Lausanne

Lausanne is the second largest city on Lake Geneva, yet it retains the feel of a holiday resort rather than a city, largely thanks to its picturesque setting. Built on three hills and surrounded by vine-covered slopes, with the gentle waters of Lake Geneva lapping at its feet, Lausanne is a popular university town and has been home to the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee since 1914. The city itself rises steeply from the lake shore and includes a charming Old Town, dominated by its beautiful cathedral - regarded as Switzerland's most impressive example of early Gothic architecture.