Introduction
Welcome to Ouchy, the lakeside quarter of Lausanne, and the beating heart of the modern Olympic Movement. Since 1915, Lausanne has served as the home of the International Olympic Committee, a decision made personally by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Games, who chose this city on the shores of Lake Geneva for its neutrality, its beauty, and its position at the crossroads of Europe.
This walking tour takes you through the story of the Olympics as told through architecture, sculpture, and landscape along the Ouchy waterfront. You will explore the Olympic Museum itself, one of Switzerland's most visited cultural institutions, then follow the lakeshore promenade past grand hotels that have hosted royalty and world leaders, through gardens gifted by nations from across the globe, and along a waterfront that frames one of the most spectacular Alpine panoramas on the continent.
Ouchy has been a port town for centuries, long before the Olympics arrived. Roman galleys crossed Lake Geneva, medieval merchants shipped goods from its docks, and in the nineteenth century it became one of the fashionable stops on the Grand Tour. Lord Byron wrote part of The Prisoner of Chillon while staying here. Today, Ouchy blends that historic elegance with the energy of a global sporting capital. Let us begin.
Stop 1: Ouchy Metro Station and Place de la Navigation — 46.5079, 6.6281
Step out of the M2 metro station and you find yourself at Place de la Navigation, the bustling square that serves as Ouchy's main gathering point. The metro you just rode is itself a small engineering marvel. The M2, opened in 2008, is one of the steepest automated metro lines in the world, climbing 340 metres of elevation from the lakeshore to the upper city in just fourteen stops. The gradient is so steep that some stations have platforms that are noticeably tilted.
Look around the square. To your south lies Lake Geneva, the largest lake in Western Europe, stretching 73 kilometres from Geneva in the west to Villeneuve in the east. On clear days, the French Alps dominate the southern horizon, and the white peak of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps at 4,808 metres, is visible far to the southwest. Directly across the lake lies the French town of Evian-les-Bains, famous for its mineral water.
The CGN paddle steamers that dock at the nearby pier have been crossing this lake since 1873. Several of them are beautifully preserved Belle Epoque vessels with mahogany interiors and working steam engines. If you have time after this tour, a cruise to Montreux or Geneva is one of the finest boat journeys in Europe.
To your right, the towering clock tower belongs to the Chateau d'Ouchy, a medieval castle that was heavily restored in the late nineteenth century and converted into a hotel. It was here, on October 18, 1912, that the Treaty of Ouchy was signed, ending the Italo-Turkish War. The castle's history stretches back to the twelfth century, when the Bishop of Lausanne built a fortified residence here to control the harbour.
Now walk east along the lakefront. The Olympic Museum is about 600 metres ahead, set in a terraced park above the shore.
Stop 2: The Olympic Park Entrance — 46.5083, 6.6326
You are now at the entrance to the Parc Olympique, the landscaped grounds that surround the Olympic Museum. Before you enter the building itself, take time to explore this remarkable outdoor space.
The park was designed by the landscape architects Wahlen and Jean-Pierre Ortelli and opened alongside the museum in 1993. It is laid out as a series of terraces descending from the museum building toward the lake, connected by pathways lined with sculptures, installations, and symbolic plantings. The design echoes the terraced vineyards of the Lavaux region just to the east, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
As you walk up the main path, you will pass between rows of markers bearing the names of every city that has hosted the Olympic Games, from Athens 1896 to the present. Each marker is set in chronological order, creating a timeline in stone that you physically walk through as you ascend. Notice how the earlier markers are spaced farther apart, reflecting the gaps when the Games were not held during the two World Wars.
To your left, a large bronze sculpture depicts athletes in motion. The park contains works by artists from around the world, all donated to the IOC. Look for the striking piece by the Colombian artist Fernando Botero, whose characteristically voluminous figures seem to float in the Alpine air. There is also a powerful work by the Catalan artist Joan Miro, one of his late pieces, abstract and totemic.
