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Vaud ( ; french: (Canton de) Vaud, ; german: (Kanton) Waadt, or ), more formally the canton of Vaud, is one of the 26 cantons forming the
Swiss Confederation ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
. It is composed of ten districts and its capital city is
Lausanne , neighboring_municipalities= Bottens, Bretigny-sur-Morrens, Chavannes-près-Renens, Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Crissier, Cugy, Écublens, Épalinges, Évian-les-Bains (FR-74), Froideville, Jouxtens-Mézery, Le Mont-sur-Lausanne, Lugrin (FR ...
. Its coat of arms bears the motto "Liberté et patrie" on a white-green bicolour. Vaud is the third largest canton of the
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while ...
by population and fourth by size. It is located in
Romandy Romandy (french: Romandie or )Before World War I, the term French Switzerland (french: Suisse française) waalso used german: Romandie or , it, Romandia, rm, Romanda) is the French-speaking part of western Switzerland. In 2020, about 2 milli ...
, the French-speaking western part of the country; and borders the canton of Neuchâtel to the north, the cantons of
Fribourg , neighboring_municipalities= Düdingen, Givisiez, Granges-Paccot, Marly, Pierrafortscha, Sankt Ursen, Tafers, Villars-sur-Glâne , twintowns = Rueil-Malmaison (France) , website = www.ville-fribourg.ch , Location of , Location of () () ...
and Bern to the east, the canton of
Valais Valais ( , , ; frp, Valês; german: Wallis ), more formally the Canton of Valais,; german: Kanton Wallis; in other official Swiss languages outside Valais: it, (Canton) Vallese ; rm, (Chantun) Vallais. is one of the 26 cantons forming the S ...
to the south, the canton of
Geneva , neighboring_municipalities= Carouge, Chêne-Bougeries, Cologny, Lancy, Grand-Saconnex, Pregny-Chambésy, Vernier, Veyrier , website = https://www.geneve.ch/ Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevr ...
to the south-west and
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
to the west. The geography of the canton includes all three natural regions of Switzerland: the Jura Mountains, the
Swiss Plateau The Swiss Plateau or Central Plateau (german: Schweizer Mittelland; french: plateau suisse; it, altopiano svizzero) is one of the three major landscapes in Switzerland, lying between the Jura Mountains and the Swiss Alps. It covers about 30% of ...
and the (Swiss) Alps. It also includes some of the largest lakes of the country:
Lake Geneva , image = Lake Geneva by Sentinel-2.jpg , caption = Satellite image , image_bathymetry = , caption_bathymetry = , location = Switzerland, France , coords = , lake_type = Glacial la ...
and
Lake Neuchâtel Lake Neuchâtel (french: Lac de Neuchâtel ; frp, Lèc de Nôchâtél; german: Neuenburgersee) is a lake primarily in Romandy, in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. The lake lies mainly in the canton of Neuchâtel, but is also shared by t ...
. It is a major tourist destination, renowned for its landscapes and gastronomy. The largest city is
Lausanne , neighboring_municipalities= Bottens, Bretigny-sur-Morrens, Chavannes-près-Renens, Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Crissier, Cugy, Écublens, Épalinges, Évian-les-Bains (FR-74), Froideville, Jouxtens-Mézery, Le Mont-sur-Lausanne, Lugrin (FR ...
, followed by
Yverdon-les-Bains Yverdon-les-Bains () (called Eburodunum and Ebredunum during the Roman era) is a municipality in the district of Jura-Nord vaudois of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is the seat of the district. The population of Yverdon-les-Bains, , wa ...
and
Montreux Montreux (, , ; frp, Montrolx) is a Swiss municipality and town on the shoreline of Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps. It belongs to the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, and has a population of approxima ...
. As of the canton has a population of . It is one of the four cantons where French is the sole official language. Formerly a Bernese bailiwick, Vaud joined the Swiss Confederation as an independent canton in 1803.


