted portal, is considered one of Europe's most magnificent. A tribute to 21st-century technology, the 7,000-pipe organ fills the sanctuary with swells of sacred music. Holding fast to tradition, the cathedral has maintained a guet, or "lookout," since 1405. The guet sleeps in the belfry and is charged with crying out every hour on the hour between 10 pm and 2 am. Visitors are not allowed during the Protestant services (the cathedral was reformed in the 16th century) on Sunday before 11 am and after 6 pm. You may want to come instead for the evening concerts held almost weekly in spring and autumn. Guided tours are given July through September.
Pl. de la Cathédrale, Lausanne, Vaud, 1004, Switzerland021-3167161 -
2. Fondation de l'Hermitage
SauvabelinA 15-minute bus ride from Old Town takes you to this beautifully set 19th-century country home. The estate is now an impressive art gallery with a fine permanent collection of Vaudois artists and headline-grabbing, yet seriously presented, blockbuster shows. Exhibits have included the works of Pablo Picasso, Alberto Giacometti, and the American impressionists. Details of the elegant villa have been preserved, including intricate moldings, carved fireplaces, and multipatterned parquet floors. Allow time for a walk on the grounds and coffee at L'esquisse, the café surrounded by the outlying orangery. To get here, take Bus No. 3 from Gare Centrale to the Motte stop or Bus No. 16 from Place St-François to Hermitage.
2 rte. du Signal, Lausanne, Vaud, 1018, Switzerland021-3125013Sight Details
Rate Includes: SF19, Closed Mon. -
3. Plateforme 10
City CenterSecuring its reputation as the region's cultural capital, Lausanne now has its own arts district on the Plateforme 10 site next to the train station. The Musée Cantonal des Beaux-Arts (MCBA), Musée d'Elysée (Cantonal Photography Museum), and mudac (Museum of Contemporary Design and Applied Arts) have fused here to bridge the divide between the city's excellent collections of fine art, photography, design, and textiles. More than just a gathering of museums, the site is fast becoming a destination in itself, with concerts, shows, exhibitions, and other cultural events setting Lausanne's strong arts community abuzz.
16 pl. de la Gare, Lausanne, Vaud, 1003, Switzerland021-3162555Sight Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon -
4. Château St-Maire
Old TownThe fortresslike elements of this 15th-century stone cylinder certainly came into play. The castle was built for the bishops of Lausanne; during the 16th century the citizens wearied of ecclesiastical power and allied themselves with Bern and Fribourg against the bishops protected within. Before long, however, Bern itself marched on Lausanne, put a bailiff in this bishops' castle, and stripped the city fathers of their power. Today the Château St-Maire is the seat of the cantonal government.
Pl. du Château, Lausanne, Vaud, 1004, Switzerland -
5. Cimetière du Bois-de-Vaux
Always adorned with white flowers, as was her signature style, the grave of Coco Chanel lies within a large wooded cemetery park on the western edge of the city. Urban legend has it that Mademoiselle Chanel's beloved companion, her dog, is buried not far away in the pet cemetery on the grounds of the stately Beau-Rivage Palace. The cemetery is accessible by the No. 25 bus toward Bourdonnette or the Nos. 1 and 6 toward Maladière.
2 rte. de Chavannes, Lausanne, Vaud, 1007, Switzerland -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Collection de l'Art Brut
BeaulieuThis singular museum focuses on the genre of fringe or "psychopathological" art, dubbed l'art brut (raw art) in the 1940s by French artist Jean Dubuffet. His own collection forms the base of this ensemble of raw material from untrained minds—prisoners, schizophrenics, or the merely obsessed. Strangely enough, the collection is housed in the Château de Beaulieu, a former mansion of Madame de Staël, she of the sophisticated salons. The exhibits range from intricate yarn and textile pieces to a wall full of whimsical seashell masks. One of the most affecting works is a panel of rough carvings made by an asylum patient in solitary confinement; it was shaped with a broken spoon and a chamber-pot handle. You can get here by walking up Avenue Vinet or by taking Bus No. 2 from Place St-François in the direction of Désert.
11 av. des Bergières, Lausanne, Vaud, 1004, Switzerland021-3152570Sight Details
Rate Includes: SF12, free 1st Sat. of month, Closed Mon. Sept.–June -
7. Débarcadère
OuchyIn fine weather the waterfront buzzes day and night—strollers, diners, concertgoers, in-line skaters, artisans selling their wares—while the white steamers that land here add to the traffic.
