The lovely Lausanne

Lausanne, while still in the french part of Switzerland, is very different to Geneva. It is still proudly Swiss (as you will see in the photos below) but it is on the other side of Lake Geneva or more accurately, the hilly side! The weather is warm and as I lugged my suitcase up a steep hill in the opposite direction to the hotel and then in the right direction and then in the wrong direction again, I took it as an opportunity to practice gratitude. Yes it is hilly but my hotel was extremely central so when I arrived and discovered I was too early to check in, I was able to have lunch in a picturesque square opposite the town hall (see the photo of the HUGE Swiss flag!) and enjoy the atmosphere. I would be staying here for a few days so it didn't matter if I got lost every time I tried to go anywhere (I am not joking - I got lost so many times!) because by the third day I knew enough landmarks that I could navigate my way back home. 

I don't know if I saw all the sights but I was there for their Saturday market which was lots of fun. I bought a custard tart right out of the oven (you will see that I took a little bite before realising that I should take a photo of it!) and wandered around the stalls. There were some clothing and bric-a-brac stalls but mostly breads, pastries, fruit, vegetables and meats. Another nice touch was a police stall with the sign "Un cafe avec votre police?" where a policeman would make you a coffee machine coffee in a beautiful mug and chat. I have to say that it is so wonderful to be walking around hearing french and lots of "bonjour" everywhere! I have been doing alot of walking - I walked to a park which had a tower (the highest point in Lausanne). The view from the tower was amazing but seriously, the view from everywhere in this town (city?) is worth photographing.

I am here for a few days and feel that I have been able to have a little bit more of a rest. My hotel room doesn't have a great view but I do see the Cathedral and hear the bells which I just love. It is Sunday today and what is quite strange is that almost everything is shut. I had thought the supermarkets would be open but only one or two shops are actually open and the slower pace is really nice. It is still quite warm and the buildings are designed to hold in the heat but I am enjoying it while it lasts. Lausanne is quite beautiful and I have tried to limit the photos but I wanted to include one of a fire hydrant just because even the fire hydrants are a work of art! Tomorrow I leave Switzerland for a quick trip across the border to France to visit Dijon. So for now it is adieu to Switzerland for a couple of days.