11 Best Things to Do in Lausanne in Winter
Visiting Lausanne in winter and want to know what there is to do? Have a little scroll!
Lausanne is the largest city in French-speaking Switzerland and right on the edge of Lake Geneva. It’s not a city I hear people speak about often, indeed, lots of people haven’t heard about it at all.
However, it’s a lovely city and perfect for a winter city break. There’s some for everyone from culture lovers, nature lovers, wine lovers, and more.
And did you know that Lausanne is the “Olympic Capital” and where the International Olympic Committee is based?
Here are 11 items to add to your Lausanne itinerary if you’re visiting Lausanne in Winter.
Disclosure: I was invited to Lausanne by Lausanne Tourisme to experience Lausanne in winter. All opinions, as always, are 100% my own.
11 Things to Do in Lausanne in Winter
Visit the Olympic Museum in Lausanne
Lausanne in winter is CHILLY. You’ll want to wrap up warm and find some nice indoor activities. And what better way to spend a cold winter’s day than in a museum?
The Olympic Museum is one of the top things to do in Lausanne and you can while away an entire afternoon in here.
This is an enormous museum that you could spend hours getting lost in. Spread over three floors, this museum takes us from the creation of the ancient Olympic games in 4AD to the modern Olympic games today.
Each level is dedicated to a particular aspect of the modern Olympics and there’s a mix of videos, exhibits with information cards, interactive games and more.
A particular highlight for me included the exhibition of all previous Olympic torches since the games began again in 1896. I had no idea that each and every torch was different!
This is one of the best museums I’ve visited and is an absolute must-visit when in Lausanne, the Olympic Capital.
Find out more and get your tickets to the Olympic Museum here
Opening hours: 9am-6pm Tuesday to Sunday
Price: CHF 20 for adults, free for children up to 15 years old (accompanied by an adult)
Address: The Olympic Museum, 1 quai d’Ouchy, 1006 Lausanne
Explore the cobbled streets of the Old Town
The Old Town of Lausanne is small but colourful and is a mix of historic buildings, independent boutiques and tall, colourful housing.
Place de la Palud is flanked by cafes and independent shops with a beautiful fountain in the centre. If you’re visiting Lausanne at Christmas, you’ll see this square in its festive glory with a large Christmas tree in the centre.
Connecting Place de la Palud and Lausanne Cathedral is a steep but picturesque stairway, which first dates back to the 13th century and is flanked by steep cobbled streets.
These are the historic Escaliers du Marché and today’s form, a winding wooden stairway, dates back to the 18th century. They are still in very good condition today considering they are made from wood!
It’s a steep walk up the stairs from the town centre to the Cathedral, and the steps are usually quite busy, but you can’t miss this beauty.
Enjoy fondue in a carriage
Fondue is an absolute must when visiting Switzerland but for an even more special experience, you can enjoy fondue in a horse-driven carriage around Lausanne.
Leaving from just outside Lausanne Cathedral, this tour will take you around Lausanne and you’ll see all the major markets in the city and some of the nearby sights. That said, this tour is less for the city views and more for the fun experience.
There’s one fondue pot between four and you’ll get an enormous bag of cheese to melt down yourself. And it’s hard work! You’ll have to use some real arm strength to stir the cheese and melt it down until it’s smooth and thick.
There’s plenty of bread for dipping and hot tea too. You’re also welcome to bring your own drinks so I brought some mulled wine from the nearby market.
Warning: Lausanne is a fairly hilly city, which makes for a bumpy ride! This is all part of the fun though, and we were laughing away as we gorged ourselves on melted cheese.
Visit Lausanne’s Christmas markets
Lausanne is a wonderful city to visit just before Christmas, and you can catch their Christmas markets if you visit from the last week of November to the end of December.
Bo Noel Christmas markets are scattered around all of Lausanne, rather than in one concentrated location. Whilst some of these are focussed on food and small gifts, others have rides and entertainment.
You’ll find the main market at Place Saint-François with lots of cheese and mulled wine, but if you want to ride the 30-metre Ferris wheel, then head to the market at Place Centrale. Day or night, you’ll be treated to stunning views over the city!
Find out more about Lausanne’s Christmas markets
Enjoy a panoramic stroll down to Lausanne city centre
Lausanne sits right on the edge of Lake Geneva and you can get amazing lake views if you venture up the hills surrounding the town.