The Olympic flame burns permanently in the park, a smaller version of the ceremonial cauldron, symbolising the continuity of the Olympic ideal between Games. It was lit from a flame carried from Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games.
Stop 3: The Olympic Museum — 46.5086, 6.6331
The Olympic Museum building before you was designed by the Mexican architect Pedro Ramirez Vazquez and the Swiss firm of Jean-Pierre Cahen. It opened on June 23, 1993, exactly one hundred years after Baron de Coubertin first proposed the revival of the Olympic Games at a conference at the Sorbonne in Paris. The museum was extensively renovated and reopened in 2013 with completely redesigned permanent exhibitions.
The building is clad in white Thassos marble from Greece, a deliberate reference to the ancient temples of Olympia. Its three levels correspond to the three pillars of the Olympic Movement: the Olympic World, the Olympic Games, and the Olympic Spirit.
Inside, the permanent exhibition houses the world's largest collection of Olympic memorabilia. There are over ten thousand objects on display, from the leather running shoes worn by Jesse Owens at the 1936 Berlin Games to the swimsuit worn by Michael Phelps when he won his record-breaking eighth gold medal at Beijing 2008. The torches from every Olympic relay since 1936 are displayed in chronological order, each one a snapshot of the design sensibility of its era and host nation.
One of the most moving sections is dedicated to the athletes themselves. Interactive displays allow you to compare your own physical measurements with those of Olympic champions. You can stand on a starting block and race a virtual Usain Bolt, or test your reaction time against an Olympic fencer. The museum also does not shy away from darker chapters, including the 1972 Munich massacre, doping scandals, and the political boycotts of 1980 and 1984.
Baron de Coubertin's original desk is preserved here, along with his handwritten notes for the speech that launched the modern movement. He chose Lausanne as the IOC's home partly because Switzerland's neutrality would protect the Games from political interference, and partly because he had a deep personal affection for the city and its lake.
Stop 4: The Terrace Viewpoint — 46.5081, 6.6335
Step out onto the museum's main terrace and pause. This is one of the finest viewpoints in all of Lausanne.
Before you, the lake stretches to the horizon, its surface shifting between deep blue, silver, and green depending on the light and season. The French Alps form a jagged wall to the south, with the Dents du Midi chain particularly prominent to the southeast. On exceptionally clear days, the glaciers of the Bernese Oberland are visible far to the northeast.
The terrace is oriented to catch the afternoon sun, and the museum cafe here is one of the most pleasant spots in the city for a coffee. Below you, the terraced garden descends to the lakefront in a series of planted levels, each one displaying different species chosen for their symbolic significance to the Olympic nations.
Lausanne's relationship with the Olympics extends far beyond the museum. The city hosts the headquarters of more than fifty international sports federations and Olympic-related organisations. The Court of Arbitration for Sport, which adjudicates disputes in international athletics, is based here. And every year in June, the city hosts the Athletissima meeting, one of the premier events on the Diamond League athletics circuit.
Looking directly below, you can see the Quai d'Ouchy, the lakeside promenade we will follow for the remainder of our walk. Descend through the park and turn right along the waterfront.
Stop 5: Beau-Rivage Palace — 46.5070, 6.6296
The grand building across the road is the Beau-Rivage Palace, one of the most storied hotels in Switzerland and perhaps the most historically significant in Lausanne. It opened in 1861 and has been a palace of diplomacy, art, and high society ever since.
The guest list over the decades reads like a Who's Who of the twentieth century. Coco Chanel lived here for extended periods. The founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, negotiated the Treaty of Lausanne here in 1923, which redrew the borders of the Middle East after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. The hotel hosted Nelson Mandela, multiple heads of state, and generations of Olympic officials.
The architecture is classic Swiss Grand Hotel style, a blend of Neo-Baroque grandeur and Belle Epoque elegance. The facade is 150 metres long, facing the lake, and the interior features Carrara marble columns, crystal chandeliers, and a sweeping staircase that has appeared in numerous films. The hotel's ten acres of private parkland extend to the lakeshore.
