Lausanne

Sister cities

• Pernik
• Bangkok
• Osijek
• Moscow
• Bicaz
• Akhisar

Geography

The most important geographical feature of the area surrounding Lausanne is Lake Geneva (Le Léman in French). Lausanne is built on the southern slope of the Swiss plateau, with a difference in elevation of about between the lakeshore at Ouchy and its northern edge bordering Le Mont-sur-Lausanne and Épalinges. Lausanne boasts a dramatic panorama over the lake and the Swiss and Savoyan Alps. In addition to its generally southward-sloping layout, the centre of the city is the site of an ancient river, the Flon, which has been covered since the 19th century. The former river forms a gorge running through the middle of the city south of the old city centre, generally following the course of the present Rue Centrale, with several bridges crossing the depression to connect the adjacent neighbourhoods. Due to the considerable differences in elevation, tourists should make a note as to which plane of elevation they are on and where they want to go, otherwise they will find themselves tens of metres below or above the street in which they are trying to go. The name Flon is also used for the metro station located in the gorge. The municipality includes the villages of Vidy, Cour, Ouchy, Mornex, Chailly, La Sallaz, Vennes, Montblesson, Vers-chez-les-Blanc, Montheron and Chalet-à-Gobet () as well as the exclave of Vernand. Lausanne is located at the limit between the extensive wine-growing regions of Lavaux (to the east) and la Côte (to the west). Lausanne has an area, , of (depending on calculation method). Of this area, or 15.0% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 38.8% is forested. Of the rest of the land, or 45.9% is settled (buildings or roads), or 0.2% is either rivers or lakes and or 0.0% is unproductive land. Of the built-up area, industrial buildings…

Most-observed species

• Yellow-legged hornet

  Vespa velutina Lepeletier, 1836 · Insecta
  7,468
• Eurasian beaver

  Castor fiber Linnaeus, 1758 · Mammalia
  5,732
• Meadow Brown

  Maniola jurtina (Linnaeus, 1758) · Insecta
  4,312
• European roe deer

  Capreolus capreolus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Mammalia
  3,999
• red fox

  Vulpes vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758) · Mammalia
  3,234
• Annual Fleabane

  Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers. · Magnoliopsida
  3,099
• common frog

  Rana temporaria Linnaeus, 1758 · Amphibia
  2,403
• Marbled White

  Melanargia galathea Linnaeus, 1758 · Insecta
  2,131

Most recent

• M 3.6 — 2026-01-12
  4 km SSW of Les Houches, France
• M 4.1 — 2025-07-21
  4 km E of Frutigen, Switzerland
• M 3.2 — 2024-05-09
  9 km SW of Evolène, Switzerland
• M 4.4 — 2023-03-22
  1 km NW of Pont-de-Roide, France
• M 3.3 — 2022-09-25
  7 km ESE of Ar?ches-la-Frasse, France
• M 2.7 — 2022-08-23
  4 km S of Turtmann, Switzerland