LAUSANNE...the capital of Switzerland’s French-speaking Canton of Vaud. It has approximately 120,000 inhabitants (250,000 spread over its hinterland) and ranks fifth largest amongst all Swiss cities. Lausanne rises at 495 metres above sea level (at city centre), on a 41.4 km2 surface area with a population density amounting to 2832 inhabitants per km2. It is an important trade services and banking activities centre, whilst offering exclusively tourism oriented facilities and consistently hailed as an important cultural centre, with an intensely rich artistic, dance and theatre scene. The residents of Lausanne are known, in French, as les Lausannois. Lausanne, is situated on the north shore of Lac Léman (Lake Geneva). The geographical location of Lausanne is very picturesque. The city offers many entertainment opportunities. Steep terraces sloping down to the shores of the lake, the beautiful views of the French Alps, the lake, the ever-green parks. Lausanne is the seat of the International Olympic Committee. In the middle of a magnificent park overlooking the lake, the Olympic Museum draws tourists of all over the world. Another highlight of Lausanne is the lakeside resort Ouchy which, with its romantic ambiance, provides endless hours of entertainment. The official language in Lausanne is French, which is one of the four national Swiss languages. Dominated by its 13th century Gothic Cathedral (Notre Dame), Lausanne welcomes you with a pedestrianised medieval Old Town (la Cité) full of charm, marvellous shops, numerous museums and art galleries, restaurants and cafes.