Photos: Olivier Bruchez from Lausanne, Switzerland, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 Julius.kusuma at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Sandro Halank, Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo credits
Photos: Olivier Bruchez from Lausanne, Switzerland, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 Julius.kusuma at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Sandro Halank, Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Down the last covered wooden staircase in Switzerland
Your local guide
Julien Pasche
View profile
Highlights
- A covered wooden staircase, rare in Switzerland
- How traders once moved goods between levels
- Timber roof construction explained
- The link between old town and lower city
- A practical piece of Lausanne's history
About this tour
This short session follows the Escaliers du Marché, a covered wooden staircase connecting Lausanne's cathedral to its lower town. You see the top of the stairs, once used by market traders moving goods between levels, and the view back up at the wooden roof from the bottom. Julien explains why so few covered staircases like this one have survived elsewhere in Switzerland.
He moves down the stairs at a steady pace, pausing partway to point out the timber construction supporting the roof. He answers questions about the staircase's original use throughout.
This suits anyone interested in the practical side of a hillside city's history. It also works well paired with the longer cathedral session above it.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
-
Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Lausanne before heading out.
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Escaliers du Marché Top 15 min
Julien starts at the top of the covered staircase, explaining how it once let market traders move goods between the two levels of the city.
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Lower Town Arrival 15 min
At the bottom, the camera looks back up at the wooden roof structure, one of the last of its kind left standing in Switzerland.
-
Your questions 7 min
Time to ask anything about Lausanne: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 3 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Malakoffs and Sous-Gare, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Zurich time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 12 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Lausanne, showing you Escaliers du Marché Top and Lower Town Arrival live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We connect on Google Meet with the link sent at booking. I walk the stairs slowly with the phone facing up at the roof structure.
Times shown in Zurich time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Tue 1 Dec · 12 seats left From 17,00 €
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