Lausanne, the capital of the Swiss canton of Vaud, is a medium sized city (around two thirds the size of Geneva) which sits at the northern most point of Lake Geneva. The city is the host to the International Olympic Committee and two major universities. It is also the transportation hub of Vaud, and a gateway to the alpine Canton of the Valais, home to some of the best known ski slopes in the world. Lausanne is a French speaking city, but a large part of the population speaks enough English that you will probably have little trouble communicating. English, however, is not as commonly spoken as in nearby Geneva. http://wikitravel.org/en/Lausanne