If you want a beautiful Swiss town with lots of culture and history, Lausanne is for you. You’ll find some awesome tourist attractions in Lausanne. Among the many things to visit are the Olympic Museum, Lausanne Cathedral, Ouchy, and the Old Town.
The city of Lausanne has a lot to offer, but in this article, we’re focusing on the towns nearby. There are a bunch of pretty towns around Lausanne that are worth visiting.
In this article, we will discuss 10 nice towns and villages you can visit near Lausanne, Switzerland.
1. Aigle
The Swiss town of Aigle is located in the canton of Vaud right within the Rhone Valley and close to Lausanne and Lake Geneva. It’s known for its beautiful scenery, castle, and wine. If you’re looking for a beautiful, yet relaxing town to visit near Lausanne, Aigle is a good choice.
Discover the beauty of Aigle Castle, a Swiss gem. Château d’Aigle features a Vine and Wine Museum surrounded by vineyards. Back in the day, it was home to prominent people like the Barons of Aigle and the Lords of Compa. These days, it’s a wine museum you can visit at your leisure.
The Church of Saint-Maurice, De la Dîme House, as well as the entire town of Aigle are all listed under the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites.
How do you get from Lausanne to Aigle? From Lausanne, take the direct train to Aigle. The train journey from Lausanne to Aigle takes 31 minutes. Aigle is accessible from Lausanne in 37 minutes by car.
| Don’t miss these attractions in Aigle |
| * Château d’Aigle * Vineyards of Aigle * Church of Saint-Maurice * De la Dîme House |
2. Avenches
Avenches is a beautiful, medieval town in the canton of Vaud, in the district of Broye-Vully. The town sits on top of a hill in Broye Valley. From Lausanne, it’s an easy day trip.
There’s no better way to see everything Avenches has to offer than on foot since almost every attraction is within walking distance of each other. Avenches is known for its beautiful buildings and interesting history, which you can see by just strolling around.
Avenches was founded by the Romans as Aventicum and has its fair share of famous monuments. You can check out the Amphitheater, Avenches Castle, Reformed Church, and more.
How do you get from Lausanne to Avenches? From Lausanne, take the direct train to Avenches. You can also take a train to Fribourg, and from there change to the one going to Avenches. The train journey from Lausanne to Avenches takes approximately 75 minutes. Avenches is accessible from Lausanne in 50 minutes by car.
| Don’t miss these attractions in Avenches |
| * Entire town of Avenches * Roman Ruins of Aventicum * Avenches Castle * Amphitheater and Roman Museum * Cure * Reformed Church |
If you would like to learn more about Avenches, check out our article Avenches: A Fascinating, Ancient Roman Site in Switzerland.
3. Lutry
Lutry is between Lake Geneva and the Jorat region and quite close to visit from Lausanne. Lutry is in the district of Lavaux-Oron in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. Besides producing wine, the town also has beautiful architecture and historical sites.
Swiss heritage sites of national significance include Lutry Castle or Rôdeurs Castle, the Roman Catholic Church of Saint-Martin, the Swiss Reformed Church of Saint-Martin, and a Gothic facade house. This whole region is famous for being part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site: Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces.
How do you get from Lausanne to Lutry? From Lausanne, take the direct train to Lutry. The train journey from Lausanne to Lutry takes 5 minutes. There are also buses which go from Lausanne to Lutry. Lutry is accessible from Lausanne in 13 minutes by car.
| Don’t miss these attractions in Lutry |
| * Lavaux Vineyard Terraces – a UNESCO World Heritage Site * Lutry Castle * Catholic Church of Saint-Martin * Reformed Church of Saint-Martin * Gothic Facade House * Entire Town of Lutry |
If you would like to read more about the different wine regions in Switzerland, check out our article 7 Best Idyllic Swiss Wine Regions Explained.
4. Moudon
Moudon is a beautiful village in Morges district in Vaud canton, Switzerland very near Lausanne. It’s located at the confluence of the Broye and Mérine rivers. You can find some beautiful architecture and historical sites in the town, especially since it’s at the crossroads of two important roads – the first from Italy to Burgundy, and the other from Geneva to Bern.
The medieval charm of Moudon makes it one of Switzerland’s most beautiful villages. The Evangelical Church of St. Stephen (église réformée Saint-Étienne) is the second most important Gothic building in the canton of Vaud after Lausanne’s Cathedral.
