What could be better to start the day than an invigorating run by the
lakeside, one of my favourite places in Lausanne?
Those blended shades of blue, the mountain ranges in the background and the "sea" air really raise my spirits.
The
Ouchy district is one of my favourite in Lausanne.
The views on the lake are astounding, the sound of the waves and water birds, the boats, it simply puts you in a holiday mood.
Photo credits: ©Elmedina Shureci
After a bit of stretching, it's time to sip a fresh fruit juice or a smoothie at the
Café des Avenues.
Lausanne would be nothing without its markets. I particularly love lingering between the stalls at the
Place de la Palud on Saturday, enjoying the blend of pleasant aromas and the colours of both local and exotic produce.
A lunchtime, I meet my friends for some girl time at the
Café des Artisans, a family restaurant where you eat quite well and quite cheap.
Photo credits: ©LT-Laurent Kaczor
After that, I like to wander in the very photogenic and historic
Cité neighbourhood. Its pretty façades and the details that you don't always notice at first glance make this neighbourhood a lovely place to visit.
I never miss an opportunity to walk across the
Cathedral's Esplanade and enjoy the view over the Lausanne rooftops. I'm always impressed at how different a town looks when seen from above.
Photo credits: ©P.Waterton
Going down the wooden
Escaliers du Marché, I enjoy a bout of shopping in the Rue de la Mercerie, with its small, pretty boutiques, from traditional chocolate shops, to artisans' boutiques and toy stores reminding of my childhood.
I finish with a cultural break at the
Elysée, a photography museum with interesting exhibitions - always worth a detour. I usually stop at the book store to linger over the beautiful art books.
On the way out, you have to admire Lake Geneva from this unique viewpoint as well as the beautiful building that houses the museum.

Photo credits: © www.awwway.ch
It's getting late in the day, time for aperitif is approaching and in that area, Lausanne caters for all tastes.
As a lover of good wines, I head towards a wine bar (
Ta Cave) in the neighbourhood under the station to meet my friends. It's in quite a noisy and welcoming atmosphere that we taste and discover fine wines from the area or abroad, together with delicious snacks served on a board.
For dinner, fusion food is the unanimous choice with tapas from all over the world at
Eat Me in the Pepinet area.