The Lausanner - Vines, Wines, Vaud by LAUSANNE TOURISME

ENGLISH

SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020 - N° 5

NI CE TO MEE T YO U

VINES WINES VAUD

Enjoying local products with Guillaume Luyet Page 42

CULTURE AND VITICULTURE Chasselas, terraces and carnotzets: the Lausanne guide to its terroir Page 36

LAUSANNE: CLIMATE CAPITAL Page 6

ALAIN FREUDIGER, A LAUSANNE WRITER Page 30

Enjoy some of the region’s best wines with top tips from winemaker Johanna Dayer THE IRRESISTIBLE REMAINS OF EXPO 64 Page 49

NI CE TO MEE T YOU EDITORIAL

Cheers!

Wine and winemaking are part and parcel of life in Vaud. It has shaped the region’s landscape: the steep slopes of Lavaux, for example – a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2007 – or the sweeping countryside of La Côte. But more importantly, the vines here have inspired a rich local culture, from the novels written by Charles Ferdinand Ramuz to the songs of Jean Villard, also known as Gilles. One song in particular perfectly captures the Vaud spirit. It starts with the words: “With oceans and Himalayas done, and so too the Amazon, God sought rest and a little leisure, and he created Lake Geneva… Woods, wheat and fields were his design, and then a stroke of the divine: plenty of vineyards to make wine.” To give readers the chance to explore this fundamental part of the Vaud identity, this new edition of The Lausanner is all about wine and winemaking. It’s the perfect reading material to enjoy alongside a glass of chasselas (p. 36), comfortably settled in a carnotzet or anywhere you can enjoy a view over the lake (p. 44). In a bid to protect these incredible surroundings – and nature in general – Lausanne has also embraced the issue of tackling global warming. In the space of a year, the city has hosted the “Smile for Future” summit – attended by Greta Thunberg and Jacques Dubochet – as well as two sizeable climate marches. It’s these kinds of demonstrations that help make Lausanne a capital of climate issues (p. 6).

olympic.org/museum

Are you an adventurer at heart? Well then why not head off to explore the Lausanne described by local artist Alain Freudiger (p. 30), author of a remarkable book on Finnish ski jumping champion Matti Nykänen. Get ready to discover quirky new places where you can have lunch while you play board games with friends, or bargain-hunting over a cup of coffee roasted right here in Lavaux (p. 12).

#olympicmuseum Quai d’Ouchy 1 – 1006 Lausanne 1

ARCHIVES This photo was taken in Lausanne in 1964 during the colossal National Exhibition. A look back at its location and its history (p. 49).

IMPRESSUM The Lausanner, a tourist welcome and information magazine about life in Lausanne

Image search: Sabrine Elias, Large Network

Direction: Steeve Pasche

Advertising: Michel Chevallaz +41 79 213 53 15

Editorial: Lausanne Tourisme

Cover: Guillaume Luyet photographed by Nicolas Schopfer

Editorial production: Large Network

Printing: Gremper SA, Basel Available in French and English

Graphics: Saentys

Writing, administration and announcements: Lausanne Tourisme Av. de Rhodanie 2 Case postale 975 CH-1001 Lausanne +41 21 613 73 73 www.lausanne-tourisme.ch e-mail : direction@lausanne-tourisme.ch

Editor-in-chief: Tiago Pires, Large Network Production: Nathalie Roux

Writing: Trinidad Barleycorn, Carole Extermann, Erik Freudenreich, Tiago Pires, Nina Seddik

Photography: Claude-Alain Fradel (p. 2, 49, 50, 51, 52) – Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone (p.5) – OTV (p. 5, 38) – Gabriel Monnet/Keystone (p. 6) - Laurent Gillieron/ Keystone (p. 8, 26) – Cyril Zingaro/Keystone (p. 10) - Laurent Kaczor/LT (p. 11, 18, 19, 33, 44) – Mike Chavanne (p. 14) - DR (p. 12, 13) – JSBG (p. 13) - Etienne Claret/ Wabs (p. 13) - Trinidad Barleycorn (p. 15) – CS (p. 16, 17) – David Sandoz (p. 19) – François Wavre/Lundi13 (p. 21, 22) – Bea Del Villar Photography (p. 24) – Luca Carlino/ZUMA Press/Newscom (p. 24) – Luc Roux/Collection ChristopheL via AFP (p. 25) – Joël Saget/AFP (p. 25) – DR (p. 25) – Mimmo Rotella La Storia del cinema (détail), 1991, huile, sérigraphie et collage sur toile, 129,8 x 96,8 x 2 cm, Collection La Cinémathèque française, Paris © 2020, ProLitteris, Zurich (p. 27) – Ville de Lausanne (p. 27) – Groupement AMRP (p. 27) – Cécile Gretsch/ Saentys (p. 28) – Des Cendres (p. 30) - Alain Freudiger, Le Mauvais génie (une Vie de Matti Nykänen), Éditions la Baconnière, 2020 (p. 31) – Carine Roth/ cinematheque.ch (p. 32) – Gwenael Grossfeld (p. 34) - LT/www.diapo.ch (p. 36, 46) – Erling Mandelmann (p. 36) – Nicolas Schopfer (p. 42) - Laurent Ryser/OTV (p. 44) – Domaine Bovy (p. 46) – Tsampéhro (p. 47) – Roger Monnard (p. 51, 52)

CRUISES ON

LAKE GENEVA

© Photos Lausanne Tourisme – LT/Laurent Kaczor (p. 57, 58, 59, 61, 65, 66, 69, 71, 79, 80) – LT/diapo.ch (p. 57, 58, 63, 65, 66, 69, 72, 80) – P. Waterton (p. 58, 59, 63, 76) – Christoph Schuerpf (p. 59) – Catherine Leutenegger Photography (p. 59) – Etienne Malapert (p. 63) – Sarah Jacquemet (p. 66) – LT/Julien Dorol (p. 67, 79) - F. Beaud-Cedotec (p. 69)

With the support of

CONTENTS SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020 – N° 5

INTERVIEW Writer Alain Freudiger describes the places in Lausanne that inspire him Page 30

WINEMAKING: THE VAUD WAY How have vineyards shaped the region? A selection of emblematic wines and spots

TALK OF THE TOWN Lausanne: the climate capital Page 6

Page 36

LAUSANNE IN MOTION Top new spots Page 12

Food on the go: some good suggestions Page 15

A flag in revolutionary colours Page 17

OUT AND ABOUT Revisiting the 1964 National Exhibition

Interview with a captain on the Lake Geneva

Page 49

Page 22

www.vinsdelausanne.ch

NOT TO BE MISSED Iconic Lausanne locations

Conductor Simone Young talks about her experience in Lausanne

Page 56

Page 28

TA L K O F T H E T OW N

LAUSANNE, CLIMATE CAPITAL In just one year, Lausanne has hosted both an international summit on the environment and two climate marches attended by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. These events were also a sign of just how large the contingent of activists from the city’s youth and university communities has become.

By Tiago Pires

At 10:30 a.m. on 17 January 2020, a sea of environmental activists gathered outside Lausanne train station. Over their heads, placards bearing slogans like “There Is No plan B”, “I Have a Green Dream” and “Save Our Planet” shone bright against the dreary sky. The demonstrators were awaiting the arrival of teen idol Greta Thunberg, and her iconic “Skolstrejk för klimatet” (“School Strike for Climate”) banner to begin their peaceful march through the streets of Lausanne. This was no minor event: it was the first

anniversary of the Lausanne Climate Strike. January’s demonstration was attended by over 10,000 activists, and received extensive coverage in both Swiss and international media, highlighting the role played by Lausanne – to the extent that the city has even been referred to on occasion as the “capital of climate”. DEEP GREEN ROOTS “Lausanne has clearly taken a leading role, and shown considerable commitment to the cause”, says Rémi 6

Surrounded by climate defenders, Greta Thunberg prepares to give a speech outside the Palais de Rumine on place de la Riponne.

Vuichard, coordinator of the Sustainable Development Platform at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland (HES-SO). In the space of just a year, the Vaud capital has hosted a long list of environmental events, including two climate marches in January 2019 and January 2020, and Swedish activist Greta Thunberg has been to Lausanne twice, despite her busy schedule. In early August, the city also hosted the international “Smile for Future” summit at the University of Lausanne (UNIL).

“No-one expected Lausanne and its community, especially the younger generation, to be the ones tackling the issue of climate change.” Dominique Bourg, Honorary professor at UNIL

Over the course of this week-long summit, around 400 participants – including Greta Thunberg and winner of the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Jacques Dubochet – spoke on issues surrounding climate change and drafted a “Lausanne Climate Declaration” (see inset p.10). French-Swiss philosopher and honorary professor at UNIL Dominique Bourg was surprised by the nature of the crowd that gathered. “No-one expected Lausanne and its community, especially the younger →

TA L K O F T H E T OW N

generation, to be the ones tackling the issue of climate change. There has been a real transformation, influenced by a number of factors.” For Mayor of Lausanne Grégoire Junod, this can be attributed to increasing awareness, “in a time where people are worried and shocked by things like heat waves and forest fires, and consumer habits are being called into question.” “That being said, it’s important to remember that people here have always been attuned to environmental issues”, says Vuichard, referring to the famous Green Party politician Daniel Brélaz, who also cuts a familiar figure on account of his cat-print ties. In 1978, Brélaz was elected to the Grand Council of Vaud, making him the very first

“It’s important to remember that people here have always been attuned to environmental issues.” Rémi Vuichard, HES-SO

green representative to enter into a government anywhere in the world. He was subsequently elected to the Swiss National Council in 1979 for a decade, followed by a long career in Lausanne’s municipal bodies

TA L K O F T H E T OW N

in the Nineties. He served as mayor for almost fifteen years, alongside other positions in government between 2007 and 2011, and again in 2015. “There can be no doubt that this political career has had an effect on people’s mindsets, and given Lausanne a definite green hue.” Junod is also keen to highlight the city’s pioneering nature. “We were one of the very first Energy Cities in the network, which we had joined by 1996. We have also been signatory to the Covenant of Mayors since 2009, showing just how much we support the European objective of a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.” Authorities want to go one step further though, and are now pushing for a new climate plan (see inset).

A LARGE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY For Junod, activism is an integral part of Lausanne. “The city often rallies itself in support of causes, and young people here are traditionally very involved in that. We had the highest turnout for the women’s strike here in 2019, for example.” According to Bourg, these high levels of representation can be explained by the significant concentration of institutes, universities and schools in the area. “In Switzerland, it’s unusual to see people demonstrating in the streets, especially young people. We should also acknowledge the excellent work done by teaching staff, who have successfully raised youngsters’ awareness of the climate cause.”

In fact, schools, and particularly universities, have been working to reduce their environmental impact for a number of years now, and the WWF has ranked the University of Lausanne as the most eco-friendly academic institution in Switzerland ((see inset p.11). For Gary Domeniconi, a student at the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and a member of the Climate Strike, the city is also a hotbed for activism. “I wouldn’t call it an environmental capital. There are more activists in Lausanne than most of the other cantons in French-speaking Switzerland as there is a large student population here, and historically that sector of society tends to be the best-represented in social struggles.” →

Every year, Lausanne welcomes thousands of young climate protesters like here in 2019.

Aiming for carbon neutrality by 2030

The reduction in Lausanne’s CO2 emissions between 2015 and 2016.

2.8

The additional amount in millions of francs that will be contributed to environmental funds.

95%

The share of Lausanne’s electricity that is produced using renewable resources.

to over 10,000 new residents, with housing meeting the very highest energy standards.”

At the end of last summer, Lausanne committed to putting a climate plan in place by 2021, and is aiming for carbon neutrality by 2030. As of this year, authorities have also stopped offering power from non-renewable energy sources. In doing so, they want to surpass Switzerland’s 2050 carbon neutrality objective resulting from the Paris Agreement, which aims to cut emissions to between 1 and 1.5 tons per inhabitant per year.

According to Rémi Vuichard from HES-SO: “Assessing the measures taken by any city is always tricky, but at least Lausanne is making sure it has the means to identify the climate challenges it faces.” During the second phase, the government intends to carry out a comprehensive analysis and survey of measures taken to ensure they are doing enough to meet the 2030 carbon neutrality objective. The development of public transport will play a huge role in that respect, with the upcoming m3 metro and the work on new tramlines starting in the next few months. “In the next five to ten years, transport in Lausanne will have completely changed, with a focus on zero-impact options and public transport”, Grégoire Junod says.

To achieve this, municipal authorities want to propose a two-phase “climate plan” by 2021. In the short term, a significant sum – to the tune of 300 million francs – will be injected into making educational buildings cleaner and greener. “We are also building an ecodistrict in Plaines-du-Loup, with a second to follow in Présde-Vidy”, explains Mayor of Lausanne Grégoire Junod. “These two neighbourhoods will be home 8

-30%

TA L K O F T H E T OW N

This was particularly apparent at the “Strike for Future” on 15 May last year, an event where environmental and societal challenges shared the stage. Around twenty young activists could be seen there, each holding up a large piece of card with letters that spelled out “the climate won’t wait” on one side, and “let’s change the system” on the other.

TA L K O F T H E T OW N

“We should also remember that Lausanne is a cultural city with an educated population, which means that people are more likely to be aware of the state of the planet”, Bourg says. Rémi Vuichard adds: “Lausanne seems to be one of the first cities to want to work on environmental issues. Maybe it’s not a model city yet, but it certainly wants to be.” ■

The Vaudois chemist Jacques Dubochet (Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2017) is one of the personalities who took part in the demonstration for climate action.

Lausanne hosts youth summit In August 2019, Lausanne hosted the weeklong international environment summit, “Smile [Summer Meeting in Lausanne Europe] for Future” at the University of Lausanne (UNIL). Over 400 participants from 38 countries gave speeches, took part in workshops, discussed ideas, and held brainstorming sessions. A number of activists took to the stage at the University, including Greta Thunberg and 2017 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry Jacques Dubochet.

And why Lausanne? The Vaud capital was picked over Basel, Grenoble and the German town of Anklam to host the summit primarily because of the facilities available, with the event taking place on the UNIL campus. To close the summit, a demonstration made its way across the city of Lausanne from the station all the way to Vidy.

The summit ended with the creation of the “Lausanne Climate Declaration” and its three main aims: ensure climate justice and equity, keep the global temperature rise below 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial levels, and listen to the best science currently available.

A flock of around sixty sheep have been “mowing” the lawns at the University of Lausanne for years.

Lausanne universities go green During the city’s two climate marches, the majority of demonstrators were from schools around the region, as well as Lausanne’s universities and specialised colleges. “It’s clear that academic environments have played a key role in the area’s general awareness of the environment”, says UNIL professor Dominique Bourg. Their impact goes above and beyond course content, too: according to a report by WWF, UNIL is actually the most sustainable higher education institution in the country. UNIL has been working on a programme to make its operations more eco-friendly

for several years. In 2011, it made a name for itself for being the first university to appoint a vicerector specifically responsible for this issue: Benoît Frund. “Our work initially centred on actually defining the term ‘sustainability’”, Frund explains. “Using that as a base, we were then able to design a comprehensive environmental strategy for UNIL.” The programme aims to reduce the energy impact of research, teaching, and on-campus operations, and UNIL has also committed to promoting public transport, using more green energy, and farming the local area to grow food in partnership with EPFL.

