Lausanne Real Estate: Lake Geneva Apartments and Villas

Ouchy is the lakefront, the Flon district is the nightlife area, and the old town sits around the cathedral. The metro has two lines and the EPFL campus in Écublens sits to the west. The lakeshore towns east toward Vevey and Montreux are covered by Montreux, La Tour-de-Peilz, Veytaux and Blonay, mostly 20 to 30 km from Lausanne, while Rolle is on the lake to the west and Aigle is in the Rhône valley. Each has its own price level.

The Lex Koller law limits purchases by non-resident foreigners to holiday homes in approved zones and often requires cantonal authorisation,. Foreigners with a C permit generally buy freely, and EU/EFTA residents can purchase a main residence. Commercial property is usually exempt from the permit requirement. Mortgages require about 20% equity. Transfer duty in Vaud is a percentage of price, and notary fees apply. Read our Switzerland consultation guide, financing page, and the Switzerland overview.