After exploring Chillon we had half-day left and few choices. We could take a boat from the castle and disembark either in Mountrex or in Lausanne, both on the way to Geneva anyway. Or we can just take a train and return home for an early night. It would definitely be a shame to loose a day like this, so still haven’t picked up the place to visit, we embarked the boat leaving the pick of a place to the chance…In the end it’s just happened that the boat has a restaurant and the idea of having dinner on the boat while cruising the lake appealed too much, so our final destination happened to be Lausanne, only because it was further away and gave us plenty of time to enjoy the meal.
In about two hours later we found ourselves on the pier of Ouchy. Once a fishing village, nowadays so close to the city of Lausanne, it is melted into it naturally. Well, at least the walk from the pier to Lausanne’s city centre took only 20 minutes and we haven’t noticed where the village ended and the city began. Ouchy greeted us with the merriments of a sunny afternoon in resort town. Everyone was out on the embankment, enjoying sun and relaxed atmosphere. Silver streamers of the fountains complimented the stylish view of the lake with the background of the mountains…
And, oh, my luck: we escaped the Geneva’s Marathon to avoid crowds only to get right in the middle of a cycle race in Lausanne…so crowds, television, cyclists in a colourful suits – all the standard set for the great sporting event…as well as local public transport taking unknown diversion routes, so we had to walk to the city centre…
Now, Lausanne is a city of incredibly steep hills. And a thought occurred to me not once about how locals manage to live in such extreme conditions. Honestly, every day they conquer various mountains of streets, climb up hundreds of steps which replaced the pavements, as if there won’t be steps in place, one could use the street for toboggan riding. Maybe locals supposed to take a special mountaineer’s course to be qualified to live in this city?…I certainly have much respect for their fitness now. It was a challenge to walk Lausanne’s streets.
Apart from this little complain, the city appeared in her best. Peaceful and quiet. The old town was not too far from the station, so we took a walk around, climbed the Old Town’s hill, and visited the Cathedral. The Cathedral is the country’s most impressive Gothic monument. And the location on the hill helps to attract lots of visitors, both in spiritual and inquisitive quest.
There is also a Castle St-Marie in the old town. Now it’s a municipality property and visitors are not allowed inside. From outside the castle looked a bit lego-style: simple, yet bright and very classical.
What also was interesting to make a note of, and this is about every Swiss city I’ve visited this time – almost every square has a monument. At that, the monuments dedicated to all sorts of things, like the Justice, for example. Or the Muse. Or other unreal creature. Why I am making a separate note of the monuments, because of their style. I do not know what it called, but it is when the figure on the top of the column is painted like a children’s book illustration – very bright and to my taste slightly tasteless…in Lausanne we came across a figure of Justice in some frivolous pose with a skirt lifted up rather flirty and a few weird figures sitting below, looking up under her skirt…hmmm…or, perhaps, I am seeing certain things where there aren’t any…
Anyway, Lausanne happened to us “accidentally”, as we didn’t plan for it that day. But it was well worthy side-adventure. In general I would say Lausanne is a typical resort city, full of pretty villas and pretty sights and pretty steps instead of pretty streets. And if you like a daily dosage of mountaineering, Lausanne is your place.
In about two hours later we found ourselves on the pier of Ouchy. Once a fishing village, nowadays so close to the city of Lausanne, it is melted into it naturally. Well, at least the walk from the pier to Lausanne’s city centre took only 20 minutes and we haven’t noticed where the village ended and the city began. Ouchy greeted us with the merriments of a sunny afternoon in resort town. Everyone was out on the embankment, enjoying sun and relaxed atmosphere. Silver streamers of the fountains complimented the stylish view of the lake with the background of the mountains…
And, oh, my luck: we escaped the Geneva’s Marathon to avoid crowds only to get right in the middle of a cycle race in Lausanne…so crowds, television, cyclists in a colourful suits – all the standard set for the great sporting event…as well as local public transport taking unknown diversion routes, so we had to walk to the city centre…
Now, Lausanne is a city of incredibly steep hills. And a thought occurred to me not once about how locals manage to live in such extreme conditions. Honestly, every day they conquer various mountains of streets, climb up hundreds of steps which replaced the pavements, as if there won’t be steps in place, one could use the street for toboggan riding. Maybe locals supposed to take a special mountaineer’s course to be qualified to live in this city?…I certainly have much respect for their fitness now. It was a challenge to walk Lausanne’s streets.
Apart from this little complain, the city appeared in her best. Peaceful and quiet. The old town was not too far from the station, so we took a walk around, climbed the Old Town’s hill, and visited the Cathedral. The Cathedral is the country’s most impressive Gothic monument. And the location on the hill helps to attract lots of visitors, both in spiritual and inquisitive quest.
There is also a Castle St-Marie in the old town. Now it’s a municipality property and visitors are not allowed inside. From outside the castle looked a bit lego-style: simple, yet bright and very classical.
What also was interesting to make a note of, and this is about every Swiss city I’ve visited this time – almost every square has a monument. At that, the monuments dedicated to all sorts of things, like the Justice, for example. Or the Muse. Or other unreal creature. Why I am making a separate note of the monuments, because of their style. I do not know what it called, but it is when the figure on the top of the column is painted like a children’s book illustration – very bright and to my taste slightly tasteless…in Lausanne we came across a figure of Justice in some frivolous pose with a skirt lifted up rather flirty and a few weird figures sitting below, looking up under her skirt…hmmm…or, perhaps, I am seeing certain things where there aren’t any…
Anyway, Lausanne happened to us “accidentally”, as we didn’t plan for it that day. But it was well worthy side-adventure. In general I would say Lausanne is a typical resort city, full of pretty villas and pretty sights and pretty steps instead of pretty streets. And if you like a daily dosage of mountaineering, Lausanne is your place.