Lausanne Shopping and Districts

(Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland)

Those lucky enough to be shopping in Lausanne can expect to find an abundance of jewellery stores and boutiques. The best shopping in Lausanne is without doubt along the Rue de Bourg and nearby, around the Place de la Plaud and the Place de la Riponne. Many of these streets are particularly friendly to shoppers, being traffic-free and filled with specialist Swiss shops and glamorous department stores.

The regular markets in Lausanne offer perhaps the most fun shopping experience and each Wednesday and Saturday morning, many of the central streets are filled with stalls, selling everything from fruit and veg, to traditional souvenirs. These include all of the usual favourites, such as Swiss army knifes, cuckoo clocks and fondue sets, along with plenty of clothing.

Where to Shop

There are literally miles of streets and boulevards in central Lausanne, filled with interesting stores and offering endless window shopping.

Many pedestrianised boulevards radiate outwards from the Rue de Bourg, the city's premier shopping street, where you will encounter shops such as watchmakers, pharmacies, grocery stores and endless book shops, along with plenty of designer clothing and Cartier jewellery.

The Bon Genie department store provides some of the best shopping in Lausanne and has the distinct advantage that it is all under one roof. Bon Genie is noticeably upmarket and lies within the elegant Place St. François.

Nearby and still within central Lausanne, the Rue St. Laurent also contains more than its fair share of shopping opportunities, and highlights include the Manor department store (La Placette), which is a good place for music and clothing, and also the Co-op au Centre supermarket. Along the Rue du Pont is Lausanne's other well-known department store, Globus. With six floors, high fashion, plenty of sportswear, perfumes, cosmetics and gifts, Globus is also known for its food department.