“We have to deliver on our commitments to show that another, more sustainable way is possible, and continue to raise general awareness.” The University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland (HES-SO), the University of Teacher Education (HEP) and EPFL have also committed to taking concrete actions. EPFL has committed to switching its central heating to renewable energy in 2021, developing a major solar farm in the city, providing reusable, washable dishes and utensils across the campus, and promoting more sustainable transport options.

LAUSANNE IN MOTION

L AU S A N N E I N M OT I O N | TO P NE W SP OT S

READ, HUNT FOR BARGAINS OR PLAY OVER A COFFEE

A SWISS DESIGN HUB

Just a stone’s throw from Place de la Riponne, the new JSBG Store celebrates independent Swiss designers. Be it clothing, shoes, leather goods or accessories, all the items in stock are from original collections and manufactured locally. In a bid to give more designs greater visibility, owner Jorge Guerreiro refreshes his collection every two to three months, drawing on a list of 200 designers. And he hasn’t stopped there: he also shares his boutique space with stylist and founder of local Lausanne brand Nom Commun, Mélisande Grivet. JSBG Store, Rue des Deux-Marchés 13, Lausanne jsbg.me

The Gallery Port-Franc, in Flon, exhibits vintage furniture along with a coffee corner.

Step into a shop and immerse yourself in an all-new concept. New Lausanne businesses are making a name for themselves by mixing it up and offering visitors the chance to enjoy a coffee – or something more substantial – between board games or while on the hunt for a bargain. This new trend is particularly apparent at the Galerie Port-Franc in Flon. In the huge renovated building, the aroma of coffee mingles with the scent of furniture dating from between the 1950s and 1970s. Customers zigzag between Eames, Max Bill and Le Corbusier designs, with a Mario Botta table here, and a piece of Raymond Loewy furniture or industrial lights there, all at a range of prices. At the back of the store, a little relaxation area with space to seat nine is managed by Vagabon Café, roasters of

a rather special coffee made in Lavaux. For Joël and Emilien Grin, brothers and owners of the Galerie Port-Franc, the need for this partnership was obvious for adding value to their brand. Different place, same feel: Jean Kehlhofer's Coffee Page, which opened in 2019, is full of the heady scents of caffeine and books. A large handmade bookcase is home to volumes on architecture, photography, design, and much more. It’s a celebration of visual arts in itself, where customers can flick through a book as they enjoy their drink, an iced coffee, perhaps, or an Italian affogato (a scoop of ice cream with espresso drizzled over the top) or maybe even a cold brew coffee. These are all also available to take away, for those wishing to make the most of the beautiful Lausanne weather.

Inspired by the Mediterranean, Le Meraki goes beyond just coffee and offers Italian tigelle, mezze, aubergine caviar and vine leaves too. Far from the cliché blue and white decor, the space has a second floor full of hidden treasure: all kinds of different board games, from cooperative to strategy games, and many more for customers to enjoy! This is the perfect place to go for fans of good food and games with friends. Galerie Port-Franc, Rue des Côtes-de-Montbenon 14, Lausanne galerieportfranc.ch Coffee Page, Rue du Midi 20, Lausanne coffee-page.com Le Meraki, Place de la Riponne 10, Lausanne

SUNSHINE IN A BOWL

This tiny restaurant at the end of Rue du Midi is all about three things: Hawaiian flavours, Swiss produce and sustainability. First and foremost a takeaway joint, Le Spot prepares Hawaiian-inspired poke bowls using mainly seasonal Swiss ingredients. Summer will see a wide range of fruit and vegetables showcased, sharing the spotlight with Swiss salmon and plant-based proteins. Le Spot’s environmental credentials hold up, with no singleuse plastics in sight. Customers can reuse container or bring a bowl to enjoy their food lakeside, or in one of Lausanne’s parks.

SCANDINAVIA IN THE CITY CENTRE

At Äta the giant map of Scandinavia leaves diners in little doubt as to their culinary destination. This new address on Avenue de Rumine, just below the Parc de Mon-Repos, is a celebration of the food and flavours of the far north. Smørrebrøds (the famous Nordic open sandwiches), gravlax (made with Swiss salmon) and desserts like kanelbullar (swirling cinnamon buns) are their specialities, served in soft, muted surroundings complete with charming wooden furniture and grey-blue ceiling. For those in a hurry, a little annexe serves up food to go.

Le Spot, Rue du Midi 12, Lausanne le-spot.ch

Äta, Avenue de Rumine 22, Lausanne atalausanne.ch

L AU S A N N E I N M OT I O N | TO P NE W SP OT S

L AU S A N N E I N M OTI O N | S TREE T INTERVIE W

FOOD TO ENJOY IN THE SUNSHINE

A ONE-WAY TICKET TO THE SHORES OF LATIN AMERICA

Not far from Ours metro stop, it’s hard to miss the flamboyant colours, vivid frescoes and party vibes of restaurant and bar Lucha Libre. Once inside, there are three different areas to choose from: a bar area, a lounge with sofas surrounded by walls covered in lush greenery and a dining room. On the menu are starters of tostones (fried plantain slices and cheese) or chicharrones (crispy pork rinds), the iconic churrasco with chimichurri sauce and ceviche as mains and, for dessert, the famous Tres Leches cake made with three different types of milk. Each room takes guests on a journey of discovery to Latin America, be it via the food or the brightly coloured cocktails.

When the weather is good, it’s hard to resist the idea of lunch in the park or on the shores of the lake. Here’s a selection of great places serving food to go.

The ground floor is divided between a bar area with its colourful lights and a few tables near a fresco by the by the Lausanne artist, Albin Christen.

Lucha Libre, Place de l’Ours 1, Lausanne luchalibre.ch

Cathy Genty, CFF employee

Céline Piller Guérin, early years teacher

“Al Sacco serves up all sorts of different homemade food. I go there quite often as it’s not far from where I work. In the summer, I take a bag so I can go and eat in Parc de Milan, just down from the station. Of all the options on offer, I tend to go for their salads and chocolate tart. Sometimes one of my colleagues comes with me and orders a cauliflower and cheese tart, a vegetarian sandwich and the bircher muesli with rice milk. The place is so popular that we order from there during our meetings at work.”

“My husband and I go to Chez Laurène almost every other day, either to do some shopping or just to have a drink. We mostly get their craft beer and small plates that they make themselves. If we’re enjoying an aperitif al fresco, we’ll go for cured Valais sausages, Peney-leJorat or Rossinière cheese, and locally made crisps that are less salty than the supermarket equivalents. Our kids love them.” Chez Laurène Grocery Store, Chemin de Bérée 22D, Lausanne

Al Sacco Take Away, Rue du Simplon 13, Lausanne

Marco Engheben, employee for the City of Lausanne

Ben Ecoeur Moreira, final year sales apprentice at Gefiswiss

“I’ve been a loyal customer at Terre Vaudoise, with their huge range of vegetables, bread, eggs, fruit juices and honey, for 10 years now. They source everything from local suppliers and, contrary to popular belief, vegetables here don't cost more than they do in the supermarkets, but they are better quality. If I’m going out somewhere, I’ll get their herb sausages, cheese, slim baguettes (I especially like their flûtes aux greubons, which are made with Swiss lard) and something from their wide range of craft beers.”

“For takeaway, it’s got to be Be Oh! I go there a lot. The daily meal deal, which comes with a dessert, never disappoints. At Be Oh! they’re all about fresh, organic and sustainable ingredients. I think that’s really important. It’s the same with their drinks, like their homemade ice teas. I recently tried the hibiscus and eglantine range which was nice, as well as their hemp (CBD) flavoured one.” Restaurant Be Oh!, Rue de Bourg 16, Lausanne

Terre Vaudoise Shop, Rue de Genève 100, Lausanne 14

L AU S A N N E I N M O T I O N | H I S TO RY

THE HISTORY OF LAUSANNE ON FILM

Lausanne’s past is now available to explore through an elegant DVD box set containing around 50 short films, old adverts and a little-known work by Jean-Luc Godard.

journal suisse cinematic newsreels (1923–1934). The reporting was diverse, ranging from a few minutes of a football match played in Lausanne between Switzerland and Czechoslovakia (1929), coverage of a traditional “Butchers’ Festival” (1928 or 1929), and even “modern cinematic reporting” from Geneva, where viewers followed the progress of a fire, complete with the arrival of the fire brigade: the alert came in over the phone and the operator would be away, pulling on their biking gear, loading their 35mm camera into the sidecar, and speeding off to the scene of the blaze.

With a young woman dancing for joy on the Pont Bessières, a folk festival in the 1920s, and prewar images of the Grand-Pont bridge, the Swiss National Film Archive’s new DVD box set charts the Vaud capital’s history through around 50 documentaries, adverts and short films. With it, it wants to pay tribute to Lausanne, its history and landscape, by showing how both the city and its role have changed over the decades.

A FLAG IN REVOLUTIONARY COLOURS

1928: Swiss cinema newsreels followed work on the “most beautiful cinema in Lausanne: the Capitole”.

Why is the Vaud coat of arms green, and where did its motto come from? It was actually almost in Latin, with a nod to William Tell. We take a look at its history.

LAUSANNE – IT’S BROADWAY, BABY! In 1964, a series of films was commissioned by the local authorities to promote the city’s beauty and charm. Just like in old American musical comedies, which also provided the musical inspiration, a couple are shown dancing on the Pont Bessières and through the market in Place de la Palud, strolling along the edge of the lake and looking over a modern-day Lausanne. And it would have been impossible to create a collection like this without mentioning the famous French-Swiss film director Jean-Luc Godard. Although not considered his masterpieces, Godard does indeed feature with A Letter to Freddy Buache, a short film commissioned by the city of Lausanne in 1980, and as a guest at Cannes Film Festival in 1982 with Yves Yersin’s Inventaire lausannois. Buache himself, a former director of the Swiss National Film Archive, would go on to say: “I think the screening at Cannes, the biggest festival in the world, is great advertising. After all, isn’t having ‘The city of Lausanne presents…’ up on the screen in La Croisette rather beneficial from a touristic point of view?”.

Ça c’est Lausanne (“This is Lausanne”) (1964). In its promotional films, Lausanne likes to draw inspiration from Broadway and its musicals.

Lausanne has been captured on screen since the very beginnings of filmmaking, in around 1896. Be it passengers disembarking from the Major-Davel pleasure steamer at the Quai d’Ouchy on a Sunday afternoon, or a battalion of soldiers in formation behind a marching band at the Pontaise barracks, these everyday sights would form the foundation for the Ciné-

What if the canton of Vaud’s coat of arms had been blue and white, complete with a reference to William Tell? That seems crazy now, so deeply is the green and white imprinted on our collective imagination. That being said, our flag actually changed a number of times during the canton’s early years of independence. At the end of the 18th century, the people of Vaud proclaimed their liberation from the oppression of Bernese occupation with the colour green, in a show of support for the early French revolutionaries. In 1798, Place de la Palud was decorated with a green flag bearing the words “Lemanic Republic, Liberty, Equality”. The flag was soon dropped, but the colour was to remain in people’s minds.

1932: Lausanne’s modern side quickly appears on screen with the Bel-Air Tower taking pride of place.

When the creation of Vaud was official in 1803, choosing the cantons’ coats of arms seemed well under way. Why not blue and white in honour of the French revolutionaries? The colours remained white and green, but in the centre were two clasped hands holding a sword, topped by the cap of William Tell. A motto in Latin completed the ensemble: Pro Libertate et Foedere.

Lausanne – Des Lumière à Godard (1896–1982) DVD box set by the Swiss National Film Archive. CHF 29.00 Swiss National Film Archive, Casino de Montbenon, Allée Ernest-Ansermet 3, Lausanne

The proposal was knocked back, scrapping the symbols of justice and unity as well as the Latin. The canton’s government went back to its roots and adorned the coat of arms with its new motto: Liberté et Patrie (liberty and the motherland). This has become a distinctive characteristic of the Vaud flag, since it is the only one of all 26 Swiss cantons to bear a motto.

1980: Jean-Luc Godard dabbled in promotional films for Lausanne with his short, A Letter to Freddy Buache.

L AU S A N N E I N M O T I O N | H I S TO RY

DECADENCE AND MYSTERY: UNVEILING CHÂTEAU D’OUCHY

L AUSAN N E I N MOTION | IN PIC TURES

THE CITY TRANSFORMED

Spectacular entertainment and ski slopes in the middle of the street: Lausanne has carried its Olympic colours high. Last winter, the centre of Lausanne transformed into an authentic sports venue for the Youth Olympic Games. In parallel to the competition, thousands of visitors were able to take part in recreational activities such as skiing down the steep streets, or attend open-air shows such as BodyCity, which explored the links between classical arts and sporting activity.

However, over the centuries the château was neglected and fell into disrepair, and a fire in 1609 finally reduced it to cinders. Only its keep, at the time serving as storage space, remained. It would remain this way until 1885, when a Lausanne businessman, Jean-Jacques Mercier, bought the site from the canton of Vaud. Mercier razed the ruins and the remaining buildings to the ground, keeping only the tower.

On the shores of the lake, this astonishing 12th-century building is now home to a new restaurant for meat-lovers. We look back on its religious (and sometimes daring) history.

Between 1889 and 1893, with the help of architect Francis Isoz, he rebuilt the château in a neoGothic style, and turned it into a hotel. So began a new chapter in the château’s history, during which it became extremely popular with English tourists. And a century later, popular for more scandalous reasons. Legend has it that it became a hotspot for debauchery and sinful fantasies. To participate, all you had to do was order cold milk at the bar, this code word giving you access to the upper floor… Renovated again in 2008 and sold to the Sandoz Foundation five years later, the Château d’Ouchy now has 50 rooms and is enjoying a new lease of life with its modern restaurant, as well as art exhibitions in the hotel reception. “Every six months, we will be showcasing work from Swiss artists as a way of supporting the region’s cultural network,” Pauline finishes.

The Château d’Ouchy has had a makeover. Gone are the restaurant’s pale shades and navy blue. Under its new name, 57° Grill, the look is modern, with a spectacular open grill surrounded by a bar. The tone is set: here, it is all about food from that grill. A range of meat, fish and shellfish are on the menu, all grilled to 57°C (hence the restaurant’s name), which is the core temperature needed for perfectly tender beef. Diners are treated to a fabulous show, with everything prepared right before their eyes, like on American TV. “Most of our ingredients are sourced in Switzerland: our chicken is from Gruyère, our lamb is from Valais and our beef is from Grisons,” says Pauline Lioté, spokesperson for the new owners, the Sandoz Foundation. The menu also features several vegetarian and vegan options. UNSPEAKABLE TEMPTATIONS The restaurant’s renovation is also the perfect opportunity to rediscover this imposing, yet subtly charming building. The château dates all the way back to 1170, when Landri de Durnes, the Bishop of Lausanne, ordered the construction of a tower on the edge of the lake. It was rebuilt a century later and transformed into a fortified residence for the area’s subsequent bishops.