History

Humans lived alongside the Vaud lakes in prehistoric times. Later, the Celtic tribe of the Helvetii inhabited the area.
Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, an ...
's troops defeated the Helvetii in 58 BC and as a consequence the
Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
settled in the area. The many towns established by the Romans include
Vevey Vevey (; frp, Vevê; german: label=former German, Vivis) is a town in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, on the north shore of Lake Geneva, near Lausanne. The German name Vivis is no longer commonly used. It was the seat of the district of ...
( la, Viviscus) and Lausanne (''Lausonium'' or ''Lausonna''). In 27 BC the state of ''Civitas Helvetiorum'' was established around the capital of
Avenches Avenches () is a Swiss municipality in the canton of Vaud, located in the district of Broye-Vully. History The roots of Avenches go back to the Celts. A tribe of Helvetians had built a settlement on the hills of Bois de Châtel, south of the ...
(''Aventicum''). There are still many Roman remains around the town today. Between the 2nd and the 4th centuries Alemannic tribes repeatedly invaded the area, and in the 5th century the Burgundians occupied the territory. The
Merovingian The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from the middle of the 5th century until 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the Franks and northern Gauli ...
Franks later replaced the Burgundians. Their control did not last long either, and in 888 the area of the canton of Vaud became part of the
Carolingian Empire The Carolingian Empire (800–888) was a large Frankish-dominated empire in western and central Europe during the Early Middle Ages. It was ruled by the Carolingian dynasty, which had ruled as kings of the Franks since 751 and as kings of the ...
(the successor state to the Merovingians). In 1032 the Zähringens of Germany defeated the Burgundians. The Zähringens themselves were succeeded in 1218 by the counts of Savoy. It was only under the counts of Savoy that the area gained political unity as the Barony of Vaud. A part stretching from
Attalens Attalens (; frp, Atalens, locally or ''Talin'') is a municipality in the district of Veveyse in the canton of Fribourg in Switzerland. History Attalens is first mentioned in 867 as ''Haltningum''. Geography Attalens has an area of . Of ...
to the river Sarine, in the north, was absorbed by the canton of Fribourg. As the power of the House of Savoy declined at the beginning of the 15th century, troops from Bern occupied the land. By 1536 Bern had completely annexed the area. Vaud's
Protestant Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and ...
started with co-workers of John Calvin like
Pierre Viret Pierre Viret (1509/1510 – 4 April 1571) was a Swiss Reformed theologian, evangelist and Protestant reformer. Early life Pierre Viret was born in 1509 or 1510 in Orbe, then in the Barony of Vaud, now in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. He wa ...
(a famous debate took place at the cathedral of Lausanne), but it was only decisively implemented when Bern put its full force behind it. The Bernese occupiers were not popular amongst the population. In 1723 Major
Abraham Davel Jean Daniel Abraham Davel (20 October 1670 - 24 April 1723), known as Major Davel, was a Swiss soldier and patriot of Vaud. He was sentenced to death and beheaded for calling for Vaud's independence from the Bern authorities. Early life and m ...
led a revolt against Bern, in protest at what he saw as the denial of political rights of the French-speaking Vaudois by the German-speaking Bernese; he was subsequently beheaded.''Histoire de la Suisse'', Éditions Fragnière, Fribourg, Switzerland. Later, inspired by the
French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in coup of 18 Brumaire, November 1799. Many of its ...
of 1789–1799, the Vaudois drove out the Bernese governor in 1798 and declared the
Lemanic Republic , image = Lake Geneva by Sentinel-2.jpg , caption = Satellite image , image_bathymetry = , caption_bathymetry = , location = Switzerland, France , coords = , lake_type = Glacial lak ...
. Vaud nationalists like Frédéric-César de La Harpe had called for French intervention in liberating the area, and French Revolutionary troops moved in, taking over the whole of Switzerland itself in the process and setting up the Helvetic Republic. Under
Napoleon I Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
(Emperor 1804-1815), Vaud became (1798-1803) the
canton of Léman Léman was the name of a canton of the Helvetic Republic from 1798 to 1803, corresponding to the territory of modern Vaud. A former subject territory of Bern, Vaud had been independent for only four months in 1798 as the Lemanic Republic before i ...
. Unrest about the abolition of feudal rights and taxes led to increased discontent, which culminated in the revolt of the
Bourla-papey Bourla-Papey was the name given to a popular revolt that took place between February and May 1802 in the Canton of Léman, in Switzerland, during the days of the Helvetic Republic. The uprising was in response to the restoration of feudal right ...
in spring 1802, closely followed by the Stecklikrieg (August to October 1802) that brought the end of the entire Helvetic Republic in 1803. In 1803 Vaud joined the re-installed
Swiss Confederation ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
. In spite of Bernese attempts to reclaim Vaud, it has remained a sovereign canton ever since. In the 19th century, the canton of Vaud was an outspoken opponent of the ''Sonderbund'' Catholic separatist movement, which led to intervention by 99,000 Swiss Federal troops under General
Henri Dufour Guillaume Henri Dufour (15 September 178714 July 1875) was a Swiss military officer, structural engineer and topographer. He served under Napoleon I and held the Swiss office of General four times in his career, firstly in 1847 when he led the ...
against 79,000 separatists, in the Sonderbund War (November 1847). Separation was prevented at the cost of very few lives. The current cantonal constitution dates from 14 April 2003, replacing the constitution of 1885.


