Lausanne in Switzerland has increasingly become the ultimate hotspot as tourists across the world, especially from the GCC region, flock to the European city during the summer season.

The Lausanne Experience is an exquisite combination of a premium gastronomic experience and other thrilling activities that include cruises, panoramic train rides, Unesco wold heritage vineyard visits and the amazing Glacier3000 experience in the Alps.

Given the extraordinarily high number of restaurants who have been recognised with international awards, stars and accolades, Lausanne and its surrounding region are considered to be a destination that excites guests who identify as food-lovers. The Chef of the Century Fredy Girardet, has made a significant contribution to the region’s standing in terms of prestigious restaurants. He was succeeded as the head of the Restaurant de l’Hôtel de Ville in Crissier by Philippe Rochat, with 3 Michelin stars and 19 GaultMillau points. In April 2012 its head chef Benoît Violier took over the reins, in parallel opening a catering college intended for both professionals and amateur lovers of good food, as well as for children. The GaultMillau Suisse guide has crowned him “Chef of the Year 2013” and confirmed his rating of 19 out of 20. Franck Giovannini succeeded him after his demise.

Among the other great restaurants in the Lausanne urban area, mention must be made of Anne-Sophie Pic, who has her own restaurant the Beau-Rivage Palace bestowed with 2 Michelin stars and 18 GaultMillau points, Le Cerf run by Carlo Crisci in Cossonay (2 Michelin stars / 18 GaultMillau points), L’Ermitage with Bernard Ravet in Vufflens-le-Château (1 Michelin star / 19 GaultMillau points), La Table d’Edgard d’Edgard run by Edgar Bovier at the Lausanne Palace (1 Michelin star / 17 GaultMillau points) and Eligo Restaurant of Guillaume Raineix, former chef at Pic’s restaurant (1 Michelin star / 15 GaultMillau points).

For Tanja Dubas, head of sales and marketing at Lausanne Tourisme, Lausanne combines a great offer in terms of gastronomy: “From the century-old brasserie to the award-winning restaurant, with international cuisine and trendy eateries in between, the city of Lausanne has something for every palate and every purse.”

Apart from these prestigious distinctions, the city of Lausanne and the surrounding area have over 320 establishments dedicated to good food. Typical auberges, century-old brasseries and terraces with views of the lake serve regional cuisine prepared with local produce, both from the land and from the lake, including fillets of perch, fera and char caught in Lake Geneva. Backpackers, students, families, individuals, epicureans, groups and businessmen will find on the menu in Lausanne restaurants a vast choice of cuisines, styles, ambiances and prices to cater for their tastes and their pockets. From food trucks and trendy venues to exotic and ethnic establishments, from business meals to candle-lit dinners, with traditional bars in between – the oldest of which, the Pinte Besson, has been around for 236 years – or meals served during cruises from Tuesday to Saturday evenings on ships operated by the Compagnie Générale de Navigation (CGN) in collaboration with the chefs of the Beau-Rivage Palace, this diversity makes an undeniable contribution to the city’s reputation for the art of living and good hospitality.

Every year, “Lausanne à Table!” holds around 30 events spread between April and October. They include the “Tables Uniques en Cuisine”, the wine-growers market, CHOCOLAC (a cruise on the lake during which you can sample some great vintage chocolate), gourmet trips and many other gourmet events.

Bookings and more information for Lausanne can be accessed through Dnata, the official 2016 travel partner of Lausanne Tourism. - TradeArabia News Service