The best fashion and gift stores Lausanne

Timetable

During the week, the center is normally busy, so it's best to shop on these days. Stores are generally open from 8am-9am to 6.30pm-7pm, but only until 6pm on Saturdays. Some stores close on Monday mornings. Thursdays are traditionally nocturnal, and stores close later around 8pm and 9pm. Banks are open from 9am to 5pm (4:30pm for administration).

Saturday is market day in downtown Lausanne, and the streets and stores are packed with people. Sunday, on the other hand, is a very quiet day. The streets are virtually empty and most stores are closed.

Sales

Unlike France, there is no strict legal framework and therefore no official calendar for the beginning and end of sales in Switzerland. Thus, the winter and summer sales are very topical and modelled on our French model, but they are now spread over a greater number of weeks than in France, the time it takes to sell out stocks. Not surprisingly, as in France, the best deals are mainly made during the last days of the sales... at the risk of not finding the right size!

What's very local

Chocolates of all kinds, fondue sets and Swiss Army knives, of course! You will also find a few factory outlets or second-hand shops. For prestige watches and jewellery, it really depends on your wallet, as prices can quickly become exorbitant!

Tourist traps

Not really any tourist attractions to note here, the merchants are always very respectful of their customers. But you will find the Swiss flag on almost every coin in every souvenir shop. The worst thing is that it really makes you want to let yourself go shopping, so it's not really considered a tourist attraction!