A Short Overview of Lausanne Lausanne is a city in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and the capital and biggest city of the canton of Vaud. French, German and Italian, respectively, are the most widely spoken languages. The city is situated on the shores of scenic Lake Geneva , the largest lake in Switzerland and one of the largest freshwater lakes in Europe. Surrounded by the picturesque Alps, as well as numerous charming resorts, the lake is certainly a very beaut