A Day of Repose in Lausanne
While I remember Lausanne from my youth, as it is the largest city in Canton Vaud and we drove through it frequently...
…I don’t think I’ve ever ventured beyond the railway station and the through-roads.
What a lovely town Id been missing! Built on a hillside to better avoid marauding armies traveling the lakeshore, this ancient town (yes, dating back at least to the Romans, who named it Lousanna) is the fourth-largest city in Switzerland.
It is filled with imposing yet beautiful old buildings and churches, and also commands a view across the eastern end of Lake Geneva that’s far grander than Id imagined, especially with the fresh coat of snow that paints all the high hills white.
The ferry boats here connect both ends of the lake, and also provide daily transportation for French inhabitants of Evian who commute to Lausanne for work.
My hotel is situated right on the lake, hence its name Hotel Aulac, which was a boon as we carried the heavy boat into a storage space at the hotel.
It has also allowed me to wander the lakeshore to admire the view to the southeast and reflect on this year’s journey, soon coming to an end. Jay is now flying home to Hood River, my home town, while I’m taking a day to enjoy Lausanne and a short rest while waiting for Dale Bechtel to arrive in the morning.
Then we will paddle the final two days to St-Gingolph, where my border journey began last June.
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