Notice the carefully maintained gardens between the hotel and the lake. These are among the finest privately maintained gardens in the canton of Vaud, with specimen trees that are over a century old, including several magnificent cedars of Lebanon and copper beeches.
Stop 6: Quai d'Ouchy Promenade — 46.5065, 6.6270
You are now walking along the Quai d'Ouchy, one of the loveliest lakeside promenades in Switzerland. This flat, tree-lined path follows the shore westward, offering uninterrupted views across the water.
The promenade was laid out in the late nineteenth century as part of the transformation of Ouchy from a working fishing port into a fashionable resort quarter. Before the railways arrived in the 1850s, Ouchy was a separate village from Lausanne, connected to the upper city by a steep road through vineyards. The relationship between the hilltop city and its lakeside port has been a defining feature of Lausanne's geography for a thousand years.
Along this stretch, you will notice the flower beds that change with the seasons. In spring, the banks are ablaze with tulips and narcissi. In summer, the beds are planted with geraniums, begonias, and salvias in the Swiss tradition of elaborate municipal flower displays. Lausanne consistently wins prizes in the national Villes en Fleurs competition.
The benches along the promenade face south across the lake, and on warm evenings this is one of the most popular gathering spots in the city. Families picnic on the grass, joggers weave between the plane trees, and in summer the temporary Jetee de la Compagnie beach club opens on the waterfront, offering swimming, drinks, and live music.
Stop 7: Thai Pavilion and International Gardens — 46.5060, 6.6243
Ahead of you stands one of the most unexpected structures in Lausanne: a traditional Thai sala, or pavilion, with an ornate golden roof and intricate wood carvings. This is the Thai Pavilion, a gift from the Kingdom of Thailand to the city of Lausanne, erected in 2009 in honour of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but grew up and was educated in Lausanne.
King Bhumibol, who reigned for seventy years until his death in 2016, spent his formative years in this city. He attended the Ecole Nouvelle de la Suisse Romande and later studied science at the University of Lausanne. It was in Lausanne that he met his future wife, Queen Sirikit, at the Thai embassy. His deep connection to the city is commemorated throughout Ouchy, and the Thai community in Lausanne remains active and visible.
The pavilion is built entirely of teak wood, carved by Thai craftsmen in traditional Rattanakosin style. The details are extraordinary: look for the mythical figures of the naga serpents on the stairway rails and the flame-shaped decorative finials on the roof peaks. The workmanship is a testament to centuries of Thai architectural tradition, transported to the shores of Lake Geneva.
Surrounding the pavilion are small garden areas that reflect the international character of Lausanne. The city is one of the most cosmopolitan in Switzerland, with more than forty per cent of its population holding foreign nationality.
Stop 8: The Rowing Club and Watersports Area — 46.5053, 6.6218
As you continue along the waterfront, you pass the Lausanne rowing club and the area where watersports enthusiasts gather from spring through autumn. Lake Geneva has been a venue for competitive rowing, sailing, and swimming for over a century, and the tradition continues today.
The lake's size and relatively calm conditions make it ideal for rowing, and Swiss rowers have trained on these waters for generations. In the early morning, you can often see eights and fours gliding across the glassy surface, their oars cutting precisely through the water. The Swiss Rowing Federation recognises Lake Geneva as one of the country's premier training venues.
Sailing is equally popular. The annual Bol d'Or Mirabaud, founded in 1939, is the largest inland regatta in Europe, attracting over five hundred boats that race from Geneva to the eastern end of the lake and back. On summer weekends, the lake is dotted with white sails, creating a scene that could belong to a Mediterranean coast.
Stand-up paddleboarding has become increasingly popular in recent years, and you will often see paddlers gliding along the shoreline here. The water is remarkably clean and is regularly tested. Swimming in the lake is a beloved Lausanne tradition, and several designated bathing areas along the Ouchy waterfront open each summer.