How do you get from Lausanne to Moudon? From Lausanne, take the direct train to Moudon. The train journey from Lausanne to Moudon takes 38 minutes. Moudon is accessible from Lausanne in 30 minutes by car.
| Don’t miss these attractions in Moudon |
| * The Upper Town of Moudon * Evangelical Church of St. Stephen (Église Saint-Etienne de Moudon) * Fountain de Moïse * Castle Tower * Maison des États de Vaud * Loys de Villardin House * De Rochefort House * Tacheron House |
5. Payerne
Payerne is a beautiful, thriving town near Lausanne on the western side of Switzerland. Interestingly, Payerne is also the home of a major Swiss Air Force base.
Swiss heritage sites of national importance include the Payerne Abbey Church, and former convent buildings, the Ancien Tribunal, the Swiss Reformed Church of Notre-Dame, and the Fountain du Banneret.
The Payerne Abbey Church is the largest Romanesque building in Switzerland and one of the most impressive monuments in the medieval center of Payerne.
How do you get from Lausanne to Payerne? From Lausanne, take the direct train to Payerne. The train journey from Lausanne to Payerne takes 1 hour. Payerne is accessible from Lausanne in 44 minutes by car.
| Don’t miss these attractions in Payerne |
| * Payerne Abbey Church * Église Notre-Dame de Payerne |
6. Estavayer-le-lac
Estavayer-le-Lac is a small, pretty Swiss town on the shores of Lake Neuchâtel in canton Fribourg. The whole town of Estavayer-le-Lac is on Switzerland’s Inventory of World Heritage Sites.Estavayer-le-Lac has a rich history you can see in the 12th century Savoy castle, the Gothic abbey church, and the cobbled streets.
On top of the hills overlooking Lake Neuchâtel, the Château de Chenaux castle is a picturesque, medieval landmark. And it’s open to the public. Among the other places to visit in Estavayer-le-lac are the De Rivaz Chapel, Sacré-Coeur Chapel, the Collegiate church of Saint-Laurent, the fortifications, and more.
Visit this small but beautiful upcoming tourist spot near Lausanne; you’ll be glad you did.
How do you get from Lausanne to Estavayer-le-Lac? From Lausanne, take the train to Yverdon-les-Bains. InYverdon-les-Bains, change to the connecting train to Estavayer-le-Lac. The train journey from Lausanne to Estavayer-le-Lac takes 49 minutes. Estavayer-le-Lac is accessible from Lausanne in 43 minutes by car.
| Don’t miss these attractions in Estavayer-le-Lac |
| * Chenaux Castle (Château deChenaux) * De Rivaz Chapel * Sacré-Cour Chapel * Church of Saint-Laurent * Convent of the Dominican * Fortifications * House de la Dîme * Font Beach (Plage de Font) |
7. Gruyères
Gruyères is one of Switzerland’s most beautiful towns, located in the canton of Fribourg. In addition to being known for cheese with the same name, it also has a castle and a well-preserved medieval center. I’d highly recommend the town as a day trip from Lausanne.
There’s Gruyères Castle, which is now also a museum. You can also find the HR Giger Museum at St-Germain Castle. You should also check out the houses at Rue du Bourg 7, 39, and 47 and the barn at Grange du Laviau. Beyond the town, you can also drop by the Gruyères Cheese Factory, Moléson Mountain, or the reservoirLake of Gruyère.
How do you get from Lausanne toGruyères? From Lausanne, take the train to Romont. In Romont, change to the connecting train to Bulle. In Bulle, change to the connecting train to Gruyères. The train journey from Lausanne to Gruyères takes 68 minutes. Gruyères is accessible from Lausanne in 44 minutes by car.
| Don’t miss these attractions in Gruyères |
| * Entire medieval town center of Gruyères * The town fortifications * Gruyères Castle * Saint-Germain Castle *Gruyères Cheese Factory * Lake of Gruyère |
If you would like to learn more aboutGruyères, check out our article Gruyères, Switzerland: A Romantic Little Town.
8. Murten
Murten, also called Morat, is a bilingual town located on the shores of Lake Murten. This pretty little town in canton Fribourg is a great day trip from Lausanne.
A few Swiss heritage sites of national importance include the farmhouse at Erli 2, Murten’s city walls, the Grosshaus at Hauptgasse 43, the Rathaus or town council house, Löwenberg Castle, and the Old School House in Valvenach. You can also find prehistoric pile-dwelling houses near Murten at Segelboothafen.
The town itself is pretty small and can be visited within an hour or two. It’ll be fun to do it with a boat trip around the Three Lakes region, sailing from Murten to Neuchâtel and on to Biel/Bienne, passing along the Canal de la Broye and the Canal de la Thielle.
