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The best of Lausanne
Written by: Milan Duda
Photo: Switzerland Tourism
For over 600 years, every night a watchman
has blown a trumpet from the top of the Notre-Dame Cathedral to
signal that time hasn't stopped on the shores of Lake Geneva. But
even without him you'd certainly feel that the Swiss canton of
Vaud is throbbing with life. This relatively small town, built
on limestone slopes and in the crystal-clear Alpine environment,
has the spirit of a great metropolis. Welcome to Lausanne.
Stanislav Seidl
executive head of Seidl Grands Vins, Prague - Lausanne
Favorite hotel:
Hotel Beau Rivage, 17-19, place du Port, Lausanne - Ouchy
Favorite restaurant:
Philippe Rochat, Restaurant de l'Hotel de Ville, 1023 Crissier,
tel.: +410 21 634 0505, www.philippe-rochat.ch
The best of all Swiss restaurants.
Favorite night spot:
Cave a Jazz Chorus, 3, avenue Mon-Repos
- Excellent jazz cellar in a historical basement with vaults
and fantastic acoustics. All styles and eras are performed
in an incredibly cheerful and unfettered environment.
Favorite shop: Grand Magasin Globus, Rue Centrale
- Traditional city warehouse in the center with a wide assortment,
but with its own style. It offers something extra, especially
in its grocery department.
Favorite attraction:
Croisi`ere with Lausanne steam-navigation from Ouchy to Montreux
and back on the Geneva lake. An amazing panorama with a view
of Lavaux region's terraced vineyards and villages like Lutry,
Villette, Riex, and Epesses - as well as the steepest (45°)
vineyard Grand Cru Dézaley between Lausanne and Vevey.
Best-kept secret:
The Lausanne Cathedral from the UNESCO world monuments list
is built in a late-Gothic style. A bellman walks up on the
tower and blows a horn at midnight, announcing the hour and
wishing a peaceful night to all people of good will.
Advice:
Visit the vineyards you can see from the boat. Take a break
in Epesses village and taste wine in Caveau des Vignerons,
or ring the bell by the wine-grower on whose door you see the "Vigneron
Encaveur" sign (wine-grower-sommelier), and taste some
excellent white Chasselas wine. |
Alena
Koukalová
Business Chamber Czech Republic-Switzerland
Favorite hotel:
Hotel Mövenpick - www.moevenpick-hotels.com
On the shore of the lake by the harbor in Ouchy district.
Don't forget to ask for a room with a view of the lake.
Favorite restaurant:
Bistrot Le Louis, 9, place de l'Europe, tel.: +410 21 213
0311, www.louis-on-line.com
Gourmet Restaurant that is not yet that famous.
Favorite night spot:
King size, rue du Port-franc 16, +410 21 340 6977, www.kingsizepub.ch
... If you are looking for a good bar.
Favorite shop:
Bon Génie, 10, place St-Francois, tel.: +410 21 345 2727
Favorite attraction:
Everyone interested in art should visit the incomparable
Art Brut Collection while in Lausanne - as well as the Hermitage
Foundation collections.www.artbrut.ch, www.fondation-hermitage.ch.
Best-kept secret:
Probably the best view of Lake Geneva is from the Olympic
Museum garden. Go to the first terrace and relax.
Advice:
I recommend taking a ride to the upper subway station - which
reminds me rather of our funicular on Petřín - and from there
to continue up to the cathedral. Then descend to the lake,
where there is a lot to see and many places where you can
refresh. While at the lake, try some of the regional fish
specialities.
|
Jan Klíma
Geneva-Prague line manager Flybaboo
Favorite hotel:
Hotel Beau Rivage Palace Lausanne, 17-19 place du Port, tel.:
+410 21 613 3333, www.brp.ch
Very luxurious hotel just in front of Lake Geneva and the
Ouchy Promenade.
Favorite restaurant:
PUR, 17, rue du Port-Franc, tel.: +410 21 311 9933, www.jet-lag.ch
- Elegant and fashionable restaurant, situated in the trendy
area of the Flon, where you can enjoy top French cuisine
and probably meet some international stars.
Favorite night spot:
Mad club, tel.: +410 21 340 6969, www.mad.ch
The world famous club which hosts the best international
DJ's and artists.
Favorite shop:
Globus center - Next to the Place de la Palud in the old
town. Beautiful fashion boutiques and souvenirs.
Favorite attractions:
Downhill on roller-skates from Epalinges to Ouchy along the
lake and then a boat trip with a "pedalo". A must.
Best-kept secret:
Summer Jazz festival of Cully and the Folk and Pop festival
of Nyon in July. |
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Basic facts
Population: 125,000
Telephone Area Code: +410 21
Time zone: GMT + 1 (in summer + 1 hour)
Official language: French
Currency: CHF 1 = CZK 18.92 = EUR 0.65
Temperature: 14° C, in summer 24° C
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Where on the web?
For further information, we suggest the following websites dedicated
to Lausanne:
www.MySwitzerland.com - touristic portal about Switzerland with
useful information on certain regions - with a Czech version.
www.lake-geneva-region.ch - well-arranged web devoted to Lake Geneva
region, including tips for accommodation, entertainment or trips
in the surroundings.
www.olympic.org - official web page of the Olympic games, with
info about the Olympic museum in Lausanne.
www.lausanne-tourisme.ch - comprehensive web page of Lausanne Tourisme.
HIGHLIGHTS
· There are 22 museums in Lausanne. The Art Brut collection, presenting
works created e.g. by prisoners and psychiatric patients, is exceptional.
The Canton Archeological and Historical Museum offers a cross-section
of the region's history, and the Swiss Film Library, maintaining
a collection of 40,000 films, is one of the most important film
institutions in the world.
· Definitely don't forget to explore the region's countryside.
The 35-meter Sauvabelin lookout tower, built from recycled materials,
offers outstanding views of Lake Geneva. A ten-hour tour takes
you to Zermatt, the general access point for climbing the Matterhorn.
A funicular excursion to the Diablerets glacier is wonderful.
· Lausanne is the seat of the famed Béjart ballet and other dance
ensembles. From June to August the town hosts many cultural festivals,
you can see around 300 performances. But culture doesn't end in
the off-season, and there is always something to choose from.
Overview
· The International Olympic Committee has been headquartered here
since 1915, and Lausanne has been the official Olympics capital
since 1994. The Olympics Museum offers a unique view of the lake,
and not far from the entrance stands a statue of Emil Zátopek.
· Lausanne's surrounding area is dotted with medieval fortresses
and castles that can be reached by bus in 20-60 minutes. Chillon
castle, built on a rocky island in the lake, and Aigle castle,
from the 13th century, are worth seeing.
· Lausanne's night life is enlivened by dozens of pubs, bars,
discos, and clubs. This is partially due to its status as a student
town. The local university dates back to 1537, and today it attracts
hundreds of foreign students. |