Geography

The canton stretches from
Lake Neuchâtel Lake Neuchâtel (french: Lac de Neuchâtel ; frp, Lèc de Nôchâtél; german: Neuenburgersee) is a lake primarily in Romandy, in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. The lake lies mainly in the canton of Neuchâtel, but is also shared by t ...
in the north, where it borders the canton of Neuchâtel, to
Lake Geneva , image = Lake Geneva by Sentinel-2.jpg , caption = Satellite image , image_bathymetry = , caption_bathymetry = , location = Switzerland, France , coords = , lake_type = Glacial la ...
(french: Léman) in the south, where it borders the
canton of Geneva The Canton of Geneva, officially the Republic and Canton of Geneva (french: link=no, République et canton de Genève; frp, Rèpublica et canton de Geneva; german: Republik und Kanton Genf; it, Repubblica e Cantone di Ginevra; rm, Republica e ...
, the French department of
Haute-Savoie Haute-Savoie (; Arpitan: ''Savouè d'Amont'' or ''Hiôta-Savouè''; en, Upper Savoy) or '; it, Alta Savoia. is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of Southeastern France, bordering both Switzerland and Italy. Its prefecture is Ann ...
(lake border) and the canton of Valais ( Chablais). In the Jura mountains in the west, the canton borders the French departments of
Ain Ain (, ; frp, En) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in Eastern France. Named after the Ain river, it is bordered by the Saône and Rhône rivers. Ain is located on the country's eastern edge, on the Swiss border, where ...
, Jura, and
Doubs Doubs (, ; ; frp, Dubs) is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in Eastern France. Named after the river Doubs, it had a population of 543,974 in 2019.Fribourg , neighboring_municipalities= Düdingen, Givisiez, Granges-Paccot, Marly, Pierrafortscha, Sankt Ursen, Tafers, Villars-sur-Glâne , twintowns = Rueil-Malmaison (France) , website = www.ville-fribourg.ch , Location of , Location of () () ...
and Bern. The total area is . Along with the canton of Berne, Vaud is one of the two cantons whose territory extends from the Jura to the Alps, through the three distinct geographic regions of Switzerland. The areas in the south east are mountainous, situated on the north side of the
Bernese Alps , topo_map= Swiss Federal Office of Topography swisstopo , photo=BerneseAlps.jpg , photo_caption=The Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau , country= Switzerland , subdivision1_type= Cantons , subdivision1= , parent= Western Alps , borders_on= , ...
. This region is commonly named the ''Vaud Alps'' (french: Alpes Vaudoises). The
Diablerets The Diablerets (french: Les Diablerets; lit. "the abode of devils") are a huge ice-covered mountain massif of the Alps, culminating at the Sommet des Diablerets (VD, VS) at above sea level and straddling the border between the Swiss cantons o ...
massif, peaking at , is the highest mountain of the canton. Other summits such as the
Grand Muveran The Grand Muveran is a mountain of the Bernese Alps, located on the border between the cantons of Vaud and Valais. At 3,051 metres, it is the highest summit of the group lying between the Rhone knee and the Pas de Cheville and the westernmost th ...
and the
Tour d'Aï The Tour d'Aï is a mountain in the western Bernese Alps, overlooking Leysin in the canton of Vaud. It is located near the Tour de Mayen, on the range lying between the Rhone and Col des Mosses, south of Lake Geneva, from where both summits ...
are visible from most of the canton. The area also hosts several popular skiing destinations such as Villars,
Les Diablerets Les Diablerets is a village and ski resort located in the municipality of Ormont-Dessus in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. The village lies at an altitude of on the north side of the massif of the Diablerets, , in the Swiss Alps. It can be ...
and
Leysin Leysin is a municipality of the canton of Vaud in the Aigle district of Switzerland. It is first mentioned around 1231–32 as ''Leissins'', in 1352 as ''Leisins''. Located in the Vaud Alps, Leysin is a sunny alpine resort village at the easte ...
. The central area of the canton, in contrast, consists of moraines and is hilly. There are plains along the lakes. In the north, Avenches is in an exclave of the canton surrounded by the canton of Fribourg and Lake Neuchâtel. On the other hand, there are three enclaves of the canton of Fribourg (Estavayer-le-lac, Vuissens, Surpierre), as well as two enclaves of the canton of
Geneva , neighboring_municipalities= Carouge, Chêne-Bougeries, Cologny, Lancy, Grand-Saconnex, Pregny-Chambésy, Vernier, Veyrier , website = https://www.geneve.ch/ Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevr ...
(Céligny), that are surrounded by the canton of Vaud. The north-western part of the canton is also mountainous but in a more modest way with mountains generally not above ; the Jura Mountains. The
Vallée de Joux The Vallée de Joux is a valley of the Jura Mountains mainly in the Swiss Canton of Vaud. The valley also continues into France ( Jura département) at its higher, southwestern, end. Located north of Geneva and northwest of Lausanne, its mean ele ...
is one of the most popular destinations in the region and also a centre of luxury mechanical Swiss watch manufacturing.


