Day trip to Lausanne

French-speaking Switzerland's lively second city
Noteworthy for: The International Olympic Committee has been based in Lausanne since 1914.

Word to the Wise: Don't attempt the long, steep climb from the lake to Lausanne's town on foot. Let the city's distinctive rubber tired Metro, tackling the steepest slopes of any transit system in the world, take the strain for you.
With a more laid-back feel than Geneva, French Switzerland's second city is an attractive, busy place that punches above its weight culturally and politically. Home to the International Olympic Committee, Lausanne's biggest visitor draw is the Olympic Museum, a 10,000 piece strong but still user-friendly place that uses video and interactive exhibits to tell the Olympic story.

There's far more to Lausanne that the museum, however. While the city's lakeside has a slightly Mediterranean feel, its old town centre high on the plateau above is old and often picturesque, with a splendid Gothic cathedral and fine views of Mont Blanc across the lake.