Running in Lausanne: the pearl of Lake Geneva

With its feet in Lake Geneva, beautiful Lausanne faces the Alps and its imposing mountain range. This exceptional panorama makes the Swiss city an ideal place for nature excursions - a green setting that hides a dynamic and lively city, at the crossroads of the worlds of sport and culture!

View of Lake Geneva and the city of Lausanne

Lausanne is the capital of the Canton of Vaud, located in the French-speaking western part of the country: French-speaking Switzerland. A city on a human scale, it combines the liveliness of a university centre with the effervescence of a business city.

Switzerland's fourth-largest city, after Geneva, Zurich and Basel, is unique in that it was founded on three hills, linked by bridges. It has also been the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee since 1915, and boasts a dynamic cultural scene with 25 museums.

A little history...

Born of melting ice, Lake Geneva has shaped a landscape of valleys, green hills and waterways. These nourishing waters encouraged the development of a rich and varied ecosystem. It was this fertile environment, conducive to cultivation, that enabled man to settle and prosper in the region nearly 6,000 years ago.

Until the middle of the 4th century, the lake's inhabitants concentrated around its shores. The town, then under Roman control, held a strategic central position. Before the Germanic invasions forced the population to take refuge on the surrounding hills, which were easier to defend.

Today, the oldest buildings are located on the Cité hill. Many of them date back to medieval times, including the famous Gothic Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Château Sainte-Marie. It was during this period that Lausanne became a major pilgrimage destination, being one of the stops on the Via Francigena route to Rome.

The Cité hill and its cathedral

In the early 19th century, the construction of the Simplon tunnel transformed the town into a crossroads for rail trade.This was the period of the Industrial Revolution, which drastically altered the morphology of the city. The districts located below the hills began to develop, such as the Ouchy district.

The must-sees

The old centre of Lausanne is made up of three hills: La Cité, Le Bourg and Saint-Laurent, around which 17 districts are spread out in a snail's pace.

For a run through the town centre, head for the Place de la Palud, home to the town hall, a lively clock and a fountain adorned with a statue of justice. Passing through the Rue du Bourg, admire the many luxury boutiques with signs topped by a metallic Saint-François. They will lead you to the eponymous square and its church.

Lavaux vineyard terraces

During your walk, enjoy a run along the Quais d'Ouchy, the port district. As you walk along the shores of the lake, you'll catch a glimpse of the magnificent Beaux-Rivage Palace.

For a night out, head for the Flon district, a former industrial wasteland rehabilitated into bars, shops, cinemas, bowling alleys and other entertainment venues.

Lavaux, a landscape of terraced vineyards listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the perfect place for a nature excursion just a stone's throw from the city!

Lausanne, Olympic Capital

Committed to promoting culture, Lausanne boasts a number of museums, including botanical museums, the Musée de l'Elysée devoted to photography, and the Fondation de l'Hermitage. The most unique, however, is the Olympic Museum, the only one of its kind in the world dedicated to the Olympic Games and their history.

Olympic Museum

It was in 1915 that the founder of the Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin, decided to establish the headquarters of his committee in Lausanne. At a time when the First World War was raging, the city was chosen as a symbol of peace and harmony. It is also home to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, as well as some forty international sports federations and the main institutions associated with the Olympic Movement. This distinction earned the city the title of Olympic Capital, awarded in 1994.

The Vidy district is home to several sports venues, including the Pontaise Olympic Stadium and the IOC.

Last but not least, Lausanne organises many sporting events, such as Athletissima, the Ladies Open Lausanne and the Marathon. For the 20 km of Lausanne, a walking race created in 1982, JOOKS takes you on a tour of the city with guides who are both storytellers and comedians. 2, 4, 10 or 20 kilometres, the choice is yours!

Run, walk or cycle with JOOKS, from the Quais d'Ouchy to the Flon district!

Find all the routes in the city of Lausanne and over 1300 others on the JOOKS application.

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