Travels in Switzerland: Lausanne and Montreux on Lake Geneva

We got an early start for our day trip to Lake Geneva. Leaving from our base in Lucerne, we used our Swiss Travel Pass to take the train to the town of Lausanne.

Lausanne's Waterfront

Lausanne sits peacefully on the shores of Lake Geneva in the French-speaking region of Vaud. The town has been home to the International Olympic Committee since 1915. The Olympic Museum, which traces the history of the Olympic Games, and the Olympic Park are located along the pretty lakefront area called Ouchy. The Ouchy lakefront is a fine place to walk along the water, admire the boats bobbing and weaving about, or enjoy a picnic lunch.

Above the lake lies the hilly, multi-tiered city center and medieval old town. Métro line M2 takes passengers from Ouchy, by the lake, uphill to the SBB railway station and further up to the city center (Flon).

The upper town features an imposing cathedral, which is the largest church in Switzerland. Consecrated in October of 1275, the church was originally dedicated to Mary and was lavishly decorated. It became a protestant cathedral in 1536 and was stripped of its ornamentation. A rose window is the only original stained glass left. From the cathedral’s esplanade visitors can enjoy an expansive view toward the French Alps.

Lausanne

Near the cathedral the old bishop’s residence houses the City History Museum, which covers the town’s past from Roman times to the present. I generally find that local city history museums are interesting and worth a visit. A different kind of museum, the Collection de l’Art Brut, showcases works created by non-trained artists. Jean Dubuffet collected the often ridiculed and primitive pieces and later donated the collection to the city.

The Place St-François is the commercial center of Lausanne. Dating from 1272, the Church of St. Francis dominates the busy square. The church was once the center of a Franciscan monastery, but today it is a Protestant parish church. Like the cathedral, it was also stripped of its finery during the Reformation.

Lausanne’s castle has a terrace that offers visitors a nice view, but the castle itself is closed to the public. Dining choices are plentiful in town as are boutiques for shopping.

Montreux Whimsy

After touring the town and waterfront, we took a boat to the town of Montreux. Montreux is a traditional lake resort town known for its jazz festival, which happened to be going on at the time of our visit. The lakeside promenade is lined with flowers, sculptures, trees, ice cream shops and Belle Époque buildings. There isn’t much to do or see in Montreux other than the lake front. It is simply a lazy resort. Offshore is a medieval island castle, Château de Chillon, boasting ramparts, stunning halls and a chapel with 14th-century murals.

We took the train back to Lausanne and returned to Lucerne from there. It was a long but very doable day trip. Our two days worth of travels reinforced our decision to make Lucerne our home base. It was our favorite town with good transportation and lots to see and do. The smaller Murten was also a favorite, but not as convenient by train.

It was our last night in Lucerne. The next day we were heading to Zürich for a quick overnight visit before leaving Switzerland for nearby Italy.