Lausanne: The Indulgent Swiss City Which Should Be Your Next Foodie Euro Break
Acquaint yourself with Lausanne [Photo: Lausanne Tourism]
When it comes to feelgood foodie pleasures, it’s hard to beat cheese, chocolate and wine. Everyone loves at least one of the sinful trio, especially made by the experts.
So, presented with a weekend of all three, Yahoo Style UK didn’t need asking twice.
The destination for this indulgent city break is Lausanne, close to the French border in west Switzerland.
France may claim tastier cheese and chocolate as well as classier wine, but after our wicked weekend it’s clear the Swiss provide stiff competition.
Time to explore: View across Lausanne’s Grand Pont [Photo: Lausanne Tourism]
Lausanne, Switzerland’s fourth biggest city with a modest population of just under 150,000, is a short train hop from Geneva, but with its own personality and unique charm.
Like its larger neighbour, it boasts a jaw-dropping location on the edge of Lake Geneva. Across the lake, the towering snow peaks of the Rhone-Alps loom large from eastern France.
It’s a spectacular panorama - not the average view you expect on a European city break.
Sweet tooth: Chocolate making at Chocolaterie Durig [Photo: Chris Parsons]
Guilty pleasure: Cheese fondue at Pinte Besson in Lausanne [Photo: Chris Parsons]
The true Lausanne experience is nabbing a table at a lakeside restaurant, savouring seafood caught just metres away with a glass of crisp white from the local Croix Duplex vineyard.
We enjoyed a long, leisurely lunch just this way at the Chateau d’Ouchy (pictured top), where confit lamb shoulder was melt-in-the-mouth dreamy.
They’re proud of their produce in Lausanne, and there are opportunities aplenty to try it yourself.
Stunning: The view from the Domaine Croix-Duplex vineyard [Photo: Chris Parsons]
Vibrant: Nightlife in Lausanne’s trendy Le Flon district [Photo: Lausanne Tourism]
Over at Chocolaterie Durig in central Lausanne, expert chocolatiers guided us through their craft from cocoa to box - and even let our group create dark chocolate penguins to take home (with mixed results).
We also visited the Domaine Croix-Duplex vineyard, a 15-minute train from the city. The sloped terraces on which the vineyard sits are a World Heritage Site, and they sum up the best of Lausanne. It’s peaceful, picturesque, and the produce is perfect.
Amazingly, Croix Duplex vineyard owner Maude Vogel tells me that Switzerland only exports 2% of its wine - and keeps 98% for itself.
Cobbled wandering through Lausanne’s Escalier du Marche [Photo: Lausanne Tourism]
Across the water: Lausanne, Lake Geneva and the looming Alps mountains [Photo: Lausanne Tourism]
‘The quality of Swiss wine has improved in the last 10 years. It’s the best place in the world to try wine,’ she tells me. Sipping a fruity white overlooking the rolling terraces and stunning mountains, it’s difficult to disagree.
Chocolate and wine, so far so good. But one of Lausanne’s oldest food experiences is also its most indulgent - glorious cheese fondue.
The best place to savour this ultimate guilty pleasure is Pinte Besson, which is tucked down a side street in the city centre.
This Lausanne institution has been going since 1780 - and it’s easy to see why it’s still regularly packed out 236 years later.
Order a piping-hot pot of their famous fondue with a side of charcuterie, and get dipping those chunks of bread. We even went for a whiskey-infused fondue - you can virtually feel it clogging your arteries and it’s utterly magnificent.
Inside the Cathedral of Lausanne [Photo: Chris Parsons]
The Olympic Museum in Lausanne: Well worth a visit [Photo: Chris Parsons]
You’ll need to work off some calories after all that extravagance. Cute cobbled corners, a jaw-dropping 13th century Gothic cathedral and the breezy lake side promenade mean Lausanne has plenty of options for the casual wanderer.
Venture 15 minutes on foot along the promenade and you’ll also stumble across the Olympic museum, our final stop.
Lausanne is the administrative centre of the Olympic movement, and its museum is a fantastic ode to The Games. Video archives, mascots, history, equipment - you’ll leave with a gold medal in Olympic trivia.
Flights from London Gatwick to this classy corner of Switzerland take a measly 1 hour 35 minutes. Your next decadent European city weekend could be closer than you think.
Visit the Lausanne Tourism website for more information.
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