Stop 9: Parc du Denantou — 46.5062, 6.6347
Turning back eastward and walking past the museum, you reach the Parc du Denantou, a quieter, more intimate green space on the eastern end of the Ouchy waterfront. This English-style landscape garden was created in the nineteenth century and features winding paths, mature trees, and a small pond.
The park has a distinctly different character from the formal Olympic Park. Where the museum grounds are designed to impress, Denantou is designed to soothe. Ancient trees create dappled shade, and the birdsong here is remarkably rich for an urban park. Look for the grey herons that fish in the shallows near the lakeshore, and the coots and mallards that nest in the reeds.
A small castle-like building in the park houses the Musee de l'Elysee, now known as Photo Elysee, one of the world's leading museums of photography. Founded in 1985, it holds a collection of over one million photographic prints, including major holdings of the work of Charlie Chaplin, Nicolas Bouvier, and Ella Maillart, all figures with deep connections to the Lake Geneva region. The museum moved to a new purpose-built space at Plateforme 10 near the main train station in 2022, but the Denantou building remains a Lausanne landmark.
The park is also home to a playground and several picnic areas, making it a favourite destination for families. On summer evenings, the western edge of the park offers views of the sunset over the lake that rival anything along the French Riviera.
Stop 10: Port d'Ouchy and the CGN Pier — 46.5058, 6.6290
Our walk ends at the Port d'Ouchy, the historic harbour that has been the gateway to Lausanne from the lake for over a thousand years. The current harbour layout dates from the late nineteenth century, when the stone jetties were built to accommodate the growing fleet of CGN steamships.
The Compagnie Generale de Navigation, or CGN, has been operating passenger services on Lake Geneva since 1873. Its fleet includes several Belle Epoque paddle steamers that are classified as historic monuments. The most famous is La Suisse, built in 1910, which carries up to 850 passengers and is powered by a beautifully maintained compound steam engine. Watching the great paddle wheels churn through the water as the steamer approaches the dock is a sight that has barely changed in over a century.
From this pier, you can take boats to virtually every town along the lake. A cruise to Montreux takes about ninety minutes and passes through the Lavaux vineyards, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, visible as terraced slopes rising directly from the water's edge. A trip to Geneva takes about three and a half hours and crosses the entire length of the lake.
As you stand at the harbour's edge, reflect on the journey you have taken. From the competitive fire of the Olympic Games to the serene beauty of the lake, from royal palaces to Thai pavilions, Ouchy encapsulates the international spirit that defines Lausanne. This is a city that belongs to the world, and the world has made its home here.
Conclusion
You have now completed the Lausanne Olympic Museum and Ouchy Waterfront tour. In just under four kilometres of walking, you have traced the story of the modern Olympic Movement, explored one of Switzerland's finest lakeside promenades, and discovered the international heritage that makes Lausanne unique among Swiss cities.
From here, you have many options. Take a CGN boat to Montreux, Vevey, or Geneva. Ride the M2 metro back up to the city centre to explore the medieval old town and the cathedral. Or simply find a bench on the waterfront, watch the light change over the Alps, and let the atmosphere of this extraordinary place settle into your memory.
Practical Information
- Best Time: Late morning to early afternoon for the best light over the lake. The Olympic Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 6pm (extended hours in summer).
- Wear: Comfortable walking shoes. The route is entirely flat and paved.
- Bring: A camera for the Alpine panoramas. Sunglasses and sunscreen in summer, as the lake reflects strong light.
- Nearby Food: The museum cafe has a terrace with lake views. The Ouchy waterfront has numerous restaurants ranging from casual bistros to fine dining. Try the local filets de perche, Lake Geneva perch fillets, a regional specialty.
- Getting There: M2 metro to Ouchy-Olympique station, or CGN boat to Lausanne-Ouchy pier.