The images of the YOG were broadcast in 191 territories and were watched by an audience of around 150 million people worldwide. Some participants performed acrobatics in the Flon sky thanks to the Big Air ramp. Sport and art came together to bring the BodyCity show to life. For three weeks, visitors got the chance to live the dream as they whizzed through the Lausanne streets on skis.

Participants did acrobatics in the Flon sky thanks to the Big Air ramp.

Château d’Ouchy, Place du Port, Lausanne chateaudouchy.ch

Relive the moments of Lausanne 2020 on: lausanne2020.sport 19

L A U S A N N E I N M O T I O N | AT T H E M A R K E T

Ouverture de votre

“I FILL MY EMPANADAS WITH LOVE”

Migros Partenaire Ouchy Jeudi 4 juin.

In each edition, The Lausanner introduces you to a different market stall in Place de la Riponne. Here we meet Maria Eliana Nunez, 68, and hear about her Chilean secret recipe for turnovers.

Interview by Trinidad Barleycorn

First on Rue du Pont between Globus and H&M, and now in Place de la Riponne, Maria Eliana Nunez’s stall is well-known to the city’s residents. She can be found there every Wednesday and Saturday, calling out to attract new customers. From Chile, she still has the singsong accent of her homeland, and punctuates every sentence with her famous “mi hija” (“my girl”): “Come and try my empanadas, mi hija! They’re the best in Lausanne!” This accolade was awarded to the former childminder, a latecomer to the world of catering, in an article published by weekly magazine L’Hebdo back in 2015.

Do you sell anything else at the market? Yes, pebre is a Chilean condiment that I make with tomatoes, peppers, onions and coriander. Sometimes I make sopaipillas (squash fritters), fried tuna empanadas, papas rellenas (stuffed potatoes), chilenitos (biscuits made with dulce de leche) and even pastel de Choclo, a pie that’s finished off under the grill with a beef, chicken, sweetcorn and sugar filling. I serve other specialities at the restaurant like El completo, a beef burger on a homemade bun.

Maria, how did you come up with the name of your stand and your little restaurant, Creacion Del Tata? Maria Eliana Nunez: Tata was my dad’s nickname. He was a prison director. During the dictatorship in Chile, he was jailed himself and we lost everything. When he was released, he opened a small bakery and developed his own secret recipe for empanadas, which we still use to this day. My brother, ex-husband and children, Rose and Hector, who often help me out, are the only ones who know it!

What do you like most about Lausanne market? My customers, especially the dozen or so children that come for their empanadas every week. That means a lot to me. I also like how many different stallholders there are, and the community we’ve created.

lelixir.ch

How do you organise your work? On market days I get to the restaurant at about half past six to make the empanadas. Then someone I work with takes everything I need to the market stall for me. I can sell up to 200 between 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock on Saturdays, and around a hundred on Wednesdays. At 3 o’clock, I come back to the restaurant.

7/ 7 8h00 - 21h45

Av. de Rhodanie 2 • 1007 Lausanne

In the market, Place de la Riponne, Lausanne Wednesdays and Saturdays 10:00 → 14:00.

What’s the secret to your empanadas? Love. I fill my empanadas with love. My customers tell me that they can feel it. I’m proud to be able to offer them a traditional dish from my country, made with top-quality ingredients, for just six francs. I never get tired of them. I eat at least one a day, usually a beef one.

Creacion Del Tata restaurant, Rue de la Borde 9, Lausanne Open: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 11:30 → 21:00. Wednesdays and Saturdays: 15:00 → 21:00. Closed Sundays and Mondays. 21

L AUSAN N E I N MOTION | IN THE WINGS

“MY OFFICE IS THE LAKE!”

Claude-Alain Débonnaire has been a captain out on Lake Geneva for the past 10 years. He tells us about his profession and the feeling of freedom that accompanies it. Interview by Nina Seddik

What does CGN represent to you? The CGN has been here since 1873. It’s a huge part of our history and the regional landscape. When we talk to our passengers, we see how fond people are of it. Some even tell us that Lake Geneva just wouldn’t be the same without the CGN boats.

Claude-Alain Débonnaire’s career didn’t start on the water, but on the railway tracks. Once he’d finished his apprenticeship with Swiss railway company CFF, Débonnaire – originally from Valais – decided to change tack, and went to work for the Lake Geneva General Navigation Company (CGN) in 1991. He’s been a boatman and ticket inspector, and also worked on the administrative side, climbing the ranks to earn his captain’s stripes in 2010. Débonnaire loves sailing, a love fuelled by the sense of freedom the job gives him, and the fact he gets to meet passengers from all over the world.

What has been the highlight of your career? It’s difficult to pick just one. Generally, I’d say that the tough times are the ones that stay with you. Like coming across vessels in distress, and saving people who fall overboard in rough weather. You have to work fast and come together as a team. You bond over that kind of thing. They’re emotionally intense experiences. That’s why as soon as it’s all over we get together to talk it through, let it all out, and blow off some steam.

What does a typical day on board look like? Claude-Alain Débonnaire: We always start with a crew meeting, where we talk about important items on the day’s agenda, like a celebrity visit or a special event. Next we get the boat ready: we clean the deck, fill the tank, then put on our uniforms and get ready to welcome passengers on board. In high season we spend a huge amount of time on the boats, between 10 and 11 hours a day. We’ll work late into the evenings, and weekends too.

You’re originally from Valais, but you’re often in Lausanne. What does the city represent to you? It’s a great place to live. It’s in quite a strategic location, close to nature, to the mountains, and to Geneva too, which means you can really make the most of the region. I also like all the different things that are going on here, particularly in terms of culture. I have to applaud the city’s efforts to maintain its green spaces, too.

What are your favourite parts of the job? Steering the boat, definitely. There’s no school that can teach you how to sail a ship, it’s something you learn on the go. I learnt the basics from the captains before me, starting when I was a boatman until I became a captain myself. Now it’s my turn to pass on that knowledge. That’s a big part of being a captain. I feel lucky to have this job. Think about it – my office is the lake! For me, sailing is a kind of freedom. We’re at the mercy of the weather, but that means every day is different. We also get to meet people from all sorts of different backgrounds, and we’ve got to know some of the locals.

L AUSAN N E I N MOTION | GA ZET TE

PHILIPPE GELUCK EATING AT AU CHAT NOIR

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME DIRECTOR IN TOWN

LAUREN WASSER WORKING FOR WOMEN

American model Lauren Wasser, who lost both her legs after developing toxic shock syndrome from using a tampon, was invited to the fourth session of TEDx Lausanne Women talks on 5 December last year. Known for her golden prosthetics, Wasser used the evening at EPFL’s SwissTech Convention Center to advocate for more effective prevention of toxic shock syndrome and stricter control of the contents of feminine hygiene products. In spite of a packed schedule, Wasser – who was staying at the Beau-Rivage Palace – took some time out to discover the charms of Lausanne. “Lauren and her manager spent four days here,” says conference organiser Ashley Puckett, who also acted as the pair’s guide. “We toured the city and spent a lot of time shopping. Lauren literally bought everything in sight at JSBG Store [a concept store specialising in Swiss brands – see p. 13]. We also ate raclette at Bô Noël, the city’s Christmas market and spent an evening dancing at the XIIIe Siècle nightclub.” The happy crew also visited the Lavaux vineyards on Vespas, before treating themselves to a facial from Isabelle Moser-Jomini in Lutry.

Film director and creator of Call Me by Your Name Luca Guadagnino was in the region on 4 March. He was meant to be one of the guests of honour at actor Vincent Perez’s Rencontres 7e Art Lausanne film festival, but the coronavirus pandemic led to most of the event’s prestigious guests (including Pierce Brosnan and Isabella Rossellini, as well as directors Cédric Klapisch and Roland Joffé) deciding not to attend. In spite of this, Guadagnino, who was driving back to Milan from London via the event, spent the night as planned in Lausanne, staying in the room that had been reserved for him at the Beau-Rivage Palace. Therefore he could keep the engagement and spent the evening with Vincent Perez and the festival team in the hotel.

Belgian cartoonist and author of best-selling comic series Le Chat (“The Cat”), Philippe Geluck was in Lausanne late last year, visiting the Cantonal Museum of Fine Arts (MCBA) in Plateforme 10 next to the train station. He was here for an episode of RTS’ show Sur les pas de (“In the footsteps of”), but he simply couldn’t visit Lausanne without his customary trip to Au Chat Noir on Rue Beau-Séjour. He arrived around 9 o’clock in the evening and ordered the recommendations of dining room manager Olivia Visset, who tells us: “He’s a funny, outgoing guy. Two years ago he gave us the drawing we have over the bar, which shows Le Chat saying: ‘All cats are grey in the dark except him’.”

BERNARD CAMPAN FILMING IN MONTOIE CEMETERY Former member of comedy trio Les Inconnus, Bernard Campan, and his good friend the Swiss philosopher Alexandre Jollien came to Lausanne late last November to shoot some scenes for a movie the pair are co-directing and co-starring in called Presque (“Nearly”). Some of the scenes were shot in the crematorium at the Montoie funeral centre, as well as the Saint-Roch neighbourhood near the Tour de l’Ale. While he was here, Campan – who was staying at the Alpha Palmiers hotel not far from the station – spent several evenings at one of his favourite restaurants, Café Romand near Saint-François Church.

Selfie time for friends Bernard Campan (left) and Alexandre Jollien (right).

L AUSAN N E I N MOTION | GA ZET TE

ART AND CINEMA AT THE HERMITAGE

On 4 September, the Hermitage Foundation will reopen with a new Art and Cinema exhibition. The display will run until 3 January 2021, highlighting interactions between filmmakers and artists and their influence on one another, from the early days of film in the late 19th century until the French New Wave. Extracts, posters, sculptures and more reveal the full extent of these intimate relationships, with works by Fritz Lang, Charlie Chaplin, Pablo Picasso and Jean-Luc Godard.

KICK-OFF AT THE STADE DE LA TUILIÈRE

After several years in the making, the new home of football in Lausanne has finally been unveiled: the Tuilière stadium will be officially opened this year, giving Lausanne-Sport a brand-new playing ground. the team to be a major player in the top Swiss division, Lausanne-Sport’s board of directors has ensured the club is equipped with multiple training grounds and youth training facilities. The sports centre will also feature nine football pitches and refreshment areas for the city’s other football clubs: ES FC Malley, Concordia Lausanne, and Racing Club Lausanne. In terms of accessibility, the Tuilière stadium will be on a stretch of the m3 metro line which is set to open in 2027, running from Lausanne station to Blécherette.

A re-energised logo, a new shirt supplier and of course, their shiny new stadium. In 2020, the Lausanne-Sport football team will officially open the new Tuilière stadium. Located to the north of the Vaud capital, the team’s new home has a capacity of 12,000 and has been built in the style of English stadiums, bringing fans even closer to the players. Gone are the days of the running track at the stadium of Pontaise. Instead, at the Tuilière stadium, the artificial turf practically hugs the stands. Outside, the four corners of the stadium, which will serve as entry gates, will curve upwards around the stadium’s centre, making it easier to circle the building. The complex is also home to the club’s offices, a restaurant and multiple conference facilities. Driven by their desire for

Stade de la Tuilière, Route de Romanel 20, Lausanne

LAUSANNE EXPRESS

British lifestyle magazine Monocle has ranked Lausanne the best small city in the world. A new manager has been has been found for the Cabane des Cygnes, the little kiosk at the Pyramides de Vidy. André König, a graduate of the École hôtelière de Lausanne hospitality management school, will mainly sell locallymade produce. The famous board game Monopoly is bringing out a new Lausanne edition, complete with brandnew locations. Although Rue de Bourg and Place Saint-François have gone, the board now features properties such as EPFL university and the gardens at the Olympic Museum.

LA RIPONNE AND LE TUNNEL IN PICTURES

In 1723, the Louve river ran above ground through a lush, green Lausanne. Unfortunately, various epidemics left authorities with no choice but to bury the waterway, which led to the creation of the entire Place de la Riponne. This story, along with many others, can be found in a new book, Riponne/Tunnel, Lausanne entre deux places (“Riponne/Tunnel: Lausanne Between Two Squares”), the result of a collaboration between the City of Lausanne and Éditions Favre. Before the tunnel was built there, the neighbourhood now bearing its name was home to large wood and cattle markets.

The Royal Savoy Hotel is celebrating its history with a photo exhibition portraying summer at the Royal Savoy from 1920 to 2020.

LAUSANNE STATION TRANSFORMATION

The design of Lausanne’s new train station is no secret: platforms will be larger and longer and underpasses wider and lighter. This renovation is a key part of the Léman 2030 programme to improve services throughout the Lemanic Arc and beyond. The aim is to be in a position to accommodate the station’s users – projected to stand at 200,000 by 2030 – and double the capacity of services between Lausanne and Geneva. Work is due to start at the end of the year and expected to take around ten years to complete. 27

L A U S A N N E I N M O T I O N | E X PAT

that musicians understand all over the world. It makes no difference if the style is dictated by a man or a woman. Our job is to convey emotions, and find what the music wants to express.

Simone Young is one of the most renowned conductors in the world. She tells us about her career and exploring Lausanne, where she has spent the last four years. Interview by Tiago Pires

When Simone Young talks about music, you can tell she’s passionate about it. The Australian, now in her fifties, is considered to be one of the greatest conductors in the world. From her hometown of Sydney to New York, from London to Berlin, the conductor has provided artistic direction for orchestras in all the top musical cities in the world. And Lausanne is on that list too. Young has conducted the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra (OCL) for a number of performances over the past four years. Having reached the end of her term as Principal Guest Conductor here, she talks to us about her

HITTING THE RIGHT NOTES favourite memories of her time in Lausanne.

