Learn French in Lausanne
Lausanne is the capital of the canton of Vaud and home to the International Olympic Committee, two major universities and a large international community. Its daily life, from the m2 metro to the Saturday market, runs in French.
French in Lausanne
French is the official language of the canton of Vaud. Statistique Vaud reports that 82% of the canton's residents aged 15 and over name French as a main language, followed by English at 9%. Lausanne itself had about 150,900 residents at the end of 2024, and the city counts roughly 43% of them as foreign nationals, which explains how often you hear Portuguese, Italian, Spanish and English in the street. The International Olympic Committee has been based here since 1915, and the city officially became the Olympic Capital in 1994. Despite that international mix, French is the shared language of school, administration and neighbourhood life.
Why people in Lausanne learn French
Students at EPFL and the University of Lausanne often find that their master's is in English but their social life, part-time job and flat hunt are in French. Staff at the IOC and the 50-plus international sports federations based in Lausanne use French with Swiss partners and in the canton's offices. If you plan to stay, Vaud requires French at B1 for speaking and A2 for writing to apply for naturalisation, usually proven with a fide language passport. French also makes it easier to enjoy what makes Lausanne pleasant: the Lavaux vineyards, the lakeside at Ouchy and the city's festivals.
The French you'll hear
Vaudois French is relaxed and slightly drawn out, and it is easy to understand once you know a few habits. In Vaud you will hear huitante for 80, alongside septante and nonante. When you pay at a supermarket till, the cashier may ask if you want un cornet, meaning a bag. Lunch is le dîner and the evening meal is le souper. People also say natel for a mobile phone, as elsewhere in French-speaking Switzerland.
- Vous voulez un cornet ?Would you like a bag?
- Ça fait huitante francs.That's eighty francs.
- Je prends le m2 jusqu'à Ouchy.I'm taking the m2 metro down to Ouchy.
- On se retrouve pour le dîner ?Shall we meet for lunch?
- Je fais mon master à l'EPFL.I'm doing my master's at EPFL.
French exams in Lausanne
The Centre d'examens Lac Léman, run by ifage, organises DELF and DALF sessions in Lausanne as well as in Geneva, with separate contacts for each city. Session dates for all Swiss centres are published on the official DELF DALF Switzerland website. For naturalisation in Vaud, the canton asks for a fide language passport or another accepted proof of B1 oral and A2 written French, so check which document you need first.
Check dates and fees with the exam centre directly; they change every session.
Where to start in the course
French Ultimate is an online course, so you can follow it from Lausanne or anywhere else. These topics are the most useful here:
Questions about learning French in Lausanne
My programme at EPFL or UNIL is in English. Do I still need French?
For your classes you may not, but for housing, part-time work, internships with local firms and friendships outside campus, French makes a real difference. Many Lausanne students reach A2 or B1 in their first year. French Ultimate is online, so you can fit short lessons between lectures.
What French level does Vaud require for naturalisation?
Vaud applies the federal levels: B1 for speaking and A2 for writing. The canton asks for a fide language passport unless you are exempt, for example as a native French speaker or after five years of compulsory schooling in French in Switzerland. Check the cantonal page on vd.ch for the current rules.
Does French Ultimate run classes in Lausanne?
No. French Ultimate is an online course with no school or teachers in Lausanne. You learn with animated video lessons, speaking practice and graded stories, and you can prepare for the DELF with our mock exams before sitting it at the Centre d'examens Lac Léman.
Learn French from Lausanne, at your own pace
Animated video lessons that stop for your answers, speaking practice, graded stories and DELF/DALF mock exams, from A1 to C2. Start with the free placement test to see where you are.
Take the placement test