Trails in Vaud

Between Lake Geneva and the Jura ridges, the canton of Vaud puts trail running within everyone's reach 🌲. The forests of Lausanne, the terraced vineyards of Lavaux, the alpine pastures of Villars and the gorges of the Jura form a varied and easily accessible terrain. For a trail in Vaud, there's no need to travel far: the path often starts right at the edge of town. Trail runners share it with hikers, mountain bikers and, higher up, a few chamois.

The terrain climbs in stages: 400 m by the lake, nearly 1,700 m at Mont Tendre in the Jura, and more than 2,000 m in the Prealps. The first trails kick off as early as February, on snow or at night, before the burst of spring ❄️. Summer pushes the starts to higher altitudes, towards Villars and Château-d'Œx, and autumn offers russet forests and seas of fog above the lake 🍂. The mild climate of Lake Geneva keeps the trails runnable almost all year round, which appeals to regular runners.

The Vaud trail calendar fills up all year long. In February, the Trail Nocturne Vallée de Joux sets off into the night, followed by the Trail du Mont Bally in Gimel and the Urban Trail Lausanne in March. May brings the Jura Swiss Trail in Baulmes and the Trail Blonay - St-Légier, above Vevey. In July, the Montreux Trail Festival brings together all levels, and the LG Trail closes the season in Lausanne on November 7, 2026 🏁. The most ambitious set their sights on the ultra-trails in Vaud.

The canton is not short on flavors: vacherin Mont-d'Or from the Vallée de Joux, cabbage sausage, alpine gruyère 🧀. As for local heroes, Stan Wawrinka, a son of the canton, is a reminder that here people like to aim high. Whether you're looking for a short discovery trail or a long outing at altitude, choose your format, and Vaud's nature will do the rest.