Olympism will find, in the independent and proud atmosphere we breathe in Lausanne, the pledge of freedom it needs to progress.
With these words, spoken in 1915 at an official reception at the Hôtel de Ville, Pierre de Coubertin announced the establishment of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne. Since then, the Olympic Games have been everywhere! Nestling in the heart of a superb park overlooking the lake, the emblematic Olympic Museum showcases the highlights of sport and the artefacts of the Games, reminding us of the IOC's unwavering commitment to popular and competitive sport. This dynamism is a major factor in Lausanne's reputation in the international sporting arena.
Many European and world championships have been held here for decades, in disciplines as diverse as curling, gymnastics, badminton and figure skating. The IOC's activities have also attracted some fifteen international sports federations and other leading sporting bodies.
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A marathon of emotions. Would you like to relive great Olympic moments? Feel the pulse of the champions? Discover the creative flair of the host cities? The world of the Games with its many facets will open up to you for a full and unique experience.
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Name given to a portion of the Place de la Navigation inaugurated in May 1995. This magnificent recreational site borders the marina.
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Rowing is one of the many sports available in the lakeside city of Lausanne.
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The stadium is located in Lausanne-Vidy, by the lake.
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With its long central avenue lined with double rows of linden trees, its flowered banks, its ponds full of dancing water lilies and the benches from which to admire the views, Bois-de-Vaux is one of the rare cemeteries of its size (26,000 spaces) to have such charm.
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With its belfry towering over the picturesque Place de la Palud, the imposing Town Hall building is still used today for municipal offices. The Lausanne architect Abraham de Crousaz built it between 1673 and 1675 on the site of previous town halls.
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Today, the Palais de Rumine houses the Naturéum - Cantonal museum of natural sciences (geology and zoology, the cantonal museum of archaeology and history and the cantonal and university library - Lausanne.
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In 1922, Baron Pierre de Coubertin left Paris to settle in Lausanne. The following year, the Municipality lent him a flat on the third floor of the “Mon-Repos” villa. The villa also housed the IOC headquarters and archives, as well as a first Olympic Museum, which remained open until the 1960s. Today, the first floor of the villa houses the reception rooms of the City of Lausanne.