Pl. du Port 1, Lausanne, Vaud, 1006, Switzerland -
8. Hôtel de Ville
City CenterConstructed between the 15th and 17th century, this is the seat of municipal and communal councils. A painted, medieval Fontaine de la Justice (Justice Fountain) draws strollers to lounge on its heavy rim. Across the street you can watch the modern animated clock, donated to the city by local merchants; moving figures appear every hour on the hour. A street market is held in and around the square every Wednesday and Saturday morning.
2 pl. de la Palud, Lausanne, Vaud, 1003, Switzerland021-3152556Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
9. Musée Historique de Lausanne
Old TownThe Ancien-Évêché (Old Bishopric) holds a wealth of both temporary and permanent historical exhibits about the city. Don't miss the 250-square-foot scale model of 17th-century Lausanne, with its commentary illuminating the neighborhoods' histories. Also look for the re-created 19th-century shop windows.
4 pl. de la Cathédrale, Lausanne, Vaud, 1005, Switzerland021-3154101Sight Details
Rate Includes: SF12, Closed Mon. Sept.–June -
10. Musée Olympique
OuchyWith high-tech presentations and touching mementos, this complex pays tribute to the athletic tradition in ancient Greece, the development of the modern Games, the evolution of the individual sports, Paralympic competitions, and the athletes themselves. There are art objects—an Etruscan torch from the 6th century BC, Auguste Rodin's American Athlete—as well as archival films and videos, interactive displays, photographs, coins and stamps, and medals from various eras throughout Olympic history. A sculpture park, museum shop, and lovely café overlooking the lake complete this ambitious, world-class endeavor. Brochures and guided tours are available in English.
1 quai d'Ouchy, Lausanne, Vaud, 1006, Switzerland021-6216511Sight Details
Rate Includes: SF20, Closed Mon. Nov.–Apr. -
11. Musée Romain de Lausanne–Vidy
Two Roman communities, Lousonna and Vidy, flourished near the lakefront from 15 BC into the 4th century, and excavations of their ruins have brought these ancient settlements to light. A reconstructed private home serves as the museum's headquarters, where displays include a small trove of coins, votive figures, mosaics, and objects from daily life—carved combs, toga pins, jewelry. On request, you can get guided tours in English of the museum and the vast archaeological sites. The museum is west of Ouchy, just off the Lausanne-Maladière exit from E25/A1. Bus Nos. 1 and 2 stop at Maladière; No. 25 stops at Bois-de-Vaux.
24 chemin du Bois-de-Vaux, Vidy, Vaud, 1007, Switzerland021-3154185Sight Details
Rate Includes: SF8, Closed Mon. Sept.–June -
12. Palais de Rumine
City CenterBuilt at the turn of the last century, this enormous neo-Renaissance structure houses several museums, all with a local spin. The top exhibit at the Musée Cantonal d'Archéologie et d'Histoire (Cantonal Archaeology and History Museum) is the gold bust of Marcus Aurelius discovered at nearby Avenches in 1939. The Musée Cantonal de Géologie (Cantonal Geology Museum) has an excellent fossil collection, including a mammoth skeleton. Besides its collection of regional fauna, the Musée Cantonal de Zoologie (Cantonal Zoology Museum) has a rare collection of comparative anatomy. Each museum has some descriptions or an abbreviated guide in English. All of these museums are free.
6 pl. de la Riponne, Lausanne, Vaud, 1007, SwitzerlandSight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Mon. -
13. Place St-François
St-FrançoisThe stone-paved square is dominated by the massive post office and the former Franciscan Église St-François (Church of St. Francis), built during the 13th and 14th centuries. From 1783 to 1793, Edward Gibbon lived in a house on the site of the post office and there finished his work The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.
Lausanne, Vaud, 1003, Switzerland -
14. Rue de Bourg
St-FrançoisOnce a separate village isolated on a natural ridge, this is now Lausanne's fashionable main shopping street. Narrow and cobblestoned, it's lined with platinum-card stores such as Hermès and Louis Vuitton. Boutiques have been built into the centuries-old buildings, though some have added fittingly modern facades.
Lausanne, Vaud, 1003, Switzerland
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