The Canton of Vaud offers a wide variety of scenery: from the calm shores of Lake Geneva to the gentle wooded slopes of the Jura Mountains and from green countryside to snowy alpine mountain tops. Lausanne, the Olympic Capital and the capital of Vaud has managed to keep its human side while providing its inhabitants and guests with all the advantages and services of a large urban centre. Without the problems or insecurity of large cities, the Vaud region offers an incomparable standard of living.

As a wine-growing region with a wealth of local produce both from the land and the lake, the Canton of Vaud has developed a world-famous gastronomy. Few places can boast such a concentration of award-winning restaurants that are so highly respected and representative of the regional cooking.

The region also enjoys a rich cultural life contemporary music festivals, classical concerts, dance, opera and theatre productions, without forgetting the numerous museums dedicated to an extremely diverse number of different subjects.

The Canton's numerous sporting opportunities allow you to have an extremely active life throughout the year, enjoying the attractions of each season. Wherever you live in the canton, you can reach a ski resort in less than one hour. In summer the same resorts attract not only walkers, but also fans of paragliding, mountain biking, canoeing, rafting and rock climbing. On the lakes (Geneva, Neuchatel, Morat and Joux), you can practise sailing, water-skiing, windsurfing, swimming, fishing and diving. There are some 20 golf courses, several hundred tennis courts and about 1,500 sports clubs ready to welcome you.

The World Cycling Centre was inaugurated at Aigle on 14 April 2002.
The International Cycling Union with the support of the local authorities has built the centre, the flagship of Vaud sporting facilities.

Useful links

The Canton of Vaud Tourist Office
The International Website for the Canton of Vaud
Council for economic development - state of Vaud