Politics


Members of the national council

Source:


Members of the council of states

Source:


Federal election results

: before 2009: FDP; since 2009: FDP.The Liberals : "*" indicates that the party was not on the ballot in this canton. : Part of the FDP for this election


Political subdivisions


Districts

The canton of Vaud is divided into 10 districts: *
Aigle , neighboring_municipalities= Vaud: Yvorne, Leysin, Ormont-Dessous, Ollon; Valais: Vouvry, Collombey-Muraz , twintowns = L'Aigle (France), Tübingen (Germany), Bassersdorf (Switzerland) } Aigle ( French for "eagle", ; frp, Âgllo) is ...
with capital
Aigle , neighboring_municipalities= Vaud: Yvorne, Leysin, Ormont-Dessous, Ollon; Valais: Vouvry, Collombey-Muraz , twintowns = L'Aigle (France), Tübingen (Germany), Bassersdorf (Switzerland) } Aigle ( French for "eagle", ; frp, Âgllo) is ...
* Broye-Vully with capital Payerne * Gros-de-Vaud with capital
Échallens Échallens is a municipality in the district of Gros-de-Vaud in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. History The territory of the municipality was already settled very early. There are remains of a Bronze Age foundry. The first documentation dates ...
* Jura-Nord vaudois with capital
Yverdon-les-Bains Yverdon-les-Bains () (called Eburodunum and Ebredunum during the Roman era) is a municipality in the district of Jura-Nord vaudois of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is the seat of the district. The population of Yverdon-les-Bains, , wa ...
*
Lausanne , neighboring_municipalities= Bottens, Bretigny-sur-Morrens, Chavannes-près-Renens, Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Crissier, Cugy, Écublens, Épalinges, Évian-les-Bains (FR-74), Froideville, Jouxtens-Mézery, Le Mont-sur-Lausanne, Lugrin (FR ...
with capital
Lausanne , neighboring_municipalities= Bottens, Bretigny-sur-Morrens, Chavannes-près-Renens, Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Crissier, Cugy, Écublens, Épalinges, Évian-les-Bains (FR-74), Froideville, Jouxtens-Mézery, Le Mont-sur-Lausanne, Lugrin (FR ...
* Lavaux-Oron with capital Cully *
Morges Morges (; la, Morgiis, plural, probably ablative, else dative; frp, Môrges) is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud and the seat of the district of Morges. It is located on Lake Geneva. History Morges is first mentioned in 1288 as ' ...
with capital
Morges Morges (; la, Morgiis, plural, probably ablative, else dative; frp, Môrges) is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud and the seat of the district of Morges. It is located on Lake Geneva. History Morges is first mentioned in 1288 as ' ...
*
Nyon Nyon (; outdated German: or ; outdated Italian: , ) is a municipality in Nyon District in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is located some 25 kilometers north east of Geneva's city centre, and since the 1970s it has become part of the Ge ...
with capital
Nyon Nyon (; outdated German: or ; outdated Italian: , ) is a municipality in Nyon District in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is located some 25 kilometers north east of Geneva's city centre, and since the 1970s it has become part of the Ge ...
* Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut with capital
Vevey Vevey (; frp, Vevê; german: label=former German, Vivis) is a town in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, on the north shore of Lake Geneva, near Lausanne. The German name Vivis is no longer commonly used. It was the seat of the district of ...
* Ouest Lausannois with capital
Renens Renens ( ) is a municipality in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. It is located in the district of Ouest Lausannois, and is a suburb of the city of Lausanne. It is the fourth largest city in the canton. It is considered a very multiethnic town, a ...


Municipalities

There are 376 municipalities in the canton ().


Demographics

The population is French-speaking and historically was mostly
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...
(Calvinist), dating from the early years of the
Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...
. Recently, however, this has been changing due to immigration from
Southern Europe Southern Europe is the southern region of Europe. It is also known as Mediterranean Europe, as its geography is essentially marked by the Mediterranean Sea. Definitions of Southern Europe include some or all of these countries and regions: Alba ...
. In 2000, the population was nearly evenly split between Protestants (40%) and
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
s (34%). The population of the canton (as of ) was . , the population included about 28% foreigners, including many
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...
s. The major population centres of the canton are: Lausanne ( inhabitants in ),
Montreux Montreux (, , ; frp, Montrolx) is a Swiss municipality and town on the shoreline of Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps. It belongs to the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, and has a population of approxima ...
-
Vevey Vevey (; frp, Vevê; german: label=former German, Vivis) is a town in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, on the north shore of Lake Geneva, near Lausanne. The German name Vivis is no longer commonly used. It was the seat of the district of ...
(Montreux: Vevey: inhabitants) and
Yverdon-les-Bains Yverdon-les-Bains () (called Eburodunum and Ebredunum during the Roman era) is a municipality in the district of Jura-Nord vaudois of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is the seat of the district. The population of Yverdon-les-Bains, , wa ...
( inhabitants). The region around
Nyon Nyon (; outdated German: or ; outdated Italian: , ) is a municipality in Nyon District in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is located some 25 kilometers north east of Geneva's city centre, and since the 1970s it has become part of the Ge ...
is often considered part of the agglomeration of
Geneva , neighboring_municipalities= Carouge, Chêne-Bougeries, Cologny, Lancy, Grand-Saconnex, Pregny-Chambésy, Vernier, Veyrier , website = https://www.geneve.ch/ Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevr ...
. All of these are on Lake Geneva (called Lac Léman in French), except for Yverdon, which is on Lake Neuchâtel.


