A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Lausanne vs. Caen for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Lausanne or Caen?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Lausanne or Caen, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Lausanne

Lausanne is a international, diverse, and vibrant city. It's a gorgeous place to visit. Other reasons to visit include food, shopping, and museums.

Caen

Caen is a important, historic, and park-filled city. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. Other popular activities here include museums, nightlife, and food.

Lausanne and Caen: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Lausanne or Caen?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Caen than Lausanne, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Caen is better known for its big city activities, while Lausanne is more popular for its historical sights, shopping, and impressive beauty. Caen is more touristy than Lausanne and is popular for its role in World War II and its memorials and historical buildings. Also, Caen is famous for Pegasus Bridge. Lausanne is well known for being the home of the International Olympic Committee headquarters.

How is Lausanne different from Caen?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Caen and Lausanne. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Lausanne or Caen?

For an educational experience, head to a museum or a notable sight in either Lausanne or Caen.

With a variety of museums, monuments, and historical sights, a trip to Lausanne can be an interesting and educational experience. You'll find many great museums around town that cover a range of topics. The Olympic Museum is very interesting. You should also check out the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, and the Hermitage Foundation.

You'll find a good number of museums and monuments packed into Caen. There are many monuments around town commemorating the city's long history. You'll want to see Château de Caen, Pegasus Bridge, Mémorial de Caen, Musée de Normandie, and Musée des beaux-arts de Caen.

Is the Food Better in Lausanne or Caen? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Foodies will find both Lausanne and Caen both to be great destinations.

Dining out in Lausanne is an experience not to be missed. The city is filled with delicious chocolate, cheese, and wine. Fondue is a favorite, but you'll also find cured meats on most menus. While food can be expensive, it's also high quality and usually locally produced.

The food selection at local restaurants is excellent in Caen. There's a market that's at its best on Sundays where you'll find fresh produce and other local ingredients. There are also Michelin starred restaurants, seafood restaurants, and other traditional dishes. Head to the Vaugueux Quarter for traditional dishes.

Is Lausanne or Caen Better for Nightlife?

Party-goers will find similar levels of energy in Lausanne and Caen.

Lausanne has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. There are a surprising number of clubs around town and it's not hard to find somewhere to party. The large student population and the international vibe make this a fascinating place for nightlife.

If you're looking for night time activities Caen has a few options to choose from. The nightlife scene stays active thanks to the 30,000 students living in town. Head to the Rue Ecuyère for a pub crawl or hit up any of the other bars around town.

Is Lausanne or Caen Better for its Old Town?

Lausanne is a good destination for its historic old town. However, Caen does not have a historic old town.

Lausanne is a good destination for visiting its old town. There's a relatively large historic section that has a Gothic cathedral and many quaint shops.

Caen does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Lausanne or Caen?

Lausanne is a very popular place for shopping. However, Caen is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Lausanne. You'll find luxury Swiss watch brands, jewelry, chocolate, and many other interesting things to buy. Prices can be high, but so is the quality. It's fun to look, even if you're not planning to purchase.

Caen is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Is Lausanne or Caen Better for Families?

Lausanne and Caen are both notable destinations for the whole family.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Lausanne. There are kid-friendly museums, petting zoos, and other fun activities in town. You can also take a boat ride or let the kids run around one of the parks in town.

Caen offers lots of family activities. There are museums, parks, monasteries, and castles that kids and adults alike with enjoy visiting.

Is Lausanne or Caen Better for Couples?

Lausanne and Caen are both notable to visit as a couple.

Lausanne is a good city for couples to visit. The medieval old city is fun to explore. The lakefront setting also offers fun activities like boating. There are also a number of museums in town to explore.

Caen is a nice destination for couples. Couples that are fascinated by history will enjoy a visit to this town in Normandy. There are also abbeys, castles and parks.

Is Lausanne or Caen Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Caen is a nice place to visit for backpackers. However, Lausanne is not particularly known for backpackers and budget travelers.

It's common for backpackers to visit Caen. You'll find more apartments and bed and breakfasts than hostels in town, but backpackers still make their way here.

Lausanne is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. It's not the most popular town for backpackers but there are some affordable hotels. It's also more reasonably priced than many Swiss cities.

Is Lausanne or Caen Better for Students?

Lausanne is a very popular place for its student-friendly activities. However, Caen is not popular with students.

Many students visit Lausanne. There are 11 institutes for higher learning in town, so students make up a significant percentage of the population. The city is also full of culture, making it a very livable city.

Caen is not popular with students.

Is Lausanne or Caen Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Caen is well known for its public transit. Also, Lausanne is still popular, but not quite as popular for times when you don't have a car.

The public transit in Caen can get you to most places easily. There are buses and trams that travel throughout the city.

While Lausanne offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. There is a comprehensive network of transportation options available in town including buses and boats.

Is Lausanne or Caen a more walkable city?

Lausanne and Caen both are notable when exploring on foot.

Lausanne is a somewhat walkable city. Many parts of the city, including the historic sections, and relatively easy to explore on foot.

Caen is somewhat walkable. The city center is best explored on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Lausanne Worth Visiting? and Is Caen Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Caen or Lausanne?

How long in Lausanne or Caen?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Lausanne and Caen. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Caen than in Lausanne. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Lausanne, and 2-3 days is enough time in Caen.

Families should spend more time in Lausanne than Caen. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Lausanne, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Lausanne than Caen. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Lausanne that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Caen than Lausanne if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Caen.

One day in Lausanne or Caen?

Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the destination of Lausanne. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually enough time to experience most activities.

The city of Caen offers nightlife and food. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Lausanne or Caen?

Lausanne is a fun place to experience. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

Caen is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this city makes for a great vacation. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Caen, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Lausanne or Caen?

You'll find museums and nightlife around the diverse destination of Lausanne. This city offers something for everyone. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Caen is a popular choice for travelers. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in Lausanne or Caen?

The vibrant city of Lausanne offers nightlife and food. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. One week is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips.

Caen is a great place to explore. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This city offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Switzerland, The Best Tours for Seniors to Switzerland, The Best 10-Day Tours in France, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in France.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lausanne and Caen, we can see that Lausanne is more expensive. And not only is Caen much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Caen would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Caen and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Lausanne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lausanne than you might in Caen.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Lausanne Expensive? and Is Caen Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Lausanne or Caen?

Lausanne has a larger population, and is about 6% larger than the population of Caen. When comparing the sizes of Lausanne and Caen, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.