How did you become a conductor? Simone Young: I came to it quite late. I started off as a pianist, then became a rehearsal pianist at Opera Australia, playing the scores during rehearsals. One day in 1985, the conductor got sick and I took over for him at short notice. When I did, I felt like I’d just discovered my calling in life. It was a real shock! Up to that point I was a 24-year-old woman who just wanted to be a pianist. What happened next? I completed my musical studies, then I was named the new resident conductor at Opera Australia in 1986. After that I won a bursary to go and deepen my understanding of the role with the Cologne Opera. Then, in 1993, I was lucky enough to be hired by the great Israeli-Argentinian conductor Daniel Barenboim

to work with the Berlin State Opera. I worked with some huge pieces there, like Richard Strauss’ Elektra. It was at that point my career really took off. What does a conductor actually do? During rehearsals, conductors are there to bring meaning to the sounds the musicians are making, to give the piece a particular style. This means that they have to find a musical vocabulary that all the musicians can understand, and bring harmony to the sounds. There’s a kind of mystery to it in a way, because you need to draw on the emotions that the piece brings out in you. In that sense, a performance will only be a success if the audience shares that emotion with you, and lets themselves be taken on a journey by what they hear in the music. Does the fact that you’re a woman make a difference? Conductors use vocabulary

You’ve been a guest conductor for the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra numerous times. What do you like about Lausanne? I’d already heard of the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra before I came here in 2015. When I arrived, I found there was such a nice feeling here, and the people are very hard-working. As the conductor, I felt a real connection with the musicians. It felt natural,

like when you put on a jacket and it fits straight away. Is it different to other operas? I was a guest conductor with the Chamber Orchestra, and not the opera. That means the musicians work together more and the acoustics in the room are completely different. Aside from that, I found there was an incredible gravity and energy here, which make Lausanne a special place. It feels like the people here bring a special kind of emotion to the music. What are your favourite memories of Lausanne? It’s difficult to just choose one, I love the city so much, as well as the musicians and

the bond that we’ve shared. But our performance of Chamber Symphony No. 2 by Arnold Schoenberg was just incredible. The orchestra was note-perfect, and really played from the heart. Your term in Lausanne is coming to an end. What’s next? I’ve already got a lot of work trips and invitations scheduled in. One of these is a performance in Amsterdam with the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra later this year, then I’m off to start as Chief Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in 2022. In the meantime, if my schedule lets me, I hope I’ll be able to come back to Lausanne.

HER TOP SPOTS “This iconic spot has always been important to me. I used to love going inside and finding somewhere quiet where I could be alone. Then I’d sit down, and seek the silence within me in the peace and quiet of the church.”

LAUSANNE CATHEDRAL MONUMENT

Place de la Cathédrale Lausanne +41 21 316 71 61

“As we used to rehearse in the Bel-Air Tower’s Salle Métropole, we were often in the lively Flon neighbourhood. We especially loved going to Le Tokyo, a Japanese restaurant. It’s got a great atmosphere, and the food is delicious.”

LE TOKYO R E S TAU R A N T

Rue des Côtes-de-Montbenon 22 Lausanne +41 21 311 00 13

“The restaurants in the Lausanne Palace are interesting because there’s such a fun feel, and so many different flavours on offer. I particularly recommend the Japanese restaurant there.”

SUSHI ZEN PALACE R E S TAU R A N T

Rue du Grand-Chêne 7-9 Lausanne +41 21 331 31 31

I NTE RVI E W

Alain Freudiger in the theatrical performance Thermal. “The thermal baths provided us with both auditory and narrative material.”

Alain Freudiger’s last book has been getting rave reviews in the French press. We catch up with a writer, who knows every nook and cranny of Lausanne and has a special place in his heart for a certain Finnish ski jumper.

I became absolutely fascinated by ski jumping watching him, and then I just carried on keeping up with what he was doing. Once he stopped competing he went into a complete downwards spiral. He bounced between rock’n’roll, prison and striptease, but to me he was still funny and endearing. It was this complexity that interested me, and helped me to paint a more nuanced picture of him.

Interview by Carole Extermann

Just a few metres from the edge of the lake, the Olympic Studies Centre is home to all the archives on the history of the Games. It’s a priceless database on all the various sports involved, and is available for use by researchers such as Alain Freudiger. The Lausanne-born writer has just finished a highly original book on the Finnish ski jumping champion, Matti Nykänen. His research made him a frequent visitor to the Villa du Centenaire on the Quai d’Ouchy which, with its miles and miles of archives, cements Lausanne’s position as the Olympic Capital of the world.

How did you structure your book? I used a few different voices and timelines, and I turned to fiction in places where I was missing biographical facts. The story is set in Finland, but there’s also a connection to Lausanne as I went to the Olympic Studies Centre to find out about Nykänen. Has the city had any influence on your writing? My first two books* were heavily influenced by my surroundings here in Lausanne. I spent a lot of time wandering through the city while I was writing them, and took away elements of the urban landscape. Lausanne’s topography is so inspiring with all its ups and downs – it really gets those creative juices flowing. →

And just like that, Finnish icon Matti Nykänen (1963–2019) became the protagonist in a new account of his life, titled Le Mauvais génie (La vie de Matti Nykänen) (“A Bad genius (A Life of Matti Nykänen)”), that was published by La Baconnière in February 2020. The book looks back on the sensation of flying that the three-time Olympic champion said he felt every time he jumped, but also on his tumultuous career change to the music industry and his violent alcoholism. The rise… and the fall.

The Olympic investigations of a Lausanne writer

It has been extremely well received in Parisian literary circles: a rare success for a Romandy writer. With a style falling somewhere between avant-garde and popular culture, Freudiger has been enriching Lausanne’s cultural landscape for years, organising perplexing literary performances, and projects in unusual spaces. The parks, pools and cafés of Lausanne are just some of the places he goes to get his creative juices flowing. This interview took place over the phone in May 2020, while the author was still in lockdown.

Alain Freudiger’s latest novel Le Mauvais génie (La vie de Matti Nykänen) (“A Bad genius (A Life of Matti Nykänen)”), published in February 2020, explores the hidden face of the Finnish ski jumper.

Where did you get the idea to write a book about champion ski jumper Matti Nykänen? Alain Freudiger: I remember Nykänen being on TV when I was a kid in the late Eighties.

* Bujard et Panchaud ou les Faux-Consommateurs (“Bujard and Panchaud, or the Pseudo-Consumers”) (2007) and Les Places respectives (“Trading Places”) (2011).

I NTE RVI E W

Where you do you get your inspiration from? I have written in cafés for a long time. The way that microcosm works, the terraces, the passers-by, the way people dress, how they bump into friends… I find all these things particularly inspiring. But most of my ideas come to me while I’m doing something else. Especially at the pool. Going swimming sparks inspiration, and helps me solve problems. I find it terribly sad that Lausanne buried all the city’s rivers. That’s maybe why I wrote Liquéfaction (“Liquefaction”): 300 pages set entirely in the water. I also find inspiration by going walking through the heights of Lausanne.

I NTE RVI E W

station under Place Chauderon in the city centre also fascinates me – there’s something out of proportion about it, with that huge waterfall at the entrance. And the bookshops, of course. HumuS, for example, which is also an exceptional gallery. The Capitole cinema, too.

“Lausanne’s topography is so inspiring with all its ups and downs – it really gets those creative juices flowing.”

What are your favourite parts of the city? I love the parks. The Parc de Valency, especially. I love its busy side, its steep slope, and its regal walkway through the lime trees. The LEB train

Opened in 2018, the Capitole, owned by the City of Lausanne, is the largest cinema in Switzerland with 869 seats.

Alain Freudiger likes “the grass roots aspect, the steep slope and the royal alley in Valency Park”. Located between Lausanne and Prilly, this park is the work of the architect Alphonse Laverriere, also the creator of the Bel-Air tower.

You used to write for the satirical Lausanne magazine La Distinction – do you think that Lausanne has a particular sense of humour? It’s more than humour – I would say rather that Lausanne has its own form of wit: a special kind of quite offbeat sarcasm. I think it’s because people from all over Switzerland have made it their home. This plurality leads to a kind of easy atmosphere, and people are always ready to mess around with anyone who takes themselves too seriously.

the relationship between words and music. In our Thermal project, we looked at the acoustic and narrative aspects of thermal baths. So rhythmic and sound elements are an important part of your writing? When I’m not writing, I work as a radio archivist, and it has made me much more sensitive to sound. I am amazed by how rich it is. I also find myself inspired by cataloguing radio broadcasts and discovering all this local heritage. These soundtracks bring the past back to life. Once while I was working, I found a recording that had been taken on a tram, with the conductor announcing all the different stops – but Lausanne’s trams stopped running in the Fifties. It was quite moving – and things like that add a temporal dimension to the spectrum of city sounds. →

You refer to yourself as a literary performer – why? When I started writing, I didn’t know many people in the literary world. I was closer to the local musicians, and I put performances together with them. I did a few public readings, too. With the Des Cendres group, for example – which I was part of with musicians Benoît Moreau and Raphaël Raccuia – we explored 32

I NTE RVI E W

News about your writing is currently spreading beyond Switzerland to Paris, which is quite rare for an author from Romandy… Yes – I’ve been extremely lucky in reaching a much wider readership. Publishers nowadays are working harder to promote Francophone literature, and I’m starting to see the benefits of that. The Frenchspeaking population in Switzerland is relatively small, so I’m very fortunate to be able to share my work abroad. ■

Have you managed to write anything while we’ve been locked down this spring? During this time in limbo, I asked myself: what’s the point of being a writer? I think part of that role is keeping people connected. With that in mind I decided to start a podcast, which I called DéCamera. I’ve got in touch with a few writers, and every day they tell a story from their room. Personally, I’ve found it hard to write during lockdown. As I see it, literature needs time and distance. Talking about this crisis as it’s happening just hasn’t been something I’ve been able to do.

“I think my role as a writer is also to maintain the link between beings.”

“The Bellevaux cinema has kept its soul”, says Alain Freudiger. Before it became an “art laboratory” in 1959, the cinema and its bar at the entrance served as a workshop for making coffee machines.

HIS TOP SPOTS LE MILAN

“This is one of the friendliest places in Lausanne – you always get a warm welcome and they never fail to find you a seat, whether it’s on the ground floor or in the first-floor dining room. They serve up hearty Italian food, and it’s so good that every time you leave you find yourself saying: a domani!”

CINÉMA BELLEVAUX

“The Bellevaux is more than just a theatre screening top-quality, independent and alternative films: it’s also a venue for concerts, radio listening events, and literary evenings. The Bellevaux has a soul – we have the owner to thank for that, who has managed to revive and preserve the true spirit of the place.”

Boulevard de Grancy 54 Lausanne R E S TAU R A N T

Route Aloys-Fauquez 4 Lausanne CINEMA

Parlezvous Chasselas ?

WINEMAKING: THE VAUD WAY

Winemaking has been part of Vaud culture for over a thousand years. Not only does it generate income for the canton, it has also become an inherent part of the locals’ personalities. Piece by Tiago Pires

Frank Sinatra, and Valais-born Micheline Calmy-Rey, a former member of the Swiss Federal Council.

“This drink, better than beer, makes us proud to be from here!” Between the two world wars, this refrain was frequently heard in the taverns of Vaud. We have the singer-songwriter Jean Villard (1895–1982) to thank for it. Under the pseudonym of Gilles, he became the perfect embodiment of the Vaud region’s bon vivant. The drink he is praising in this particular song, Vive la vigne de chez nous (“Long Live Our Vineyards”), is none other than the famous chasselas. If Gilles is to be believed, the very essence of local spirit in Vaud comes from drinking this local wine (see inset p. 38).

But even international success could not keep Gilles from his home in Vaud forever. After spending almost ten years performing in Paris, the artist decided to return to the shores of Lake Geneva in 1958.

One evening in 1945, as he was performing at the Coup de Soleil cabaret in Lausanne, a Parisian lady called out to him and requested a tune. Her name was Edith Piaf. Gilles gave her a littleknown piece. She was thrilled and immediately decided to add it to her act. Les trois cloches, or “The Three Bells”, would go on to sell over a million copies, with covers produced by singers including Ray Charles, Coluche, Tina Arena,

Born in 1895, Jean Villard, a.k.a. Gilles, spent much of his career in France, but never forgot his birthplace… or its wine. (Photographed here in 1975 by Erling Mandelmann).

This picture-perfect area was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007.

He ended up in Saint-Saphorin, in Lavaux, where he would continue to write about something that had been part of his homeland’s heritage for over a thousand years: wine.

As time went on, domaines were quickly split up into plots across the canton “to avoid hailstones or bad weather causing the industry to collapse”, says Coutaz. This strategy would be helpless in the face of phylloxera though, which invaded the area and ravaged its vineyards between 1886 and 1918, with the region losing around 10% of all its vines.

PICTURE-POSTCARD The presence of vineyards in Vaud was first documented back in the 9th century, and they have been here ever since. The wave of monasteries that sprang up in Vaud in the 12th century (when manual work was a legal requirement for monks) led to an explosion in the number of vine plots in the area according to Gilbert Coutaz, the former director of the Vaud Cantonal Archives. In this day and age, the vines in Vaud were therefore mainly destined for altar wine.

People in Vaud are proud of their winemaking traditions, and enjoy going head-to-head with their neighbours in Valais. Vaud currently ranks as the second-largest wine producer in Switzerland, with Valais just beating them to first place. There are around 400 estates across 3,800 hectares of vineyards in Vaud (compared to 4,800 in Valais), and white wine takes centre stage here, accounting for 66% of total production. →

It was at this point in time that the steep, dry slopes of Lavaux were cleared and carved into terraces to grow the region’s native chasselas grape (see infographic on p. 40). 37

THE DOSSIER

THE PLONK, THE PEN, AND THE PAINTBRUSH Winegrowing has become an inherent part of the culture in Vaud: all you need do is open any one of the works penned by Lausanne-born writers Paul Budry (1883–1949) or Charles Ferdinand Ramuz (1878–1947) to see its considerable influence here. In his novella, Vigneron, moi aussi (“Winegrower, me too”), Ramuz – who lived in Treytorrens, in Payerne – declares his love for the vineyards with one simple question: “Could I, too, be a winegrower? You are one – irrevocably so.” The region’s vineyards have been a source of inspiration to artists, too. Chablais-born Frédéric Rouge (1867–1950) paints an idyllic picture of winemaking with Le Retour des vendanges (“Return from Harvest”) (1934). This work was considered so illustrative of wine’s place in the culture in Vaud that it was added to the collection at the Banque Cantonale Vaudoise. Some of Rouge’s other works also deserve a special mention, including La Leçon de Taille (“A Lesson in Pruning”) (1896), which is on display at Château d’Aigle.

Lausanne’s five vineyards

THE VAUD CARNOTZET Wine was also part and parcel of people’s daily lives, even if only through the iconic carnotzet. These windowless, slightly secretive rooms were a place for drinking and merrymaking. According to historian Bruno Corthésy, “the concept behind the carnotzet, as well as its purpose and name, were invented in 1894 at the Vaud Cantonal

LAUSANNE MORGES

Not only is chasselas an iconic Vaud speciality, it’s also a great way to identify each of the region’s different domaines.

It’s difficult not to give chasselas a special mention, grown as it is across over 60% of Vaud’s vineyards. For many experts – including Tania Gfeller, who oversees the region’s vineyards on behalf of the City of Lausanne – this grape variety is just like the Vaud people: friendly and easy-going.

