The Château d’Ouchy (Ouchy castle) is a 4-star hotel built on the site of a former castle by Jean-Jacques Mercier between 1889 and 1893, in the Ouchy district of Lausanne, Switzerland.
It is owned by the Sandoz Foundation hotel group.
- See also Olympic Museum
History
The castle’s origins are linked to the Bishopric of Lausanne: Landri de Durnes had a tower built on the shores of Lake Geneva around 1170. A century later, the structure was rebuilt and then converted into a fortified residence for the bishops, including Guillaume de Varax, who was particularly fond of it. From the 16th century onwards, during the Bernese period, the castle fell into disuse and its tower was reduced to ashes in 1609. The State of Vaud reclaimed the property after the Bernese departed.
Jean-Jacques Mercier purchased it in 1885. He demolished the ruins and the old buildings, with the exception of the tower. Working with the architect Francis Isoz, it had a neo-Gothic building constructed between 1889 and 1893 to serve as a hotel; this remains the building’s function today, and it is also listed as a Swiss cultural asset of regional importance.
How to get to?
From Lausanne city center: metro line M2 / bus 2, 24 or 83
By car from Geneva: 1 hr (65 km) via A1
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