Visit The Fondation de l’Hermitage Lausanne: Art, Chocolate & More
Exhibition: Treasures of the Petit Palais Geneva until 1st June 2025
Looking for a great day out from Zurich ? Or maybe a weekend break? I took train from Zurich to Lausanne to visit the Fondation de l’Hermitage to see their latest exhibition Treasures of the Petit Palais Geneva.
The rail journey offers superb views over terraced vineyards with Lake Geneva glistening in the distance and elegant villas dotted along the hillside. It was a wonderful way to begin a weekend of art, food and discovery.
My first destination was the Fondation de l’Hermitage, set in a peaceful public park overlooking the city. It was originally built in 1841, by banker Charles-Juste Bugnion as a grand residence on a hillside above Lausanne, with sweeping views over Lake Geneva and the Notre-Dame Cathedral—later painted by Camille Corot.
In 1976, his descendants gifted the mansion and part of its grounds to the City of Lausanne. A foundation was also created to oversee a collection of regional and international artworks, including pieces by Bocion, Degas, Magritte, Oudot, and Plazzotta. Today, it hosts two to three major exhibitions annually. This year until 1st June 2025 you can view the current exhibition: “Treasures of the Petit Palais Geneva”.
The beautiful villa is surrounded by greenery and when we visited there were people all around relaxing in the spring sunshine, eating picnics on the grass or walking through the blossom trees. it’s a gorgeous place to visit and to relax and perfect for family outings.
We kicked things off with lunch at L’Esquisse, the restaurant at the museum, where we were joined by the Fondation’s Director, Sylvie Wuhrmann.
Over a delicious lunch, we were told all about the current exhibition which features an impressive selection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings from the Petit Palais in Geneva.
It includes works by Cézanne, Vallotton, and Fantin-Latour among others. The exhibition had already attracted attention, having been visited on its very first day by none other than Anna Wintour.
One of my personal highlights was discovering the work of Théophile Steinlen, whose paintings often include cats—sometimes tucked into the background, sometimes centre stage.
Our guide, Simon Falquet, led us through the exhibition with warmth and expertise, sharing insightful details about the artists and their works. His explanations helped bring the paintings to life and he gave us a great tour.
Following the exhibition, we set off on a guided tour of Lausanne with a great tour guide, Adriana Verdier. We began at the Lausanne Cathedral, home to Switzerland’s largest organ, featuring over 7,000 pipes. The Gothic structure is magnificent and just outside you can admire stunning views over the city.
We meandered through cobbled streets, admired the panorama of rooftops and lake and stopped at Durig Chocolatier for some excellent handmade chocolate.
If you’re a chocolate lover this place is well worth a visit as the chocolate is really delcious.
Lausanne has much more to offer than we had time to see. Highlights we missed but will definitely go back to visit include the Olympic Museum, the Collection de l’Art Brut, the Aquatis Aquarium, lakeside walks, the small shops and boutiques in the city as well as the great coffee spots.
Our base for the night was the Hotel des Voyageurs, a small but very central boutique hotel—conveniently located for exploring the old town on foot. The following morning, we took a short train to Grandvaux, a charming village in the Lavaux UNESCO World Heritage vineyards. A gentle stroll through the vines brought us to Domaine de la Crausaz, a welcoming wine estate perched on the hillside with breathtaking views over the lake. We enjoyed a relaxed brunch featuring local produce, accompanied by wines from the domaine itself, all while seated under blossoming trees and spring sunshine.
After continuing our walk through the vineyards to Cully, we caught the train back to Lausanne—refreshed and full of inspiration. We also managed to pack in a visit to the stunning FREE Tulip Festival in Morges which is really beautiful.
Lausanne is an ideal weekend destination, combining culture, good food, and stunning natural surroundings with just the right pace.So why not plan your own trip to Lausanne to see viist the Treasures of the Petit Palais Geneva at the Fondation de l’Hermitage and to discover some of the highlights of beautiful Lausanne?
Fondation de l’Hermitage
Where: Route du Signal 2, 1018 Lausanne
When: “Treasures of the Petit Palais Geneva” on until 1st June 2025
Website: Visit the Fondation de l’Hermitage website here
View some more impressions of the Fondation de l’Hermitage here:
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