“It is hugely indicative of the region’s terroir”, Tanja Gfeller says, “like a pinot noir in Burgundy, for example.” Not to mention an excellent representation of each individual terroir, too. “The grape variety will take on all the characteristics of the soil. So a chasselas from Féchy will be more rounded and taut, and have more body than a chasselas from Dézaley, which will be more opulent, with more mineral notes.” It is precisely this diverse nature that makes

CLOS DES ABBAYES

DOMAINE DU BURIGNON

CHÂTEAU ROCHEFORT

ROLLE

chasselas so valuable. “That variety is our heritage”, explains Benjamin Gehrig from the Office des Vins Vaudois. “It is part of our identity, so it’s crucial we look to it as a way of learning about the myriad of treasures that the Vaud terroir has to offer.”

LAVAUX CLOS DES MOINES

ABBAYE DE MONT

Chasselas: the Vaud VIP

The natural thing to do in a carnotzet is, of course, to enjoy a drink, with patrons traditionally offered a chasselas. And there’s nothing better to drink it from than a typical regional glass (also known as a godet). This footless wine glass holds 60ml, and is an iconic part of Vaud culture. Proudly bearing the coat of arms of either the commune or the canton, they were originally used by winegrowers to taste their wine. ■

Exhibition in Yverdon-les-Bains.” Intimate, private places by nature, a good carnotzet is located in an enclosed space, often underground and – where possible – near the cellar. Even today, carnotzets can be found across the canton of Vaud, which never ceases to amaze visitors to the region. There’s even one under the canton’s main hospital, the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV).

Grapes have been grown in the Vaud capital for centuries. The earliest accounts of viticulture in Lausanne go all the way back to the year 901. “The last of the capital’s vines were dug up in the Forties,” according to Gilbert Coutaz, the former director of the Vaud Cantonal Archives, but the city had become a major player in the winemaking industry in the meantime. In 1536, it acquired

LAKE GENEVA

extensive domaines outside of its own land: the Clos des Abbayes (Dézaley), the Clos des Moines (Dézaley), the Burignon (Saint-Saphorin), the Abbaye de Mont (straddling Montsur-Rolle and Perroy), and the Château Rochefort (Allaman). Both red and white grapes were grown on all five of these domaines – the colours of the Lausanne coat of arms. To ensure wine remains an integral part of the area’s way 39

of life, Lausanne joined the prestigious Great Wine Capitals Global Network (GWC) in 2018. This network currently comprises ten major cities across the globe, each world-renowned for the quality of its wine region and its status as a key economic and cultural asset. It’s a seal of approval that means Lausanne’s thousand years of heritage is officially here to stay.

CHASSELAS: FROM GRAPE TO GLASS

Chasselas has been grown in Vaud since the 14th century, and has become an iconic part of the canton’s identity. But how does this white table grape actually end up in a bottle?

HARVEST ~6–8 weeks

DESTEMMING ~30 minutes

The white grape berries are separated from the vine (stem).

PRESSING 2 hours

The berries are crushed to extract the must.

Aurélien Barrelet/Large Network

LEXIQUE

CHASSELAS This grape variety has been grown in the canton of Vaud since the 14th century. It is known more commonly as “fendant” (or “split”) in Valais as the grains crack under pressure. INPUTS In agriculture, this term refers to products that are not naturally present in the soil. They are added to improve the yield of a crop. SULPHITES These are sulphur compounds used as a preservative in wine.

4 GRAPE GROWING METHODS

Today, not all wines are produced in the same way. Overview of the different approaches. WINE Minimal use of chemical products and vine treatments – only when necessary. Sulphites added during the winemaking process.

ORGANIC WINE No synthetic treatments, insecticides or chemical weed killers can be used in vineyards growing organic wine, and nothing synthetic can be added during the winemaking process. The only way to know if a Swiss wine is organic is the Bio Suisse label.

NATURAL WINE Synthetic insecticide, synthetic fungicide or chemical weed killers are authorized but agricultural inputs (such as sulphites) are not added during the winemaking process. There is no legislation for this, and no consensus on what the exact definition is. BIODYNAMIC WINE Other plants are used as soil improvers, no synthetic or chemical treatments are allowed. Sulphites are authorized during the winemaking process. Specifications are strict, and more restrictive than for organic wine. Demeter is the only certifying label for biodynamic wine.

The must is left to settle in vats so that all the skin and pip residue sinks to the bottom.

Sources : Vinographie, Comprendre le vin en un clin d'oeil, Fanny Darrieussecq (2016) / Centre de Compétence Vitivinicole et Cultures Spéciales, canton de Vaud

CLARIFICATION 24–48 hours

AGEING 6 months–2 years

The time this takes depends on the acidity of the wine, and whether or not sulphites are added.

ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION 1 week

The liquid is transferred to a cask or separate vat to start the fermentation process.

BOTTLING A small bottling operation will produce 10,000 bottles every day.

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bar which would bring this diversity, this mix of people, all together under one roof. If you walk into one of our bars nowadays, you’re likely to find lawyers, students and expats of all ages in there. That is exactly what we wanted from the start. In that sense, Lausanne was an obvious choice.

“Every wine tells a story” Guillaume Luyet and his colleagues at local Lausanne bar Ta Cave have just opened new premises in Basel. We caught up with him to look back at where they started, and chat about the wealth of Vaud wine on offer.

It made us sad to see there was no local food or drink or regional wine on offer at pretty much any of them, and most of all, not much of an atmosphere. That was when we came up with the idea to create a space filled with huge kitchen tables to make it feel homely, where people could come and have a drink with their friends over what felt like the kitchen counter. Our aim was to showcase local wine and food.

Interview by Tiago Pires

The dream was to offer a community-based wine bar that would be as warm and welcoming as your own home. To make it a reality, Guillaume Luyet and his two partners held a crowdfunding campaign to finance the project, with a pretty decent reward on offer: drinking wine on the house for life. More than 850 people invested, which meant that the trio were able to open the first Ta Cave in Lausanne in 2015, offering wine and other produce from all over the region. They opened new premises in Geneva three years later, and the third site in Basel last March, with the same crowdfunding model used for all three. We met up with Guillaume to talk about what makes these bars so special, and his love of wine from Vaud and Valais.

What sparked the idea of crowdfunding? We were following campaigns on the American platform Kickstarter and realised we could do the same, i.e., ask future customers if they were interested in the idea of a new kind of bar in Lausanne. With this type of campaign you have to offer “rewards” to investors, so we decided to offer drinks for life. It was incredibly successful, with more than 850 people, of all ages and from all walks of life, keen to support the project. Why did you choose to set your first bar up in Lausanne? I was born in Valais, but I went to the École hôtelière de Lausanne hospitality management school. Right from the start, I had a really good feeling about the place. I’ve always liked how diverse its social scene is, and it was important to me to create a

How did the adventure with Ta Cave all begin? Guillaume Luyet: A couple of friends and I used to love going out and checking out new places. 42

Lausanne, feels like an international city and an intimate little village all at once. In terms of wine, the German Swiss seem to prefer varieties from Spain or Italy. So I’m going to make the most of this opportunity to get them to taste some wine from French-speaking Switzerland. You were born in Valais and adopted by Vaud. What’s your take on the healthy rivalry between the two cantons and their wine? I adore wine from Valais, because I love the land there. I feel inspired by how domaines are laid out, how the terroir looks and its history. But in Vaud, I’m just in love with how rich the earth is, and the terroir. Between Lavaux and La Côte, there are as many different domaines as there are wines. Each has its own distinctive qualities, and its own notes. It’s interesting to see how the winegrowers have all taken a plot of land and managed to make the most out of it. That’s actually happening all over Switzerland, with young people getting into winemaking and going back to techniques that are more compatible with nature. I find that trend absolutely fascinating. ■

Did your love of wine start when you were a student? I was born into the food and drink industry: my family all worked in it, and we had a cellar at home. What I love most about it is the story behind the wine: the story of the people that made it, and its terroir. That’s why everything on the menu in our bars tells a particular story, or has made me feel a certain way. As such, our customers will find us serving up local produce, like wines from around the region, trout from Jura, goat’s cheese from Forel (a town in Vaud), and Treber sausages from Neuchâtel. We only serve things that inspire us. After Lausanne and Geneva, you’ve just opened a new bar in Basel. How is the launch going? It’s been pretty chaotic due to coronavirus – we had to close after being open for just one week. But on the plus side, I’ve been able to explore a city on the Rhine in the meantime that, like

Ta Cave Rue du Simplon 35, Lausanne

HIS TOP SPOTS LA CROIX D’OUCHY

“The food and the service here are both so consistent, and fantastic quality. I also love the friendly welcome and the look of the place, which was run by Bernadette Blanc and now her son, Gérard.”

LE VIEUX-LAUSANNE

“For 33 years, this place has had a real family feel, which in large part is down to the driving force of Anders Ahlgren and his son Gary. One thing you’ve absolutely got to do is check out their old wine cellar – there are over 300 different wines down there, from Bordeaux, Tuscany and more.”

Avenue d’Ouchy 43 Lausanne R E S TAU R A N T

Rue Pierre-Viret 6 Lausanne

R E S TAU R A N T

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A WINE VOYAGE THROUGH VAUD: Our top spots

All over the canton of Vaud, wine is part and parcel of life, with countless domaines and wine cellars celebrating the art of viticulture all the way from La Côte to Aigle. The region’s deep-rooted tradition of winemaking can also be seen in its specialist wine bars and iconic spots. Here’s a few that are absolutely not to be missed.

THE CHÂTEAU WHERE RED REIGNS

TRIBUTE TO CORTO MALTESE

This château is part of the five domaines belonging to the city of Lausanne. Red wine is the star of the show here. It also stands out for its focus on biodynamics, and has been applying these principles since 2009. The château has its own terrace, where visitors can sit and enjoy their wine alongside regional specialities. On 3 October, Vins de Lausanne will be organising a wine tasting event there, set to the sounds of a group from the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music (EJMA). The same event will be taking place at the Domaine du Burignon on 26 September. Entry is free, but booking is required.

It is difficult to go to Grandvaux without going to the Caveau Corto where the statue of the fictional comic book hero Corto Maltese faces Lake Geneva. Paying homage to the Italian cartoonist Hugo Pratt, who was a famous inhabitant of the village until his death in 1995, it also houses a permanent exhibition dedicated to the artist’s work. On the wine side, the Caveau Corto is run in turn by 10 winegrowers based in Lavaux. Caveau Corto Chemin du Four, 1091 Grandvaux caveaucorto.ch

Domaine du Château Rochefort Place de l’Église, 1165 Allaman chateau-rochefort.ch/en/homepage

A CELEBRATION OF WINE

STEP INTO THE WORLD OF VINEYARDS

The Lavaux Vinorama's original architecture means it’s a hard one to miss. That being said, the centre – where visitors can learn all about the region’s wine and terraced vineyards – blends in perfectly with its rocky surroundings. With a waterfall cascading down the side, it’s the perfect place to sample some of the 300 wines from the vineyards of Lavaux: chasselas, of course, as well as some of the area’s other iconic grape varieties.

This museum on wine and vines was set up in the Château d’Aigle in 1971, with the aim of preserving the local area’s wine heritage. Around 17 rooms are home to several thousand objects relating to wine growing and making, including a wine press from 1706, stills, bottles, corks, tasting cups, and glasses. The exhibition ends with a display of labels, featuring over 800 items from 52 different countries. Château d’Aigle Place du Château 1, 1860 Aigle museeduvin.ch

Lavaux Vinorama Route du Lac 2, 1071 Rivaz lavaux-vinorama.ch 44

A FRESH LOOK AT WINE

PUTTING THE ACCENT ON ORGANIC

Beau-Rivage Palace Hotel Place du Port 17-19, Lausanne brp.ch/en/home

La Mécanique des fluides Rue du Midi 20, Lausanne mecaniquedesfluides.ch

Edmond Gasser has been named Sommelier of the Year 2020 by the Gault&Millau guide. The Parisian, now in his thirties, is based at Anne-Sophie Pic’s restaurant and offers a fresh take on wine pairings, drawing on a cellar that is 70,000 bottles strong.

The brains behind this wine bar decided to showcase organic, natural wines, which are the perfect partners to a slate full of local produce. Not far from the station on Rue du Midi, the bar’s menu features a range of options – not just from Switzerland, but France, Italy and Spain too.

THE DOSSIER

A HISTORIC LOCATION

Housed in a building that dates all the way back to 1624, the Le Raisin hotel and restaurant is an iconic part of Lausanne’s wine tradition, with both its name and wine list giving guests an insight into the area’s winemaking heritage. During the summer, guests can enjoy vintages from around the region out on the terrace on Place de la Palud, just down from Place de la Riponne and the merry market-day atmosphere of Wednesdays and Saturdays. Le Raisin Place de la Palud 19, Lausanne leraisin-lausanne.ch

“Wine in Vaud is incredibly diverse”

WINE AND MUSIC: THE PERFECT PAIRING Who doesn’t love enjoying a glass of wine at a concert? You’ll find just that at Duke’s Bar in the city centre, which has been open for business since autumn 2017. The venue has since made a name for itself with a combination of wine (mostly Swiss), tapas, and live music, with everything from jazz, blues, swing and rock to classical, gypsy jazz and Balkan music on offer.

Johanna Dayer is aiming to be the first Swiss woman to obtain the wine industry’s highest distinction and become a Master of Wine. When she’s not studying or making wine, she loves to showcase the vinicultural riches that Switzerland, and Vaud in particular, have to offer.

Duke’s Bar Rue du Flon 12, Lausanne dukes-bar.ch

Interview by Tiago Pires

ALL EYES ON LAKE GENEVA

Perched up in the heights of Chexbres, the Bovy family residence has a traditional Vaud cellar, filled with the customary large oak barrels. Brunches are served to the cool sounds of a DJ out on a fabulous veranda, complete with views across Lake Geneva and the Alps. If it’s a wine tasting you’re after, you’ll be hard-pressed to resist the charm of this remote residence. Domaine Bovy Rue du Bourg de Plaît 15, 1071 Chexbres bovy.ch

To be awarded the honourable title of Master of Wine, Johanna Dayer must first learn a significant amount about the industry, from blind-tasting 36 wines to writing technical and scientific papers on the subject. But to Dayer, 29, from Valais, this is more than just work: she is passionate about wine, having been immersed in the culture of winemaking since she was a child. She believes that Swiss wine has a lot to offer and we should be exporting more of it.

How did your love affair with wine begin? Johanna Dayer: When I was a child, my dad used to take me to vineyards to look at the vines and smell the wine. As I got older, I started to taste it too. Deep down, I always knew I wanted to work with wine, but the real turning point for me was during an apprenticeship I did in Tuscany. The thing I love most about this industry is how it is always changing: there’s always some sort of innovation happening, or new things to learn, and you constantly need to be mindful of the vines and how they’re growing.

need to look inwards to find the answers, and think like a detective searching for clues. For example, you could zone in on a flavour like American oak, which has an unusual hint of coconut. So that wine is likely to be from Australia or California, or maybe a rioja. If you pick up on aromas that remind you of leather, it will be a rioja. But if the purity of the fruit shines through, then it’s probably a so-called New World wine, from somewhere like Australia or the United States. This is a simplified version of the thought process we go through, but it shows how we look for clues.

