In the city of Lausanne, in the canton of Vaud in Romandy, in western Switzerland

 “I love Switzerland. It's so clean and cool. We don't get much snow where I live so I get real excited in Lausanne and Geneva. I'd like to buy a house there when I'm older and settle down. It's all so cute that it looks like a movie set.” — Michael Jackson

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(in the canton of Vaud in Romandy, in western Switzerland) The city of Lausanne, capital of Vaud, is found on the northern shore of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) -- on the southern slopes of the Jorat heights, its altitude ranges from 378 meters at Ouchy, its lake port, to 2,122 feet at Le Signal, its highest point. Historic buildings here include the early Gothic Cathedral of Notre-Dame, consecrated in 1275 by Pope Gregory X in the presence of the Holy Roman emperor Rudolf I of Habsburg; the Saint-François Church, erected during the same period but partly rebuilt in the late 14th century; and the city hall (rebuilt in 1674). The castle, now housing the Historical Museum of the Ancient Bishopric, is the only vestige of the 13th-century residences of the bishops. The 15th-century Château Saint-Maire, the former bishop’s castle, is now the seat of the cantonal government. A focus of international sport, hosting the International Olympic Committee (which has recognized the city as the "Olympic Capital" since 1994), the Court of Arbitration for Sport and some 55 international sport associations, the city is surrounded by a noted wine-producing region, rolling down a trio of hillsides to the lakeshore. Lausanne rivals Geneva as the intellectual and cultural center of French Switzerland. Its university originated as a theological academy in 1537. The city was the birthplace of the noted Swiss literary figures Benjamin Constant de Rebecque, Alexandre Vinet, Juste Olivier, and Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz (and of the philosopher Charles Secrétan). Many famous European men of letters, including Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Charles Dickens, and Edward Gibbon, resided here. Today it is a haven for those who love water skiing, swimming and sailing. The town's history is evident, however, in its medieval cathedral, the museums of the Palais de Rumine, and Ouchy, the port where Lord Byron wrote "The Prisoner of Chillon" and the Treaty of Lausanne was ratified.  For great views, hike up to the Signal de Sauvabelin.