12 places in and around Lausanne

Interior designer and blogger Sofia Clara is an ISL alumna who divides her time living in Lausanne and London, working on commercial and residential interior projects. Her design work is dotted around the city of Lausanne in restaurants and shops, as well as private homes in the region. She shares her insights into her life as an entrepreneur on her blog sofiaclara.com and on social media @ sofia.clara. Here is a selection of her favourite places in Lausanne.

Chic Cham

Set in a post-industrial space, shop owners Annabelle and Pauline sell a selection of con temporary design brands mixed in with their own designs. It’s the perfect place to pick up a unique piece of furniture to finish off your interior.

Château de Vullierens

Open from Spring to Autumn and home to an incredible iris collection, the gardens of the château are breath-taking. A discovery map is available for children at the entrance, encouraging people of all ages to enjoy the gardens.

Cocooning Biocosmetics

A family business run from a local workshop where a majority of their products are made, this is their flagship shop where they sell local, natural, organic cosmetics for the whole family, including a selection of dog-friendly soaps and brushes.

La plage de Lutry

Shallow waters for little ones and a diving board or paddle boards to rent for those more confident in the water, this is my favourite family-friendly beach. Take a picnic or eat at the lovely Buvette de la Plage.

Fête de la Tulipe

The tulip festival takes place from early April to mid-May in the Parc de l’Indépendance in Morges. It’s a beautiful first taste of spring as the weather starts to warm up.

Lucien Moutarlier

Lucien Moutarlier makes the very best pain au chocolat in town. Trust me, I have tried more Lausanne bakeries than I care to admit.

Ça passe crème

One of Lausanne’s first speciality coffee shops serving fantastic coffee and a delicious chai latté. It’s a lovely, cosy (read: very small) space for a coffee catch-up with a friend.

Chalet-à-Gobet

A short trip from central Lausanne takes you to the grassy plains of Mauvernay. It’s the perfect place for kite flying, running, cycling, and long dog walks.

Le Pointu

Brunch at Le Pointu is homey, warm and everything I could want for… I should probably admit to a certain bias as it was one of my early design projects. The brunch menu is a selection of my favourite breakfast recipes.

Marché de la Riponne food stalls

The stall with the red and yellow tarpaulin - with a line of people waiting for the best piping hot miniature cheese quiches and freshly baked raisin swirls - is the place to be on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. Ask for a salé au fromage or a pain au raisin.

L’Attribut d’Iris

The shop’s business card reads “délicatesses d’intérieur” and I could not describe it better. Shop owner, Julie, sells local pottery and crafts, dried flowers, and a beautiful selection of indoor plants.

Atelier des Gourmands

Founder, Sophie, makes all sorts of delicious sandwiches, savoury tarts and cakes in-house every day. I recommend going on a Saturday morning when they serve freshly made hot chocolate made with local artisanal chocolate powder, Chocolat Marta.