Economy

The capital,
Lausanne , neighboring_municipalities= Bottens, Bretigny-sur-Morrens, Chavannes-près-Renens, Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Crissier, Cugy, Écublens, Épalinges, Évian-les-Bains (FR-74), Froideville, Jouxtens-Mézery, Le Mont-sur-Lausanne, Lugrin (FR ...
, is the major city of the canton. There are light industries concentrated around it. In 1998, 71.7% of the workers worked in the tertiary sector and 20.8% in the secondary. The canton is the second-largest producer of
wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...
in Switzerland. Most of the wine produced in the canton is white, and most vineyards are located on the steep shores of Lake Geneva such as the
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
the Lavaux Vineyard Terraces. There is agriculture in the areas away from Lake Geneva. Sugar beet is important around
Orbe Orbe (; la, Urba; older german: Orbach, ; frp, Orba) is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud. It was the seat of the former district of Orbe and is now part of the district of Jura-Nord Vaudois. History Orbe is first mentioned about 2 ...
, tobacco in
La Broye Valley LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figur ...
, and fruit at the foot of the Jura mountains. Cattle breeding and pasture are common in the
Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Swi ...
and the Jura mountains. There is a
salt mine Salt mining extracts natural salt deposits from underground. The mined salt is usually in the form of halite (commonly known as rock salt), and extracted from evaporite formations. History Before the advent of the modern internal combustio ...
at Bex. Tourism is important in many towns along Lake Geneva. Major lakeside resorts include Lausanne,
Montreux Montreux (, , ; frp, Montrolx) is a Swiss municipality and town on the shoreline of Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps. It belongs to the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, and has a population of approxima ...
, and
Vevey Vevey (; frp, Vevê; german: label=former German, Vivis) is a town in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, on the north shore of Lake Geneva, near Lausanne. The German name Vivis is no longer commonly used. It was the seat of the district of ...
. The
Union Cycliste Internationale The ''Union Cycliste Internationale'' (UCI; ; en, International Cycling Union) is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland. The UCI issues raci ...
is based in Aigle, and many of its defamation lawsuits against critics have been heard in the Est Vaudois district court of Vevey.


Education

Two Swiss public universities are located within the canton: *
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne Swiss may refer to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland *Swiss people Places * Swiss, Missouri *Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia *Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports *Swiss Internationa ...
(EPFL) *
University of Lausanne The University of Lausanne (UNIL; french: links=no, Université de Lausanne) in Lausanne, Switzerland was founded in 1537 as a school of Protestant theology, before being made a university in 1890. The university is the second oldest in Switzer ...
(UNIL) Additionally, there are several public ''hautes écoles'' offering a limited selection of programmes: * Haute école d'art et de design (ECAL) * Vaud School of Business and Engineering (HEIG-VD) * University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland (HES-SO) ** Haute École de Santé La Source (HEdS-La Source) **
Haute École de travail social et de la santé Haute may refer to: People * Nicholas Haute (1357 – c.1415), English knight, landowner and politician ** William Haute (MP) (1390-1462), son of Nicholas, Member of Parliament, English politician ** William Hawte Sir William Hawte (also Haute or ...
(EESP) **
École hôtelière de Lausanne The École hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL, ) is a hospitality management school in Switzerland. The school is consistently regarded as the best hospitality school in the world. It trains students whose goals are to obtain managerial careers in the ...
(EHL) **
Changins Agroscope is the Swiss Confederation's center of excellence for agricultural research and is affiliated with the Federal Office for Agriculture, which is subordinate to the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research. Agrosc ...
**
Haute école des arts et de la scène Haute may refer to: People * Nicholas Haute (1357 – c.1415), English knight, landowner and politician ** William Haute (MP) (1390-1462), son of Nicholas, Member of Parliament, English politician ** William Hawte Sir William Hawte (also Haute or ...
(Manufacture) *
Haute École de Santé Vaud Haute may refer to: People * Nicholas Haute (1357 – c.1415), English knight, landowner and politician ** William Haute (MP) (1390-1462), son of Nicholas, Member of Parliament, English politician ** William Hawte or Haute (c. 1430 - 1497), son of ...
(HESAV) *
Haute école de musique Haute may refer to: People * Nicholas Haute (1357 – c.1415), English knight, landowner and politician ** William Haute (MP) (1390-1462), son of Nicholas, Member of Parliament, English politician ** William Hawte or Haute (c. 1430 - 1497), son of ...
(HEMU) *
Haute école pédagogique du Canton de Vaud Haute may refer to: People * Nicholas Haute (1357 – c.1415), English knight, landowner and politician ** William Haute (MP) William Haute (1390–1462) of Bishopsbourne, Kent, was an English politician. Early life Haute was born 1390 in W ...
(HEP Vaud)


