Inside Lausanne, the “best small city in the world”: there is no graffiti, no litter – and no jostling (plus, tourists get a free public transport pass)

When leaving Lausanne station, everything is impeccable: no graffiti, no trash, no jostling. It’s true what they say about Swiss cleanliness and efficiency.

And as soon as I arrive at my hotel, I am offered a free pass for all public transport for the duration of my stay.

This is granted to anyone staying in the city for a maximum of two weeks. Impressive. Generous too.

I can’t wait to discover Lausanne’s Olympic links and why it was voted “Best Small City in the World” by Monocle magazine. So I head towards Ouchy where the Olympic Museum is located.

To do this, I have to jump on the remote-controlled subway, considered the steepest in the world. Certainly, its platform has a steep angle.

In Ouchy, opposite the marina, the view of the lake is splendid and the French Alps in the distance.

There’s even a clock counting down the days, hours and minutes until the start of the Olympic Games in Paris on July 26.

The people of Lausanne are proud of their Olympic affiliation.

Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games, brought the Olympic Committee to Lausanne in 1915 and it is housed in a large building not far from the museum.

After climbing the steps and passing numerous statues of athletes in action, I finally arrive at the entrance to the museum.

Even if you’re not athletic, all the different medals and costumes – especially the ones Torvill and Dean wore to dance the Bolero and win their gold medal in 1984 – will put pep in your step.

I’m heading towards Plateforme 10, the new arts district of Lausanne. Housed in a former marshalling yard near the train station, there are three museums here, which were previously scattered around the city.

The MCBA (fine arts), MUDAC (contemporary design and applied arts) and Photo Elysée (photography) are housed in soulless modern buildings but the art and photography inside make up for it.

There are often temporary exhibitions, which require a fee, but the permanent collections are free. Lausanne has an unusual layout.

The city center does not face Lake Geneva, but is located high up and well back from the water’s edge and extends over several peaks connected by bridges spanning deep riverless gorges.

Notre-Dame Cathedral is considered the most beautiful Gothic building in Switzerland.

It’s weird. Every evening, between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., after the bells have struck the hour, a dark voice shouts from all sides of the cathedral tower: “It’s the night watch; the hour has struck” – assuring everyone nearby that all is well.

I don’t doubt it for a single minute. Everything is going very well indeed in this most civilized city.