Lausanne

Lausanne, the IOC’s lakeside city, has quite a history

Lausanne, whose 130,000 inhabitants make it the second-largest city on Lake Geneva and the fifth-largest in Switzerland, is built on three hills overlooking a lake called Lac Léman. Visitors can travel to the upper and lower towns via a small subway. Lausanne has been inhabited since the Stone Age (it was the ancient Roman town of Lousanna). In 1803, the canton of Vaud, of which Lausanne is the capital, became the 19th to join the Swiss Confederation.

For centuries, Lausanne has enticed visitors. It flourished particularly in the Age of Enlightenment, when it was associated with Rousseau and Voltaire, two of the 18th century’s leading writers. Even today, the city is cited by many French-speaking Swiss as the place they would most like to live because of its low-key elegance and sense of grace. Lausanne retains an aesthetic charm and sense of tradition and the lake and surrounds are a haven for water-skiers, swimmers, and sailing enthusiasts. Today, it is the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee.

© 2009, Wiley Publishing, Inc.