Why do you want to become a Master of Wine? Out of modesty. Becoming a Master of Wine means you stay humble, as you’re always trying to better yourself, stay open to other winemaking cultures, and explore the world of wine from different angles. During the Master of Wine blind tastings, you

If you succeed, you’ll be the first Swiss woman to become a Master of Wine. Does that add to the pressure? No, I don’t feel any pressure at all. The wine industry has embraced the presence of women because of pioneering individuals like Madeleine Gay and Marie-Thérèse Chappaz. They had it much tougher. →

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There is a different mentality today, and women of my generation have these historic figures to thank for that. Aside from your studies, you’re also involved with the Clos de Tsampéhro winery in Valais, which is known for its use of green manure. Why? We want to produce grand crus and we also want to offer top-quality wine. To that end, we decided to stop using pesticides and herbicides so we could beawarded the organic certification Le Bourgeon. We overhauled our entire system in the process and rethought our approach to winegrowing. We planted red clover, for example, to increase the amount of nitrogen in the soil and limit the amount of space for weeds. However, that then

means you need to cut the grass so it doesn’t take over. All of this has meant we’ve had to think about new ways of doing things. We’ve managed it, but it’s taken us four years of work. That shows you need to be understanding of wineries which don’t go green straight away. It takes time. There are things to learn and a step-bystep approach is needed. How would you define Vaud wine? There’s such a patchwork of different terroirs across the canton (soil, sunlight, grape varieties) that it’s difficult to come up with a single definition. Of course, you could consider chasselas, which reigns supreme here, but even in the case of chasselas the variety is hugely diverse. There are a lot

TDHIES C DO OVS ES R I EYR

of myths surrounding it, that it doesn’t age, it’s not complex, and so on. Yet it’s not as simple as you might think. It’s actually a particularly prized wine. Why? It’s a newcomer to the international winemaking scene. Lots of countries don’t understand how a table grape can be turned into a top-quality wine. People underestimate it, and treat it as a thirstquencher, but it deserves to be given recognition. It’s a cool, refreshing wine which is a great reflection of the region and its different areas. A chasselas from Dézaley will be totally different to one from Villette. That’s exactly where its strength lies and why it’s so valuable to us. ■

JOHANNA DAYER’S TOP PICKS

Johanna Dayer, a future Master of Wine and partner at the Clos de Tsampéhro (Valais), gives us her pick of the bunch, selected from the myriad of wine cellars and vineyards across the canton of Vaud. LA CÔTE Domaine Henri Cruchon (Echichens): “Catherine Cruchon is continuing the work her father started, with a particular focus on biodynamics. It is so interesting to explore this enterprising approach through her wines, which include a sulphite-free “Altesse” with aromas of peach. She also makes an excellent pinot noir and chasselas, both from different crus and terroirs.” La Colombe (Féchy): “Laura Paccot has a large domaine with ten different grape varieties, but her chasselas is divine. Her “Bayel” was the very first Vaud wine to beat Valais to the post and win the “Coupe Suisse du chasselas” award. She’s also

following in her father’s footsteps and exploring the concept of mutage*, which produces wine that’s similar to port.”

“Villette La Combe”. He is one of the region’s top winemakers. You know that with him, you’re getting good wine.”

LE LAVAUX Clos du Boux (Épesses): “Luc Massy’s “Chemin de Fer” chasselas is one of the region’s must-try wines. You can find it all over Switzerland, and it’s seen as an important part of Vaud’s heritage. Massy has also created a red “Chemin de Terre”, which is a blend of gamay, pinot noir and merlot. The idea here is the same as before: it’s a truly hearty wine.”

LE CHABLAIS Domaine de la Pierre-Latine (Yvorne): With Philippe Gex, chasselas yet again means something totally different – here it has an aroma of white fruit and a hint of aniseed, like with his “Clos du Crosex Grillé”. This just shows how you can get all sorts of flavours from the same grape variety when it’s grown on different terroirs.”

Bujard Vins (Villette): “Béat-Louis Bujard also makes an exceptional – albeit completely different – chasselas, like his

*Mutage is where alcohol is added to must (pressed grapes) to stop the fermentation process.

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF EXPO 64 Despite being intended as a temporary event, the gigantic 1964 exhibition, known as Expo 64, has left many a mark on the Lausanne landscape. We take a look back at its history and visit some of the sites which saw 11 million visitors in the space of just a few months.

The architect on the committee, Alberto Camenzind, had visions of a pop-up event. As he saw it, the installations would be dismantled once the event was over. However, almost 60 years later, traces of Expo 64 still remain, and can still be visited today, the perfect way to rediscover the spirit of an exhibition based on optimism and faith in the future.

By Erik Freudenreich

The tour starts in the neighbourhood of Sévelin. Visitors from all over Switzerland used to arrive at the temporary railway station, which was a spectacular architectural achievement according to Valloton: “It was a bold design, with two shallow arches suspended by a series of cables from four metal masts.” The building was designed to reflect the architectural modernity behind the rest of the event. “The station was part of Expo 64’s backdrop, while also playing a part in controlling the flow of visitors.” To start the walking tour, take the m2 metro from the train station to Place de l’Europe (Lausanne-Flon stop), then the m1 metro line towards Malley. From Flon, curious visitors may like to explore the neighbourhood of Sévelin, which has become a hot spot for the arts including contemporary dance shows at Théâtre Sévelin 36 and concerts at Les Docks. →

For six months, Switzerland’s gaze was fixed firmly on Lausanne when it hosted the 1964 Swiss National Exhibition. Over 11 million people attended the event, which took place between 30 April and 25 October. But the event, which was taking place in the Vaud canton for the first time, was not without controversy. “Most of the debate was about the location,” explains François Vallotton, a professor of history at the University of Lausanne. “A group of architects wanted to hold the exhibition further afield, in the triangle between Morges, Bussigny and Lausanne, where certain installations would have been permanent.” But instead, the organising committee opted for the banks of the lake in Vidy. Close to the city centre, this meant that visitors could tour the exhibition sites on foot. 49

D I SCOV E RY

Filled in and created for Expo 64, the Vallée de la Jeunesse owes its name to the “Nestlé garden” and its flying saucer for the site’s younger visitors. 1

THE SPACE RACE Once off the train, visitors had a ten-minute walk to the Vallée de la Jeunesse 1 , a small valley once filled by the Flon, where a number of different children’s activities were located. A fleet of miniature cars let children get to grips with rules of the road, while in another play area they could dress up as astronauts, a theme in keeping with the 1960s race to conquer space. “The Vallée de la Jeunesse was like Expo 64 in miniature, with a focus on the future and emphasis on the power of creation and progress,” Vallotton says. Today, the Vallée de la Jeunesse is open to the public around the clock, with a long path winding its way down towards the lake through lush greenery and playgrounds. The most famous surviving structure from the exhibition is the “Nestlé garden”, topped with a kind of concrete flying saucer, a construction that was “relatively innovative at the time”. Today, it is home to the Espace des inventions, an interactive science museum for children and their families. In 1973, the valley was also given a rose garden. This was intended as a symbol of youth, and is still going strong today with over 8,000 species on show. Visitors can make their way from one end to the other either on foot, by bike, or on skateboards.

Once through, they’ll see the Maladière roundabout, which was one of the first in Switzerland, and marks the end of the motorway that was built especially for the event. “The roundabout helped direct the traffic,” says Vallotton, “and provided the best possible way for people to exit the motorway.” STRETCHING ALONG THE LAKE After heading back from the Vallée de la Jeunesse, we come to the main event. Almost 250,000 m2 of land was reclaimed from the lake between Vidy and Bellerive to build this area, which had been left untouched and inaccessible until that point. “There were no objections to filling in the lake at the time,” Vallotton tells us. “The national exhibition project actually enjoyed a lot of support from the public in Lausanne, thanks to its positive impact on the local economy and the city’s infrastructure.” Nowadays, these shores are the perfect place for a stroll, with sweeping stretches of lawn and sand all along the edge of the lake. Expo 64 had a total of eight different sectors. The first was la voie Suisse 2 , or “The Swiss Way.” This was the event's main attraction, 50

where visitors could look back over the country’s history and political system, as well as its values and aspirations for the future. Other sectors on the Swiss way of life, communication and transport, industry and crafts, trade and the Swiss Army and its defence capabilities surrounded it. The Earth area and the forest with its many trees showcased nature and the work done on farms and vineyards, while the installations in the harbour were dedicated to leisure, with restaurants, cafés and shops. A monorail 3 , the télécanapé, and even nippy shuttle services meant that getting from one area to the next was quick and easy. These are all gone now, but it’s easy to imagine visitors in 1964 roaming this site like a giant Luna Park. To get a taste of the experience, little ones can still ride around a small hill on board the Petit train de Vidy, a small attraction that was also built for Expo 64.

Views across the entire site were to be had from the Spiral Tower, a staggering 101 meters high, and punters could also get their sightseeing fix on the Auguste Piccard mesoscaphe, a passenger submarine 4 currently on display at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne. The inventor of this submarine was none other than the grandfather of Bertrand Piccard, who co-piloted the solar-powered aeroplane Solar Impulse on a round-the-world flight between March 2015 and July 2016. All the Expo 64 structures were expected to disappear again, however, the Théâtre de Vidy survived, and is now one of the exhibition’s most iconic architectural remnants. It was designed by Zurich-born architect and designer Max Bill, whose bright structure was built using a prefabricated modular system. “The theatre had quite an impact on the public during the → 51

«Ensemble, tout devient possible.»

D I SCOV E RY

The mesoscaphe passenger submarine designed by Auguste Piccard in 1953 would be built by his son Jacques 10 years later, and dive into the lake over a thousand times.

exhibition, which was one of the main reasons that a group headed up by stage director Charles Apothéloz was able to save what has since become a hot spot on Lausanne’s cultural scene.” At the other end of the site are the famous Pyramides de Vidy, a familiar sight for Lausanne residents today. Here, two concrete pyramids, built to resemble Aztec and Mayan ruins in Mexico, are surrounded by vast swathes of lawn. “It’s funny to think how this space, which was intended to remind people of tradition and the Swiss Confederation’s political system, has since been taken over by fringe youth groups as an edgy party venue.” ■

Note: Dive deeper into the remains of the Exhibition with the book Revisiter l’Expo 64, under the direction of Olivier Lugon and François Vallotton, PPUR (2014).

M1 MALLEY

VALLÉE DE LA JEUNESSE

COMITÉ INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIQUE

M2 LAUSANNE FLON

ESPACE DES INVENTIONS

RUINES ROMAINES DE VIDY

BOWL DE VIDY

LAUSANNE TRAIN STATION

www.vaudoise.ch

PLAGE DE VIDY-BOURGET

PULLY-NORD

THÉÂTRE VIDY-LAUSANNE

PYRAMIDES DE VIDY

200 M

Agence générale de Lausanne Jean-Michel Parra, Agent général Rue Pichard 22, 1003 Lausanne T 021 310 02 02

PISCINE DE BELLERIVE

Heureux. Ensemble. Depuis 125 ans. PULLY

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CGN EMBARCADÈRE LAUSANNE-OUCHY

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LAKE GENEVA

57° Grill Place du Port 1006 Lausanne Äta Avenue de Rumine 22 1005 Lausanne Al Sacco Rue du Simplon 13 1006 Lausanne Be Oh ! Rue de Bourg 16 1003 Lausanne Caveau Corto Chemin du Four 1091 Grandvaux Coffee Page Rue du Midi 20 1003 Lausanne Creacion del Tata Rue de la Borde 9 1018 Lausanne Duke’s Bar Rue du Flon 12 1003 Lausanne La Croix d’Ouchy Avenue d'Ouchy 43 1006 Lausanne La Mécanique des fluides Rue du Midi 20 1003 Lausanne Le Meraki Place de la Riponne 10 1005 Lausanne Le Milan Boulevard de Grancy 54 1006 Lausanne Le Raisin Place de la Palud 19 1003 Lausanne Le Spot Rue du Midi 12 1003 Lausanne Le Tokyo Rue des Côtes-de-Montbenon 22 1003 Lausanne Le Vieux-Lausanne Rue Pierre-Viret 6 1003 Lausanne Lucha Libre Place de l’Ours 1 1005 Lausanne Sushi Zen Palace Rue du Grand-Chêne 7-9 1002 Lausanne Ta Cave Rue du Simplon 35 1006 Lausanne

SHOPPING 20

Épicerie Chez Laurène Chemin de Bérée 22D 1010 Lausanne Galerie Port-Franc Rue des Côtes-de-Montbenon 14 1003 Lausanne JSBG Store Rue des Deux-Marchés 13 1005 Lausanne Librairie HumuS Rue des Terreaux 18 bis 1003 Lausanne Terre Vaudoise Rue de Genève 100 1004 Lausanne

HOTEL 25

MONUMENTS & ARCHITECTURE 36

CINEMA 39

Hôtel Beau-Rivage Palace Place du Port 17-19 1006 Lausanne

MUSEUMS 26

Château d'Aigle Place du Château 1 1860 Aigle Fondation de l’Hermitage Route du Signal 2 1018 Lausanne Lavaux Vinorama Route du Lac 2 1071 Rivaz Le Musée Olympique Quai d'Ouchy 1 1006 Lausanne

Cinéma Bellevaux Route Aloys-Fauquez 4 1018 Lausanne Cinéma Capitole Avenue du Théâtre 6 1005 Lausanne

Cinémathèque suisse Casino de Montbenon Allée Ernest-Ansermet 3 1003 Lausanne

PLEIN AIR 42

Parc de Valency Route de Prilly 18 1004 Lausanne

TRANSPORTATION Gare Lausanne-CFF Place de la Gare 1003 Lausanne

Transports publics lausannois (tl)

VINERIES 30

Cathédrale de Lausanne Place de la Cathédrale 1005 Lausanne Château d’Ouchy Place du Port 1006 Lausanne Stade de la Tuilière Route de Romanel 20 1018 Lausanne

Domaine Bovy Rue du Bourg de Plaît 15 1071 Chexbres Domaine de l'Abbaye de Mont Route de Etraz 3 1185 Mont-sur-Rolle Domaine du Burignon Chemin de Burignon 2 1071 Saint-Saphorin Domaine du Château Rochefort Place de l'Église 1165 Allaman Domaine du Clos des Abbayes Chemin du Dézaley 1071 Puidoux Domaine du Clos des Moines Chemin du Dézaley 1071 Puidoux

m1 Metro m2 Metro

DISTRICTS TOWN CENTRE RÔTILLON FLON CITÉ – MON-REPOS TRAIN STATION – OUCHY SAUVABELIN PULLY

U N M I S SA B LE PL AC E S

UNMISSABLE PLACES

DISTRICTS

CITÉ/MON-REPOS It is around the Cité hill, sculpted by the Flon and Louve rivers, that the medieval town grew. Its cobble-stoned pedestrian streets as well as its monuments bear witness to this. Then, as soon as you cross the Bessières Bridge, the scenery changes completely. The Caroline district possesses a shopping mall, many bars, restaurants and boutiques. A bit further to the east, the Mon-Repos Park offers a green and tranquil haven, interrupted from time to time by the twittering of birds in its aviary.

