Lausanne, Switzerland

As I mentioned in the previous post, Eamon and I flew early morning from Paris to Geneva, then immediately took a train to Lausanne, spent a few hours wandering around there, hopped back on the train to Geneva, walked around there for a few hours, and then boarded a late flight back to Paris that same night. It’s definitely one of the crazier things we’ve done to save money. Do you have any stories similar to ours? Did you think it was worth it? I did. In fact, I absolutely loved it!

The train ride was quick an easy. We both napped through a lot of it, but what we did see was beautiful. Tiny little homes dotted the countryside. When we got off the train, we walked and walked, until we convinced ourselves that we earned a giant pot of fondue at Le Grütli. It was my second time to experience fondue in Switzerland, my first was in Zurich. The types of cheeses used greatly affects the taste and texture. In Lausanne, the fondue was made with cheese from nearby Gruyères–and it was insanely good.

Lausanne was an ancient Celtic city that eventually moved its boundaries to a hillier area that would be easier to defend. Those hills are exactly what makes this medieval town such a rare sight (also giving it the nickname of the Swiss San Francisco). At much later dates, this beautiful spot served as a getaway to the Alps. Many artists and writers spent time there.   The steps in the photo above, The Escaliers du Marché, date back to the 18th century. 

It is believed that a giant Tsunami wiped out the entire city of Lausanne back in 563 AD. How is that possible? I have no idea. But records show that a wave, measuring over 40 feet swept across Lake Geneva, crashing into the shores. If you do decide to travel to Lausanne, I might suggest visiting during warmer months when the flowers are in bloom and the views stretch for miles and miles. While it was beautiful in the winter, it was quite rainy. When Paris was invaded by the Germans in 1938, Coco Chanel moved headquarters to Lausanne, where she was later buried. During our last few minutes in Lausanne, the French Alps peaked out from behind the clouds–a lovely farewell indeed.