Visits on request
Many walking tours and visits on different themes or areas of Lausanne can be had for the asking. These "theme" tours have been developed by the guides and relate various aspects of Lausanne : history, geography, well-known personalities, particular areas of Lausanne etc.
These visits can be arranged on request by our many clients, but it is necessary to book in advance. You will see the form to be filled in below.
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Walking tour of the old town
This walking tour includes the city centre and historical part of Lausanne.
Be guided and discover the charm and history of this beautiful town.Tours are arranged depending on the amount of time that visitors have and above all on their interests: history, architecture, religious or political buildings, shops and information on local transport etc.
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Cathedral : general visit
The gothic cathedral of Lausanne is the biggest and most perfect in Switzerland. Constructed on the city hill it overlooks the town and lake Geneva.
Built in sandstone it was started in 1150, and finished in around 1232. The cathedral was consecrated by Pope Gregory X in 1275, in the presence of the Emperor, Rudolf of Habsburg.
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Cathedral : 20th century stained glass windows
The Cathedral, famous for its medieval rose window, has many other interesting stained glass windows.
Throughout major part of the 20th century, the Cathedral was decorated with forty-seven stained glass windows by six artists, all from the French-speaking part of Switzerland.
- Elegant classic style by Louis Rivier and François de Ribaupierre,
- Baroque style of Alexandre Cingria,
- Realistic rural style of Charles Clement,
- Poetic vision style of Edmond Bille,
- Forceful style of Marcel Poncet.
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Cathedral: The stalls of the 13th and 16th Centuries
Recently restored and open to public view, these 13th century stalls are some of the earliest to be carved. Richly decorated they bear witness to the original dedication of the church to the Virgin Mary.
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A walk around Ouchy and its history
Ouchy is worth a visit, a tourist attraction not to be missed.
The more so because of its rich history.What would be Lausanne without Ouchy; with its quays and its parks, the charming beauty of its lake and the paddle-wheel steamers, the splendid view of the Savoy Alps?
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Aristochamps V : Ouchy et ses belles demeures
La promenade bucolique à la laquelle vous êtes conviés s'attache au hameau d'Ouchy, pris au sens le plus large.
Elle part de la campagne de Bellerive (actuellement IMD, International Business School for Management and Developement) et se poursuivra jusqu'au Château des Tourelles (FIV, siège de la Fédération internationale de Volleyball), proche du Parc du Denantou.
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Basilica Notre-Dame du Valentin
Facing the Cathedral, on the opposite side of the Riponne square, the basilica of Notre-Dame is a superb neo-classic building.
The choir has a magnificent fresco by Gino Severini (1883 – 1966), a well-known international Italian artist and futuristic-cubist painter. To see this fresco alone is worth a visit to this church.
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Fountains in the Old Town
There are more than 20 fountains to be found in a tour of the old town, each one with its individual history.
Before pipes were laid to bring running water to the homes of the inhabitants of Lausanne in the 2nd half of the 19th century, the fountains played an essential role in their lives. Not only did the fountains fulfil the basic needs of the people and animals such as horses, and oxen, they were also places where people gathered to exchange news and local gossip in a lively atmosphere.
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Géologie urbaine
Pourquoi la Cathédrale est-elle souvent entourée d'échafaudages ?
Pourquoi la surface des pavés est parfois d'un beau blanc brillant ? -
Jeu de piste destiné aux enfants de 10 à 14 ans et familles
Ce jeu de piste fait découvrir certains aspects du centre de Lausanne aux enfants et adolescents de 10 à 14 ans sous une forme ludique.
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Lausanne anecdotique
Meurtres et mystères ou presque : les petites histoires qui font la grande Histoire.
Nous vous emmènerons dans les rues en vous racontant quelques histoires concernant divers aspects de l'histoire lausannoise du Moyen Âge au 19ème siècle.
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Lausanne’s old shops and cafés
The history of a town is closely linked with its shops and cafés which have served the townspeople for several generations.
When one takes a look at those established for more than a 100 years, it is interesting to see how tastes and customs have changed. We tell you about the history of their founders and their successors.
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Look up and Learn - 1
From the end of the 19th century, the Place Saint-François can be proud to have several buildings of architectural, commercial and financial importance.
An ostentatious style of architecture was chosen to symbolically assert their image.
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The bridges of Lausanne
A richly illustrated walk during which you will discover the histories of Lausanne's bridges, from the smallest to the most magnificent.
In the past, 2 small rivers flowed down on the Eastern and Western outskirts of Lausanne, and on which many watermills were built. As the town grew it became necessary to build several bridges. Finally in the second half of the 19th century these rivers were buried and enclosed into underground canals.
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The Church of Saint Francis : a general tour
The church of St Francis is, together with the Cathedral and the chapel of La Maladière, one of the 3 religious buildings in existence prior to the Reformation.
There were Franciscan monks in Lausanne by the end of the 13th century. They built a monastery and a church on a piece of land put at their disposal on the southern limits of the town.
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Three hills and two watercourses
Why don't you take an unusual tour through the meanders of the town centre, and on various levels, with a mixture of reality and history ?
You will discover parts of Lausanne, which you would have never imagined existed !
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Treasure Hunt or Mystery Tour
You think that you know all about a town...
The aim of this game is to enable one to have a better idea about the history of Lausanne.
The game works as follows: with the help of pictures one has to find a building, or a piece of architecture, relating to an event in Lausanne's history. This treasure hunt is for adults or families with children, and school classes with students from 15 years old.