PLACES YOU MUST VISIT

The essentials on www.lausanne-tourisme.ch/en/highlights

LAUSANNE CATHEDRAL

Live music

DOCKS.CH

Lausanne

The Cathedral, considered one of the most beautiful Gothic buildings in Switzerland, was consecrated in 1275. Don’t miss the rose window, the painted portal, the 13th century choir stalls, the ancient and modern stained glass windows and the great organs. The bravest will admire the panoramic view from the belfry (entrance fee) after climbing the 224 stairs. Open tours of the Cathedral and free guided tours during the summer.

MUSÉE HISTORIQUE LAUSANNE

Within the walls of the Old Bishop’s Palace, this Lausanne historical museum speaks of the town’s rich past and features a famous model that offers an exceptional view of the 17th century Cité. Temporary exhibitions, inspired by the research conducted on its collections, explore the thousand years of this heritage. A novel approach to the town’s history: smart multimedia!

mudac This space is dedicated to design and contemporary applied arts. You set off on an intense and surprising journey where antique Egyptian and Asian art stand side by side with current designers’ latest creations. The museum organises encounters and themed guided tours, and regularly welcomes performing arts such as dance, music and other types of performances. Until its temporary closure on August 30, 2020, the museum is preparing to move its collections to PLATFORM 10.

U N M I S SA B LE PL AC E S

ESCALIERS DU MARCHÉ A direct but abrupt route between the Cathedral and the town centre, this wooden stairway first mentioned during the 13th century exists in its present form since the beginning of the 18th century:

MON-REPOS PARK

Open to the public, it’s one of the most popular parks for Lausanne inhabitants of all ages, with its huge lawns, aviaries of exotic birds, playgrounds and ephemeral sculptures.

U N M I S SA B LE PL AC E S

roofed and winding, with a very steep cobbled street running alongside. An integral part of Lausanne’s popular iconography, it is lined on the west with a picturesque row of boutiques and cafés.

In the intertwining lanes of one of Lausanne’s oldest neighbourhoods that was recently renovated, works of art, a Titeuf fresco, small, original shops and bohemian cafés now attract the trendy crowds. One of the trendy new neighbourhoods in Lausanne, the Rôtillon feels like a corner of Italy in the heart of the town.

PLACE DE LA PALUD

A polychrome statue, symbolising justice, stands imposingly on the Renaissance fountain in the centre of this pedestrian square, where the Town Hall is also located. Opposite, tourists and children wait, every hour on the hour from 9 am to 7 pm, for the ballet of animated figures to the sound of the carillon.

PALAIS DE RUMINE

FLON DISTRICT

MONTBENON ESPLANADE

COLLECTION DE L’ART BRUT

RÔTILLON NEIGHBOURHOOD

Erected at the end of the 19 th century on the Place de la Riponne, this Italianatestyle building houses a host of treasures in its various museums of science, such as the largest naturalised great white shark.

Stroll down its various alleys to catch a glimpse of an orangery as well as a neoGothic tower overlooking a cave and a waterfall.

PLACES YOU MUST VISIT

DISTRICT

TOWN CENTRE This is where the city’s energy is most animated both by day and night. From ancient buildings to trendy new districts, tread the cobblestones and broad avenues to make the most of shopping amongst major brands and local designers. It’s also the axis of nightlife with concert halls and an opera, plus bars and clubs that will keep you awake until the early hours of the morning.

PLACE SAINT-FRANÇOIS & CHURCH

Lausanne’s residents like to meet up in this central square dominated by a mediaeval church that has become a hub for music and dialogue with contemporary art in all its guises. The square welcomes every Wednesday and Saturday morning the famous market stands of Lausanne. 58

It’s the town’s architectural success: this district of former warehouses that begins at the Place de l’Europe was rehabilitated as a living area with a wide array of restaurants, bars, clubs, boutiques, cinemas and exhibition spaces. A must is to enjoy a drink on one of the rooftop terraces.

Making the most of one of the town’s most beautiful openings on Lake Geneva and the Alps, you can lounge on the lawns in front of the District Court or enjoy a meal on a terrace. If it’s raining, you might like to visit the Swiss Film Archive in the Casino de Montbenon.

The town created this museum, unique in the world, in 1976 in exchange for the legacy of 5,000 works of outsider art belonging to artist Jean Dubuffet. Located opposite the Beaulieu Palace, this institution today owns over 70,000 works, 700 of which are displayed permanently, and exports its exhibitions all over the world.

U N M I S SA B LE PL AC E S

DISTRICTS

TRAIN STATION/OUCHY The neighbourhoods located between the Ouchy quays, by the lakeside, and the Lausanne train station are perfect for a revitalising stroll. They unveil several green oases, elegant Belle Époque dwellings bordering broad avenues and two internationally renowned museums. Since 2008, the rubber-tired m2 metro has replaced the “Ficelle” (the “String”), which was, in 1877, one of the first metropolitan railways in the world.

PLACES YOU MUST VISIT

A haven of peace AS YOU WOULD NOT EXPECT IN SUCH A CENTRAL LOCATION

CRÊT DE MONTRIOND & PLACE DE MILAN

Best Western Plus Hôtel Mirabeau Avenue de la Gare 31 1003 Lausanne, Suisse T +41 21 341 42 43 contact@mirabeau.ch

The hotel is one of the unsung treasures of the city. It is located just 400 meters from the train station and Lausanne’s Métro. The 4-star hotel offers 75 quiet rooms.

DENANTOU PARK

Initially privately held, until opened to the public in 1928, this park was laid out during the 19 th century in the English fashion by a banker. Allow your children to caper about in the wild meadows surrounded by copses, flower bed displays and statues, or to play with the water from the pond. Since 2007, a Thai pavilion with a golden roof adorns this green area; it was given to the town by His Majesty the late King of Thailand in gratitude for the years he spent in Lausanne between 1933 and 1951.

Inaugurated at the end of the 19th century, this square’s vast lawns, football fields, playgrounds, fountain and shady alley draw in families in all seasons. Reach the Crêt de Montriond by a winding path to discover a 360° panorama of the Lavaux vineyards, Lake Geneva and the Alps. A little corner of paradise, the Botanical Gardens boast a stunning array of almost 4,000 alpine, medicinal, tropical and carnivorous plants (free entry).

www.mirabeau.ch 61

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16.04.19 13:32

U N M I S SA B LE PL AC E S

ÉLYSÉE MUSEUM & GARDENS

PERMANENT COLLECTION

The collection Free entrance

TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS

Under the Skin. Vienna 1900, from Klimt to Schiele and Kokoschka Extented until 23.8.2020

OLYMPIC MUSEUM & PARK

This 30-year-old museum, one of the first to be entirely dedicated to photography, gained its international aura thanks to the quality and originality of its exhibitions in Lausanne, then exported all over the world, as well as the dozen complete collections and archives,* amongst which are those of Charlie Chaplin, Nicolas Bouvier and Ella Maillart. The beautiful mansion, that welcomed Mme de Staël in 1807, is surrounded by a French formal garden laid out in terraces with a spectacular view of the Alps and Lake Geneva. Until its provisional closure in the summer of 2020, the museum is preparing to move its collections to PLATFORM 10.

Unique in the world, the Olympic Museum forms Lausanne’s main cultural attraction. Each of its three levels is dedicated to a particular aspect of modern Olympism, largely featuring new interactive communication media. You may need several visits to explore everything. In any case, a pause at the Tom Café is welcome, with its terrace on the uppermost floor that offers a splendid view of Lake Geneva and the Alps. In the park, admire the collection of sculptures and test your speed on a proper running track. Strolling through the landscaped terraces, you’ll reach the monument on the shores of the lake.

CRUISES ON A BELLE ÉPOQUE

CANTONAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS (MUSEE CANTONAL DES BEAUX-ARTS (MCBA))

* The exhibitions are temporary. Refer to the programme.

Kiki Smith. Hearing You with My Eyes 9.10.2020 – 10.1.2021 ESPACE PROJET

Taus Makhacheva. 4’224,92 cm2 of Degas Extended until 23.8.2020 Jorge Macchi. The Submerged Cathedral 11.9 – 22.11.2020 Anne Rochat. Manor Vaud Culture Prize 2020 11.12.2020 – 14.2.2021 Free entrance

ESPACE FOCUS

Yersin Drawer. Quittez mines grises, le printemps est là ! Until 20.9.2020 Giovanni Giacometti. Watercolours 16.10.2020 – 17.1.2021 Free entrance

It’s impossible to leave Lausanne without having sailed on Lake Geneva aboard one of the Compagnie Générale de Navigation’s vessels. In addition to crossing the lake to the French shore, its Belle Époque fleet – the largest in the world – takes you on board for a gourmet cruise. From May to September, you can sail closer to the coastline on board the solar-powered boats “Les Aquarels du Léman”, to observe the fauna and flora in tranquillity.

It is one of the oldest Swiss museums dedicated exclusively to art. Since 2019, MCBA has been located just a stone’s throw from the station, on the PLATFORM 10 site. A selection of 200 works from the collection of more than 10,000 works can be admired over two floors, in this building considered architecturally exceptional. It is designed to provide its visitors with new original spaces: a restaurant, a bookstore boutique, an auditorium and a library.

mcba.ch 63

U N M I S SA B LE PL AC E S

DISTRICTS

VIDY/UNIVERSITIES The western part of Lausanne is dominated by the university campus that includes the University and the Federal Institute of Technology. A location close to the lakeside loved by the 26,000 students who can take part in a broad array of nautical sports.

PLACES YOU MUST VISIT

« MORE THAN 105’000 PATIENTS TRUST US EVERY YEAR » • 7 operating theatres all equipped with the latest technology • More than 540 independent qualified doctors • Close to 600 employees at your service

La qualité au service de votre santé www.lasource.ch

BELLERIVE SWIMMING POOL & CRAZY GOLF This outdoor swimming pool is equipped with large pools, up to 10-metre diving boards and fun paddling pools for children. Would you rather chill out? Lounge on the large lawns or on the (supervised) beach with direct access to the lake. Restaurants and refreshment stalls on the spot. Next to the pool, the Bellerive crazy golf is an invitation to playful relaxation ideal for families or friends.

PARC LOUIS-BOURGET & PLAGE DE VIDY Between shoreline forest and meadows, the Louis-Bourget Park is a nature reserve that hosts a bird sanctuary, a pond bordered with fireflies, a fitness trail and a large playground. It’s also an ideal destination for hot summer evenings: come and use the barbecues and grills set on the lawns before enjoying a game of football or relaxing on Vidy beach! You’ll also meet many walkers strolling on the pleasant path that runs along the lakeside.

U N M I S SA B LE PL AC E S

DISTRICTS

SAUVABELIN/CHALET-À-GOBET

OLYMPIC HOUSE With its shape inspired by the movement of an athlete, Olympic House is one of the most sustainable buildings in the world. Designed to reflect the IOC’s overarching mission to make the world a better place through sport, it brings together the entire staff of the IOC – that is 500 employees – under one roof. (Closed to the public.)

ROMANE MUSEUM & GALLO-ROMAN RUINS

The Lausanne-Vidy Roman Museum offers a presentation of the Gallo-Roman Lousonna (Lausanne), as well as various temporary exhibitions. In a bucolic setting that blends greenery, a body of water and ruins, don’t miss the walk around the remains of the Lousonna vicus (village) dating from 15 BC, one of the largest in Switzerland. This archaeological park was redesigned in 2019.

ESPACE DES INVENTIONS Are your children budding scientists? The Invention Space is a place for them! Housed in a strange building with a concave roof dating from the National Exhibition, its vocation is to arouse young people’s interest in science and technique thanks to interactive and entertaining exhibitions that are regularly renewed.

North of the town, vast expanses of forest, representing 400/₀ of the municipal surface area, offer many opportunities for walks and outdoor sports activities. At an altitude of 873 m, Le Chalet-à-Gobet is the culminating point of the Lausanne urban area, 500 m above Lake Geneva. Sauvabelin’s bucolic setting, with its lake, park and tower, will delight you.

PLACES YOU MUST VISIT

UNIVERSITY CAMPUS & ROLEX LEARNING CENTER

The university campus includes the Lausanne Federal Institute of Technology and Lausanne University, the first buildings of which were erected in the 1970s. Since then, the site has rapidly expanded and integrated buildings, the architecture of which is admired beyond Swiss borders. It’s the case of the Rolex Learning Center’s gentle undulations, created by the Japanese architecture firm SANAA, that serves as a place of learning, meeting and exchanges, and includes a library housing more than 500,000 volumes.

AQUATIS

This innovative architectural complex, easily reached by metro, integrates the largest freshwater aquarium in Europe and the Lausanne Vivarium. Follow the discovery

trail that includes 50 tanks displaying about 20 aquatic ecosystems from across the five continents.

U N M I S SA B LE PL AC E S

HERMITAGE COUNTRY ESTATE & FOUNDATION

CHALET-À-GOBET & MAUVERNAY SPORTS CENTRE

– GARDEN & SCULPTURES –

This village includes a hotel school, a ski slope, an equestrian centre as well as a golf course. Its sports centre offers running and mountainbike trails (changing showers available).

In the centre of the Hermitage Estate sits an imposing mansion built around 1850 and which today houses a famous museum of paintings. In the English-style gardens populated with majestic trees, benches invite you to contemplate a unique panorama of the old town, the lake and the mountains.

SAUVABELIN PARK & LAKE

SAUVABELIN TOWER

Switzerland’s most spectacular garden Open until October 25th 2020 Become a member, enjoy many exclusive advantages and discover the five Grand Cru estate wines.

75 acres of themed garden with a 180° degree view of the Alps and Lake Geneva A collection of thousands of seasonal flowers A sculpture park featuring over 80 large contemporary works The King Lizard’s Kingdom for families Art Gallery, gift shop, estate wine tasting

Photos: Régis Colombo

chateauvullierens.ch/en/wine-club

• • • • •

www.chateauvullierens.ch | 079 274 79 64

Created in 1888 in the heart of an oak forest, the Sauvabelin lake rapidly became a soughtafter strolling area for Lausanne people. You can rent a small boat during the summer or walk along its shores. The surrounding park is very popular with children, who discover unusual animals such as woolly pigs, grey cows, booted goats and mirror sheep.

This tower built of solid, local wood in a spirit of environmental respect is one of the many destinations for a hike above the town since 2003. Enjoy the 360° view from a height of 35 metres after climbing the 151 steps of its double spiral staircase. Free access.