Gastronomy

The canton is often referred to as the "culinary capital of Switzerland" and is renowned for its many cheeses, wines and charcuterie. It is also home to a high number of gourmet restaurants, such as the Hôtel de ville in
Crissier Crissier () is a municipality in the district of Ouest Lausannois in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is a suburb of Lausanne. History Crissier is first mentioned in 1199 as ''Crissiaco''. In 1228 it was mentioned as ''Crissie''. Geography ...
, founded by
Frédy Girardet Frédy Girardet (born 17 November 1936) is a Swiss chef who cooks in the French tradition. Often considered one of the greatest chefs of the 20th Century, his self-named restaurant in Crissier, Switzerland (near Lausanne, Switzerland) earned thr ...
.
Taillé aux greubons The Taillé aux greubons is a salted bakery specialty from Vaud, in Switzerland. "''Greubon''" is a Swiss term for the crackling produced as residue from rendering lard. The ''taillés'' are made of puff pastry Puff pastry, also known as ', ...
are a salted bakery specialty of the region consisting of crackling encased in
puff pastry Puff pastry, also known as ', is a flaky light pastry made from a laminated dough composed of dough (') and butter or other solid fat ('). The butter is put inside the dough (or vice versa), making a ' that is repeatedly folded and rolled out befo ...
. Another of the canton's specialties is carac, a sweet tart consisting of a sweetcrust pastry case ( pâte sucrée) filled with chocolate
ganache Ganache (; ) is a glaze, icing, sauce, or filling for pastries, made from chocolate and cream. Preparation Ganache is a chocolate preparation, normally made by heating equal parts by weight of cream and chopped chocolate, warming the cream ...
, covered by a characteristic green icing or fondant layer topped with a dot of chocolate.