If you want to get some exercise you can walk all the way up and back down again. But be warned – it’s roughly a 40 minute walk from Lausanne’s city centre and entirely uphill.
Alternatively, you can take the bus up to Sauvabelin Park (stop: Sallaz) and then walk down, which is what I did.
The winding path down the hill takes you through some woody patches, past some beautiful architecture, with fantastic views of the lake and city down below.
You must climb up Sauvebelin Tower, a 35-metre-high twisting tower made from wood. From here you can see Lausanne, Lake Geneva and the three geographic regions of Switzerland – the Alps, the Jura and the Plateau.
As you head down you’ll get great views of the red roofs of Lausanne and the tall cathedral.
You can stop in the centre of town to shorten the walk, otherwise, you can continue down to Le Crêt de Montriond for views of Lake Geneva closer up.
Check out independent bookshops in Lausanne
Lausanne has a surprisingly large number of independent bookshops selling books in either English or French. In fact, there are around 15 independent bookshops to explore in this small city!
If you’re looking for English books then you need to head to the aptly named Books Books Books. There is a wide range of new and second-hand books on offer here, but there’s a particularly great selection of young adult and fantasy books, two of my favourite genres.
If you’re looking for a second-hand bookshop to get lost in, then you need to visit Librairie de la Louvre. Tucked away in the corner of a square, this second-hand bookshop reminds me of the Tardis. It looks small (tiny!) from the outside, but goes on and on and on once you walk through its doors.
This bookshop is made up of several different rooms, each with shelves stuffed to the brim with second-hand French books at low prices. It’s now one of my favourite second-hand bookshops.
READ MORE: The Best Lausanne Bookshops to Explore
Enjoy Swiss wine at a wine tasting
Did you know that Switzerland consistently ranks in the top 5 countries in the world for wine consumption per capita? You rarely see Swiss wines on the supermarket shelves however as the domestic market is so strong. The Swiss keep the good stuff for themselves!
Less than ten minutes away by train from Lausanne is Grandvaux, a small town on the shores of Lake Geneva.
From here, you can enjoy a wine tasting session with a view! There are lots of wineries to visit, but my personal recommendation is La Croix Duplex where you can arrange a wine tasting on either their terrace, veranda or wine cellar.
The veranda is perfect in the winter when it’s a little too cold to stand outside on the terrace but you still want to enjoy a view of the lake.
It really feels like you’ve escaped to the countryside, but it’s just a short train ride away from the centre of Lausanne.
Here you can enjoy a tasting of 4 wines for CHF 20.00 per person. Each is a healthy glass so I think this is a really decent price, especially given how expensive Switzerland can be. You’ll definitely want to order some bread or nibbles on the side or go after eating a meal.
Find out more about wine tasting at Domaine Croix Duplex here
Visit Plateforme 10
Plateforme 10 is like the Shoreditch of Lausanne. A former train repair station, Plateforme 10 is now a new arts district that brings together 3 brilliant museums.
Similar in concept to Berlin’s Museum Island, albeit on a smaller scale, the idea for Plateforme 10 was to bring together Lausanne’s art museums to a single site along with a few eateries and shops.
You can visit the Cantonal Museum of Fine Arts (MCBA), the Photo Elysee Museum for Photography and the Museum of Contemporary Design and Applied Arts (mudac).
You can get combined admission to all three museums for CHF 25. This ticket is valid for three months so you’ve got plenty of time to explore! Alternatively, if you’d just like to visit one museum, the tickets are CHF 15 each.
If you love art, then you should visit MCBA which has over 10,000 pieces of art. Here you’ll find artists like Ducros, Gleyre, Steinlen, Vallotton and Soutter. What’s more, the building itself is a work of art, and its monolithic shape pays tribute to the history of the site, which housed the old locomotive depot.
If photography is more your thing, then the Photography Museum is for you. With over a million phototypes and over 20,000 photography books, there’s plenty to see.
Finally, there’s mudac, the Museum of Contemporary Design and Applied Arts. When I visited, they had an exhibition about different chair shapes and styles, which was fun to wander around. Don’t miss the roof garden, where you’ll be treated to stunning views of the city, Lake Geneva and the Alps.
The museums are located right by Lausanne’s train station so they are super convenient to visit if you are only visiting Lausanne for a short time.
