Lausanne Switzerland - The City of Wine
Lausanne Switzerland lies on a marvelous location on the north shore of Lake Geneva - the Swiss Riviera. The enchanting old town has one of the nicest cathedrals in Switzerland and a really international atmosphere. It is also the metropolis of the Canton de Vaud. Lausanne is seat of many international sports federations and the highest court of Switzerland (federal court). Every autumn, the national fair "Comptoir Suisse" takes place and the famous hotel management school is the oldest in the world. Today the university, which arose from the 1537 founded academy is associated with the federal technical college on the modern campus in the western suburb of Dorigny. 
The city hosts many big Swiss and International companies like Nestlé, Tetra Pak, Kodak, Philip Morris, Alcoa, and Reynolds who have the administration and research laboratories in Lausanne Switzerland. Also wine-growing and wine trade plays an important role in this region. Lausanne Switzerland is also very interesting and attractive through its topography. It reaches from the harbor in Ouchy (372m) over the hills and valley incisions until up to the almost 300m higher located "Signal de Sauvabelin". Besides atmospheric shopping streets like the "Rue du Bourg", many marvelous parks with nice views over the lake contribute to the ambience. Of the many pretty Swiss cities and towns, visiting Lausanne Switzerland is on the agenda of many tourists. Places of Interest in Lausanne Switzerland Cathedral The construction of the cathedral actually began in 1173 and from 1874, "Viollet-le-Duc", the big French restorer carried out a comprehensive renewal. The 75 m high tower is also from this time. The cathedral became a protestant church since the reformation in 1536. You can enjoy a magnificent view from the terrace in front of the cathedral. Connecting at the terrace is the palace "Ancien Evêché" who dates back to the 11th-century. The bishops of Lausanne Switzerland lived there until the 15th-century. The preserved fortress accommodates the "Musée Historique" and the "Musée de la Cathédrale". Right beside it and worth seeing is the "Musée de Design et d'Arts appliqués". Palais de Beaulieu To the north-west of the city, approximately 1 km from "Place de la Riponne is the fair- and congressional center "Palais de Beaulieu. The complex encloses not only exhibition space (the most significant fair is the "Comptoir Suisse") but also conference rooms, cinemas, restaurants and a concert hall. Collection de l'Art Brut Quite fantastic in a double sense is the art collection in the "Château de Beaulieu" which was constructed from 1756 - 1776. Jean Dubuffet initiated a "Collection de l'Art Brut" with works of so-called outsiders of the society - nightmares, visions, and obsessions. Open from Tue. - Fri. 11:00 - 13:00, 14:00 - 18:00, Sat., Sun. 11:00 - 18:00. Mont-Repas To the east of the city invites the magnificent maintained "Parc Mont-Repas" (1818 - 1826) for walking around or just relaxing. Financier V. Perdonnet allowed renovating the villa with the same name around 1820 in which Voltaire performed his "Zaire". Today official receptions take place regularly. Above the park stands the neo-classicistic building of the Swiss federal court (Tribunal Fédéral Suisse). Worth seeing is also the little museum, which devotes to the subject (The human hand in the art). You find the little museum at Rue du Bugnon 21 which is open daily, but closed on Monday. The Suburb of Ouchy Splendid hotel palaces, shady bank promenades, big boat harbors and cultivated parks stamp Ouchy. Between the old harbor and the sports harbor signals a castle tower - rest of a fortress from the 12th/13th-century - the neo-gothic "Château d'Ouchy". At the Hôtel d'Angleterre (1880), a board reminds of Lord Byron who wrote here "the prisoner of Chillon". From the harbor, a promenade of about 1 km to the east to the "Parc Denantou" with the "Tour Haldimand", a romantic tower ruin from 1830. On your way, you will pass the "Parc de l'Elysée" with a late-baroque country house in which the "Musée de l'Elysée documents the history of photography (open daily from 11:00 - 18:00). Also on your way is the "Musée Olympique" in which you discover everything about the Olympic movement since Pierre Coubertin. Open from 09:00 - 18:00 from October to April, closed on Mondays. Jardin Botanique To the north-west above the suburb of Ouchy spreads the snug botanical garden at the "Crêt de Montriond" with interesting Alpinum, a pharmaceutical garden and an Arboretum. Signal de Sauvabelin It takes about 20 minutes on foot from the castle St-Maire to get to the observation tower at the height of "Signal de Sauvabelin" (647 m). From there, you will enjoy a magnificent panorama. At the "Route du Signal" (No. 2), the Villa Hermitage is located in a beautiful park which the banker C. Bugnion allowed to reshape until 1855. The foundation de "l'Ermitage" organizes here excellent art expositions. Behind the "Signal" stretches the big sixty hectares "Park Bois de Sauvabelin" who has a small lake, animal park, and a restaurant. There is a Vivarium at the north end of the park which presents diverse reptiles, under it the most significant collection of poisonous European snakes. The Vivarium is located at Chemin de Boissonet and is open from Mon. to Fri. 14:00 - 17:30, Sat./Sun. 10:00 - 17:30. The Best Restaurants in Lausanne Switzerland Ermitage Bernard Ravet The Ermitage de Bernard Ravet has been and still is one of the best Swiss restaurants. The owner and gourmet chef Bernard invites partly a very famous clientele. Michael Schumacher for example, oil sheiks, and the Geneva high society are there regularly. The village Vufflens-Le-Château is only about 30 minutes to the west of Lausanne Switzerland. To read about this excellent Swiss restaurant, click here. Restaurant Philippe Rochat Like the Ermitage above, the restaurant Philippe Rochat has been rated with 19 point out of a maximum of 20 for several years in a row. Gourmet chef Philippe has with 23 men and his beautiful young wife, the biggest and possibly also the best brigade of Switzerland. If you ever happen to be in Lausanne, visiting this fine restaurant is a must. You will not be disappointed! Click here for a review about this restaurant. Auberge du Raisin The wonderful Rôtisserie reminds of movies of the 1950s in which inside the mighty cheminee delightful meat pieces turned and a black dressed service provided for the care of the high society. Served is mostly French food and when you prefer tradition before adventure, you can be sure that you are at the right place. Luxury Hotels in Lausanne Switzerland Beau-Rivage Palace The Beau-Rivage Palace counts as one of the most beautiful Grand hotel of the Swiss Riviera. This elegant hotel is located in a big park in Ouchy. The rooms, suites and halls are impressive. It was renovated not long ago and a big spa- and wellness center was added. In 2006, the Beau-Rivage Palace was chosen the best hotel of the year in Switzerland.Click here for more on the Beau-Rivage Palace. Le Mirador Kempinski This is located on a hill between Lausanne and Vevey and provides a panoramic view over the Swiss Riviera and the Alps. What could be better than enjoy the views from the beautiful outdoor swimming pool? The hotel also offers indoor golf, tennis courts and upgraded a new beauty- and health center. Click here to see it. Lausanne-Palace & Spa The Lausanne-Palace & Spa is the guest house for the International Olympic committee. This luxury hotel has improved immensely and is still getting better. They added for example a new indoor swimming pool, new restaurants, a night-club where you hear the sounds of jazz everywhere in the hotel complex. Return from Lausanne Switzerland to Swiss Cities Return from Lausanne Switzerland to High-End-Travel-Switzerland Home Page
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The splendid Early-Gothic cathedral "Notre Dame" who was consecrated 1275 in present of king "Rudolf von Habsburg", counts in Switzerland as the most beautiful building of that époque. The cathedral is on the same location where several predecessors were standing since the 6th-century and in the crypt are preserved rests of a Carolingian basilica from the 8th-century. 