CA LE N DA R

LAUSANNE SURROUNDINGS The calendar of not-to-be-missed events

18.09 → 20.09.20 LABEL SUISSE – 100% SWISS MUSIC FESTIVAL www.labelsuisse.ch

25.10.20 LAUSANNE MARATHON 2020 www.lausanne-marathon.com

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19.11 → 31.12.20 BÔ NOËL LAUSANNE – CHRISTMAS MARKETS www.bo-noel.ch

19.11 → 31.12.20 FESTIVAL LAUSANNE LUMIÈRES www.lausannelumieres.ch

17.09 → 21.09.20

BDFIL – Lausanne Comic Strip Festival

www.bdfil.ch

18.09 → 20.09.20

Label Suisse – 100% Swiss Music Festival

www.labelsuisse.ch

02.10 → 14.10.20

Knie Circus

www.knie.ch

14.10 → 18.10.20

Lausanne Underground Film & Music Festival

www.luff.ch

25.10.20

Lausanne Marathon 2020

www.lausanne-marathon.com

28.10 → 01.11.20

JazzOnze+ Festival Lausanne

www.jazzonzeplus.ch

19.11 → 31.12.20

Bô Noël Lausanne – Christmas Markets

www.bo-noel.ch

19.11 → 31.12.20

Festival Lausanne Lumières

www.lausannelumieres.ch

www.lausanne-tourisme.ch/en/events

Non-exhaustive list; dates are subject to change.

06.05.20 15:02

U S E F U L I N FO R M AT I O N

(RE)DISCOVER THE ADDRESSES OF

LAUSANNE TOURISME

TOURIST INFORMATION Three Tourist Office information and welcome centres are at your service at the CFF train station, the Cathedral and by the lakeside at the m2 metro “OuchyOlympique” station. You will find a host of services at your disposal there – public transport passes, maps, recommended routes and excursions from Lausanne, various brochures, lists of hotels, help and emergency services, etc. – as well as culture and leisure news.

PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICES LAUSANNE TRAIN STATION Pl. de la Gare 9 CFF train station main hall September to May: every day: 9 am → 6 pm June to August: every day: 9 am → 7 pm

LAUSANNE CONVENTION BUREAU Administration Av. de Rhodanie 2 Case postale 975 CH-1001 Lausanne +41 21 613 73 73 www.lausanne-tourisme.ch/en/ info@lausanne-tourisme.ch

METRO M2 STATION “OUCHY-OLYMPIQUE” September to May: every day: 9 am → 6 pm July to August: every day: 9 am → 7 pm LAUSANNE CATHEDRAL April, May and September: Monday to Saturday: 9.30 am → 1 pm / 2 pm → 6.30 pm; Sunday: 1 pm → 5.30 pm July and August: Monday to Saturday: 9.30 am → 1 pm / 2 pm → 6.30 pm; Sunday: 1 pm → 5.30 pm October to March: Monday to Saturday: 9.30 am → 1 pm / 2 pm → 5 pm; Sunday: 2 pm → 5 pm www.lausanne-tourisme.ch/tourismoffices

TOWN OF LAUSANNE – INFO CITÉ Information point for the town of Lausanne, the “info cité” office’s mission is to inform, orient and guide Lausanne people and passing guests. Place de la Palud 2 1002 Lausanne Monday to Friday: 8 am → 5 pm +41 21 315 25 55 www.lausanne.ch/infocite infocite@lausanne.ch

GENERAL INFORMATION LAUSANNE IN SHORT Lausanne benefits from a privileged location in the heart of Europe. It is easily reached by train, car or boat. If you fly in, you can choose between Geneva International Airport (40 minutes away) and Zurich International Airport (2 hours 30 minutes away).

LAUSANNE, CAPITAL OF THE CANTON OF VAUD AND FOURTHLARGEST TOWN IN SWITZERLAND Lausanne sparkles with energy, by its capacity to innovate and the diversity its tourism offers. It hosts the headquarters of several multinational companies, renowned universities and research centres, dozens of international sports federations and many cultural institutions.

POPULATION Town of Lausanne Urban area Vaud Canton

146,000 inhabitants 400,000 inhabitants 806,000 inhabitants

LANGUAGE Official language

French

GEOGRAPHY Latitude Longitude

46°32’ N 06°40’ E

ALTITUDE 372 m by the lakeside 495 m in the town centre 852 m north of the town

LOCAL TIME ZONE GMT+1 (summer time +1 = March to October)

CLIMATE Average annual temperature 14°C Average summer temperature 24°C Due to the city’s wide altitude range (500 m), the climate changes according to the district as a 1°C temperature disparity is recorded for every 100 m. For example, in winter it is quite common for the upper part of the city to be snowbound for many weeks.

U S E F U L I N FO R M AT I O N Affaire traitée par

PRACTICAL LAUSANNE

Tissons des liens • • •

Conseil de direction Expertises Evaluations d’entreprises

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Conseils et services fiscaux

• • •

Gestion fiduciaire et administration de sociétés Conseils et services juridiques Révision

• •

Révision de comptes des collectivités publiques Gestion financière et comptable

•

Comptabilité et gestion des salaires

Ofisa S.A . Siège social de Lausanne Chemin des Charmettes 7 • Case postale 7063 CH-1002 Lausanne • Tél. +41 21 341 81 11 Fax +41 21 311 13 51 • Email. fidu@ofisa.ch Succursales à Genève et Sion

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Here are useful contact details to keep at hand and make your stay easier. You have access to all the necessary information at our three information offices spread across the town.

1970-2020

ans

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

CURRENCY Swiss franc (CHF) 1 euro = 1.05 Swiss Franc (indicative rate)

112 International number for emergency calls Ofisa S.A. Lausanne Ch. des Charmettes 7 Case postale 7063 CH-1002 Lausanne Tél. +41 21 341 81 11 Fax +41 21 311 13 51

Genève Place de Saint-Gervais 1 Case postale 1988 CH-1211 Genève 1 Tél. +41 22 311 24 66

Sion Av. de la Gare 16 Case postale CH-1951 Sion Tél. +41 27 323 78 18

Email fidu@ofisa.ch • www.ofisa.ch

Ofisa s.a. Lausanne • Ch. des Charmettes 7 • Case postale 7063 • CH-1002 Lausanne • Tél +41 21 341 81 11 • Fax +41 21 311 13 51 • Email info@ofisa.ch • www.ofisa.ch

117 Police (crimes and theft, emergencies only) 118 Fire brigade

EXCHANGE OFFICE Lausanne train station Monday to Friday: 8 am → 6.30 pm; Saturday: 9 am → 6 pm; Sunday: 10 am → 6 pm

140 Roadside assistance service 144 Ambulance

USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS

POST OFFICES

+41 21 314 11 11 CHUV (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois)

Vo s d é fi s , n o t r e m é t i e r

IN THE TOWN CENTRE Pl. Saint-François 15 +41 848 888 888 Monday to Friday: 7.30 am → 6.30 pm; Saturday: 8 am → 11.30 am

+41 848 133 133 Centre for on-call doctors 1811 Directory enquiry services 11.05.20 10:56

AT THE TRAIN STATION Pl. de la Gare 1/Av. de la Gare 43 bis +41 848 888 888 Monday to Friday: 8 am → 6.30 pm; Saturday: 8am → 4 pm; Sunday: 4 pm → 7 pm www.poste.ch/en

162 Swiss weather forecast 163 Road traffic information

LOST PROPERTY OFFICE LAUSANNE POLICE STATION Pl. de la Riponne 10 +41 21 315 33 85 Information by telephone only in the morning Monday to Friday: 1 pm → 4 pm www.lausanne.ch/en

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ULTRA-CONNECTED LAUSANNE The town is constantly developing hotspots providing free internet access. Currently, 10 WiFi hubs are available in the town’s main squares: Flon, Palud, Riponne, Gare, Saint-François, Montbenon, Navigation, Port, Musée Historique, Blécherette Airport.

USEFUL MOBILE APPLICATIONS Find here the applications that are useful for your stay in Lausanne. Calendar, hotels, self-service bike rentals, public transport and much more! MORE INFORMATION AT: www.lausanne-tourisme.ch/en/mobile-apps

MORE INFORMATION AT: www.lausanne-tourisme.ch/good-to-know

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U S E F U L I N FO R M AT I O N

LAUSANNE, AT THE HEART OF THE LAKE GENEVA REGION Situated in the heart of Europe, the Olympic Capital is also the ideal departure point for exploring the charming lake, mountains, countryside, vineyards and forests of the surrounding area.

MOVE IN LAUSANNE You can reach Lausanne across land, air or even water. This model town for sustainable development possesses a network of public transport that makes it ideal to set off from and explore.

A CARD THAT OFFERS YOU TRANSPORT AND DISCOUNTS!

www.lausanne-tourisme.ch/ltc

Don’t forget to ask the establishment providing your lodging for your personal Lausanne Transport Card & More (LTC)! You can use public transport (bus, train, metro) as you please during your whole stay (maximum 15 days) in Lausanne and its surroundings. But that’s not all! Thanks to our partners, you benefit from exceptional discounts and advantages from many museums, shops and other leisure activity providers.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN THE LAUSANNE REGION The “tl_live” application lets you purchase your ticket, look up itineraries and real-time schedules (in French only). FLON CUSTOMER CENTRE Pl. de l’Europe 5b +41 21 621 01 11 Monday to Friday: 7 am → 7 pm; Saturday: 9 am → 6 pm www.t-l.ch/en

MORE INFORMATION AT: www.lausanne-tourisme.ch/transport-cardand-more

“GRAND LAUSANNE” MOBILIS DAY PASS Full fare: CHF 9.30; reduced fare: CHF 6.90. This pass entitles you to whole-day-use of all the public transport companies belonging to the Vaud tariff community present in the Grand Lausanne perimeter (i.e. Lausanne and its immediate surroundings). Available from ticket dispensers or points of sale. For more information, see: www.mobilis-vaud.ch

U S E F U L I N FO R M AT I O N

USEFUL INFORMATION CHEMINS DE FER FÉDÉRAUX (CFF) Consulting the timetables for national or international connections from or to Lausanne, preparing your trip and buying tickets to travel in Switzerland becomes child’s play with “Mobile CFF” application. CFF information – Passenger service: Pl. de la Gare 5a +41 848 44 66 88 (within Switzerland) +41 51 220 11 11 (calling from abroad) www.sbb.ch/en

GENEVA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Second in Switzerland after Zurich, Geneva Airport is a 45-minute train ride from Lausanne (five trains every hour). It benefits from a network serving 142 direct destinations, 23 of which are intercontinental. Rte. de l’Aéroport 21, Grand-Saconnex +41 900 57 15 00 (information about departures and arrivals) www.gva.ch/en

COMPAGNIE GÉNÉRALE DE NAVIGATION (CGN) From the simple lake crossing to go to France to a gourmet cruise on a Belle Époque paddle-wheel vessel, every experience on the Lake Geneva waters becomes an unforgettable memory. Av. de Rhodanie 17 +41 900 929 929 www.cgn.ch/en

LA BLÉCHERETTE LAUSANNE AIRPORT This aeronautical facility – that celebrated its hundredth year in 2016 – is located nearby Lausanne’s town centre. First flights and air-taxis. Av. du Grey 117 +41 21 646 15 51 www.lausanne-airport.ch

LEB RAILWAY Would you like to spend a day in the countryside? Embark on the Lausanne – Echallens – Bercher train that departs from the Flon. Bikes and pushchairs are welcome on board. Gare Lausanne-Chauderon +41 21 621 01 11 www.leb.ch

PUBLIBIKE – SELF-SERVICE BIKE RENTALS You will find all the information on the offers and the networks to Lausanne-Morges on the PubliBike site. +41 848 09 08 07 www.publibike.ch/en/publibike

www.lausanne-tourisme.ch/en/getting-around-in-lausanne

FIND ACCOMMODATION IN LAUSANNE Would you like to stay at a centrally located, low-priced establishment after enjoying Lausanne’s nightlife, or do you dream of spending the night in a 5-star hotel overlooking the lake? Do you need a comfortable room near the EPFL congress centre? How about a hotel with seminar rooms and high-tech facilities? Or do you imagine a romantic weekend in a boutique hotel? With more than 7,000 beds from 1- to 5-star superior spread over 60 or so establishments, the city of Lausanne allows all its guests to be put up in the best conditions, whether they are here on business or for leisure. MORE INFORMATION AT: www.lausanne-tourisme.ch/hotels (for hotel bookings)

Lausanne Insider Tips

Camille, the wonder hunter

Victoria, the green smoothie

Discover the city differently

SWEET LAUSANNE

TASTE MY SWISS CITY LAUSANNE

www.lausanne-tourisme.ch/activities

Discover the magic of the city and its secrets accompanied by a certified guide. Explore all the subtleties of Lausanne: its centre, its antique and modern architecture, its picturesque spots and its famous trendy district. As a finale and to make this experience unforgettable, a tasty surprise will be waiting for you. Yummy!

A journey of culinary discovery. The starter, the main course and the dessert are served in 3 different locations in the heart of the city, all recommended by local experts. Choose your culinary experience and indulge your senses!

A TRAVEL JOURNAL FOR YOUR FAMILY VISIT TO LAUSANNE To entertain your children while you visit the town, Lausanne Tourisme offers them a Travel Journal packed with fun and creative activities, together with colour pencils, a pencil sharpener, an eraser and a tube of glue, all in a very light pouch.

SĂŠbastien the explorer

Come and pick up a Travel Journal for each of your children aged five to 10 in one of our tourist information offices, making sure you bring your LTC. www.lausanne-tourisme.ch/en/travel-journal

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR SPECIAL PACKAGES AND GOOD IDEAS AT:

Information offices: Ouchy, Train station, Cathedral +41 21 613 73 73 info@lausanne-tourisme.ch

www.lausanne-tourisme.ch/activities

Find out more about the Lausanners and their insider tips on www.thelausanner.ch

U S E F U L I N FO R M AT I O N

ACTIVITIES FOR THOSE ON TIGHT BUDGETS A leisure offer accessible to all

TO ENSURE THAT ITS RANGE OF RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES REMAINS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL, THE CITY OF LAUSANNE PUTS ON VARIOUS ACTIVITIES FOR THOSE ON A MODEST BUDGET. HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF OUTINGS TO BE ENJOYED AS A FAMILY OR AMONG FRIENDS:

BETWEEN CHF 0 AND CHF 8.50 • AquaSplash with 5 giant flumes, Renens (between CHF 4 and CHF 8)

FREE OF CHARGE • Vidy Bowl for skaters

• Concert at Saint-François church every Saturday at 5 pm

• Climbing the Cathedral tower (from CHF 1 to CHF 5)

• Hundreds of multi-coloured birds at the Mon-Repos Park aviary

• Vidy bowling alley (between CHF 4.50 and CHF 7.50 per person)

• Free entry to most museums on the first Saturday of the month

• Flon bowling alley (between CHF 5 and CHF 8.50 per person)

• Midday concert every Wednesday from October to March at the Haute École de Musique de Lausanne

• Bellerive minigolf (free up to age 4, CHF 6 until age 16, then CHF 8) • Vidy miniature train (CHF 3 per journey)

• Mountain biking at Chalet-à-Gobet • Climbing the Sauvabelin Tower