Notable people

*
Brigitte Balleys Brigitte Balleys (born 18 June 1959) is a Swiss mezzo-soprano in opera and concert. Biography Born in the canton of Vaud, Brigitte Balleys studied at Sion, then at the Conservatory of Bern where she graduated from the singing class of Jakob St ...
(born 1959) a Swiss mezzo-soprano in opera and concert. *
Raymond Burki Raymond Burki (2 September 1949 – 29 December 2016) was a Swiss cartoonist. He did over 8,000 drawings over the course of his career, and spent four decades as a cartoonist for '' 24 heures''. Early life Raymond Burki was born on 2 September 194 ...
(1949 in Épalinges – 2016) a Swiss cartoonist. *
Henri Dès Henri Dès (born 14 December 1940 in Renens, Vaud, Switzerland as Henri Destraz) is a Swiss French-language children's singer and songwriter immensely popular in European Francophone countries. In 1970, he released his first album, ''Retour''. D ...
(born 1940 in Renens) a Swiss French-language children's singer and songwriter * Abraham-Louis-Rodolphe Ducros (1748 in Moudon – 1810) a Swiss painter, watercolourist and engraver *
Pierre Gilliard Pierre Gilliard (16 May 1879 – 30 May 1962) was a Swiss academic and author, best known as the French language tutor to the five children of Emperor Nicholas II of Russia from 1905 to 1918. In 1921, after the Russian Revolution of 1917, he publ ...
(1879 in Fiez – 1962) a Swiss academic and author, French language tutor to the five children of Emperor
Nicholas II of Russia Nicholas II or Nikolai II Alexandrovich Romanov; spelled in pre-revolutionary script. ( 186817 July 1918), known in the Russian Orthodox Church as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer,. was the last Emperor of Russia, King of Congress Polan ...
from 1905 to 1918. *
Marcel Regamey Marcel Regamey (1905–1982) was a Swiss essayist and journalist from the Canton of Vaud Vaud ( ; french: (Canton de) Vaud, ; german: (Kanton) Waadt, or ), more formally the canton of Vaud, is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confed ...
(1905–1982), Swiss essayist and journalist *
Flore Revalles Flore (or Flora) Revalles (January 25, 1889 – August 29, 1966) was a Swiss entertainer active over the early decades of the twentieth century. Revalles began as a singer in Switzerland, danced with the Ballets Russes in Europe and America and a ...
(1889 in Rolle – 1966) a Swiss entertainer, singer and dancer *
Anatoly Shteiger Baron Anatoly Sergeyevich Shteiger (russian: Анато́лий Серге́евич Ште́йгер; July 20, 1907 — October 24, 1944) was a Russian poet, one of the most significant poets of the first wave of emigration. Poems, while pr ...
(1907 — 1944 in Leysin) a Russian poet *
Gabriel Tschumi Gabriel Tschumi (1883–27 April 1957) was a native of Switzerland who served as Master Chef to three British monarchs: Queen Victoria and Kings Edward VII and George V. Early life Tschumi was born in about 1883, in Moudon, Switzerland, where his ...