Check to see if the Murten Light Festival is on (https://www.murtenlichtfestival.ch/). It happens typically during the last two weeks of January.
How do you get from Lausanne to Murten? From Lausanne, take the direct train to Murten/Morat. The train journey from Lausanne to Murten/Morat takes 1 hour and 25 minutes. Murten/Morat is accessible from Lausanne in 56 minutes by car.
| Don’t miss these attractions in Murten |
| * Farm House at Erli 2 * Murten’s City Walls * Grosshaus at Hauptgasse 43 * Town council house * Löwenberg Castle * Boat trip around the Three Lakes region |
If you would like to learn more about Murten, then check out these articles:
9. Romont
This hilltop town of Romont, first mentioned in 1177 as Rotundo Monte, has a lot of historic sites. It is located in the canton of Fribourg. Lausanne is just 30 minutes away by train from this pretty town.
The town itself is also included in the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites. It’s also in this area that you’ll find Romont Castle, which Peter II of Savoy probably used during the 13th century. The castle itself also has an elegant courtyard.
On the grounds of Romont Castle is the Stained Glass Museum of Switzerland, which has medieval glass paintings and reverse glass paintings. In fact, Romont has the world’s biggest collection of reverse glass paintings.
Besides the fortifications, there’s a collegiate church.
How do you get from Lausanne to Romont? From Lausanne, take the direct train to Romont FR. The train journey from Lausanne to Romont FR takes 31 minutes. Romont FR is accessible from Lausanne in 40 minutes by car.
| Don’t miss these attractions in Romont |
| * Abbaye de la Fille-Dieu – Cistercian Monastery * Romont Castle * Swiss Stained Glass Museum – in Romont Castle * Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption * Town fortifications |
If you would like to learn more about some of Switzerland’s best medieval places like Romont, check out our article 10 Beautiful Medieval Towns in Switzerland.
10. Saillon
Saillon is a picture-perfect village located on a hilltop in the canton Valais. It’s a perfect place for growing figs, almonds, and grapes too because of the weather. Saillon is surrounded by vineyards.
The first mention of Saillon was in 1052 as Castellum Psallionis. Saillon was ruled by the Savoys for two centuries. In this period, the town became a Savoyard commercial and military center in Valais. The Bayart Tower, a 19-meter-high keep built by the Savoys, overlooks the Rhone Valley.
Saillon’s bandit Farinet is also famous. There’s a museum dedicated to Farinet and his counterfeiting methods called the Museum of Counterfeit Coins (Musée de la Fausse Monnaie). The museum has a comprehensive history of fake and real Swiss money.
How do you get from Lausanne to Saillon? From Lausanne, take the train to Martigny. In Martigny, change to the bus that will bring you to Saillon. The total journey from Lausanne to Saillon takes around 83 minutes. Saillon is accessible from Lausanne in 56 minutes by car.
| Don’t miss these attractions in Saillon |
| * Bayart Tower * Bains de Saillon * Musée de la Fausse Monnaie (Museum of Counterfeit Coins) |
If you would like to learn more about Saillon, check out our article Saillon: A Beautiful Medieval Village in Valais, Switzerland.
Final Thoughts: Beautiful Towns Near Lausanne
We have covered some of the best towns to see near Lausanne. The list above is by no means exhaustive. For example, I think nearby towns like Vevey and Montreux are also worth a visit.
Gruyères would be my favorite if I had to pick just one. We’ve been there a few times and I always find the town so fairytale-like. Both Avenches and Saillon are great because there’s so much history to explore. The Lavaux Wine Terraces in Lutry and the surrounding areas are also worth a visit.
Related Posts
- Zurich to Lausanne Train: All You Need To Know
- Avenches: A Fascinating, Ancient Roman Site in Switzerland
- Saillon: A Beautiful Medieval Village in Valais, Switzerland
- Visiting Murten, Switzerland? Here’s What You Need To Know
- 10 Best Things to Do in Lake Murten, Switzerland
- 7 Best Idyllic Swiss Wine Regions Explained
- 10 Beautiful Medieval Towns in Switzerland
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Darla Uhl is the owner of TouringSwitzerland.com. Her home is in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Having lived almost 20 years in Switzerland, she's traveled extensively all over the country.
Darla's favorite regions to visit in Switzerland include Engadin, Lake Geneva, Bernese Oberland, Ticino, and Valais. She loves spending time with her family, hiking, visiting museums, and reading books.