Find out more and book your tickets here
Enjoy Swiss food and lake views from the Royal Savoy Rooftop
Lausanne is right on the edge of Lake Geneva so you’ve got to make the most of the insane lake view experiences on offer. And the Royal Savoy’s SkyLounge, a rooftop restaurant and bar, is one of the best.
In winter, the rooftop restaurant is made cosy and festive with blankets and fires to keep you warm and bright Christmas decorations.
Here, you can enjoy Swiss classics such as gratin or a classic cheese fondue – perfect for a cold winter’s day in Switzerland.
Prices are relatively high, but you’re paying for both the food and the view.
NB. The Dress code is smart casual.
Address: SkyLounge, Avenue d’Ouchy 40, 1006 Lausanne, Switzerland
Opening hours: 5pm – 11pm Wednesday to Saturday, 12-10pm Sunday
Website: https://royalsavoylausanne.com/en/dining/skylounge
Enjoy a warm hot chocolate in Lausanne’s independent cafes
Lausanne is home to a large number of independent cafes and coffee shops, which are perfect when you need to warm up and rest for a moment during a busy day of exploring.
I visited La Maison Buet which was opposite my hotel and sold pastry, chocolate and hot drinks. It’s also Chocolatier officiel de la ville de Lausanne, whatever that means! You can enjoy a drink inside or take your hot chocolate to go as you explore the town.
Another great option is Le Barbare, an independent cafe in the Old Town at the base of the Escaliers du Marche. They are known for their hot chocolate and it’s the perfect place to take a little break.
The cafe has recently been renovated but it dates back to the 1950s and retains it’s old time look and feel. Ask for their “Chocolat chaud Marta” (Marta’s hot chocolate) if you visit.
Address: Le Barbare, Escaliers du Marché 27, 1003 Lausanne, Switzerland
Opening hours: All day from Tuesday to Sunday
Visit the Palais de Rumine
In Place de la Ripone in the centre of Lausanne, there’s a beautiful late 19th-century building built in the Florentine Renaissance style. Think columns, large arched windows, a red roof etc.
It has never operated as a “palace” and inside you’ll find the University of Lausanne’s library as well as not one, not two but five small museums. This includes the museums of geology, zoology, money, fine arts and archaeology & history.
The building is free to enter and simply stunning, so it’s well worth popping your head in if you’re walking through the area, and if you’ve got time, checking out the small museums.
If you visit on either a Wednesday or a Saturday, you’ll find lots of market stalls outside the Palais. These stretch all the way from Place de la Ripone to Place Saint-François, lining pedestrianised streets too. From food to flowers to second-hand goods, there are plenty of small stalls to explore.
Address: Place de la Riponne 6, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
Opening hours: 10am-5pm Tuesday to Sunday
Practical Information about Visiting Lausanne
How to get to Lausanne
Lausanne is located just 40 minutes away from Geneva by train, which is by far the easiest way to get to the city. Trains run several times an hour (almost every 10 minutes!) and tickets cost approximately 24.88
Check train times and get your tickets in advance here.
What’s more, the route is pretty picturesque as it takes you around Lake Geneva, so your trip starts from the train journey itself.
Where to stay in Lausanne
There’s a place to stay for every kind of traveller from late night party goers to luxury travellers. You could stay in a cheap and cheerful hotel in the centre of town, opt for a 5-star hotel with lake views or go for a cosy boutique hotel.
I stayed at Hotel des Voyageurs during my stay which was in the centre of town and perfect for getting around. The rooms are modern and minimalist, though, interestingly, the side of the bathroom was glass so you could shower whilst looking straight out of the window if you wanted to!
Lausanne is a very walkable city, but the hotel is only one minute away from Flon metro station if you need to use public transport. Plus, although this hotel is very central, it’s located on a quiet street so your sleep won’t be disturbed.
Booking.comHow to get around Lausanne
Get a Lausanne Transport Card. These are available for free to guests staying in a hotel in Lausanne where tourist tax is applied (i.e. most tourists). You can then enjoy public transport in and around the city for free – including arrival and departure days.
What language do they speak in Lausanne
There are four official languages in Switzerland: French, German, Italian and Romansh. Lausanne is located in French-speaking Switzerland. Most people also speak quite good English.
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