(1883 in Moudon – 1957) Master Chef to Queen Victoria, Kings Edward VII and George V. * Jean-Louis Wagnière (1739 in Rueyres – 1802)
Voltaire François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778) was a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher. Known by his ''nom de plume'' M. de Voltaire (; also ; ), he was famous for his wit, and his criticism of Christianity—es ...
's secretary from 1756 to 1778. *
Charles-Emmanuel de Warnery Charles Emanuel de Warnery (13 March 1720 – 3 May 1776) was a royal Prussian colonel, later a royal Polish general. He was born 13 March 1720 at Morges on Lake Geneva, Canton Vaud, served in the Sardinian service on the ''Regiment Desportes'', ...
(1720 at Morges - 1776) royal Prussian colonel, later a royal Polish general.


See also

*
Franco-Provençal language Franco-Provençal (also Francoprovençal, Patois or Arpitan) is a language within Gallo-Romance originally spoken in east-central France, western Switzerland and northwestern Italy. Franco-Provençal has several distinct dialects and is sep ...
*
Lausanne campus The Lausanne campus or Dorigny university campus (French: ''campus lausannois'' or ''campus de Dorigny'') is a large area in Switzerland where the University of Lausanne (UNIL), the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and several o ...
*
List of mountains of Vaud This is a list of mountains of the Cantons of Switzerland, Swiss canton of Vaud. Vaud is partly mountainous and is one of the nine cantons having summits above 3,000 metres. It is also one of the two cantons (with Canton of Bern, Bern) extending ...


Notes and references


Bibliography

* Laurent Flutsch and Séverine André (with the collaboration of Bernadette Gross), ''Y en a point comme nous. Un portrait des Vaudois aujourd'hui''
here are none like us. A portrait of the Vaudois of today Here is an adverb that means "in, on, or at this place". It may also refer to: Software * Here Technologies, a mapping company * Here WeGo (formerly Here Maps), a mobile app and map website by Here Television * Here TV (formerly "here!"), a TV ...
Éditions Infolio, 2015, 368 pages ().


External links

* *
Cantonal government

Vaud Tourist Office

Official Statistics Vaud (SCRIS)



Vaud Directory

''The canton of Vaud in 2015''
{{Portal bar, Switzerland
Vaud Vaud ( ; french: (Canton de) Vaud, ; german: (Kanton) Waadt, or ), more formally the canton of Vaud, is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of ten districts and its capital city is Lausanne. Its coat of arms b ...
Wine regions of Switzerland
Vaud Vaud ( ; french: (Canton de) Vaud, ; german: (Kanton) Waadt, or ), more formally the canton of Vaud, is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of ten districts and its capital city is Lausanne. Its coat of arms b ...
1803 establishments in Switzerland States and territories established in 1803