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

Should you visit Lausanne or Rouen?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Lausanne or Rouen, 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 cultural, international, and diverse city. It's a beautiful place to visit, too. And you can't forget about the nightlife, food, and shopping.

Rouen

Rouen is a impressive, relaxing, and historical city. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. Other popular activities here include shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Lausanne and Rouen: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Lausanne or Rouen?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Lausanne. Although Lausanne and Rouen are about the same size, Lausanne has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Lausanne is more popular for its museums and shopping, while Rouen is known for its impressive beauty. Rouen is more touristy than Lausanne and is known for its architectural history, historical monuments, and sense of culture. Lausanne is popular for being the home of the International Olympic Committee headquarters. It is also home to The Olympic Museum.

How is Lausanne different from Rouen?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Rouen 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 Rouen?

Lausanne is notable for its sights and museums. Also, Rouen is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its museums and history.

Lausanne offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. 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.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Rouen. You'll find the highest concentration of sights in the city's pedestrian zone. Highlights that you should check out include Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Abbatiale Saint-Ouen, and Aître Saint-Maclou.

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

Foodies will find both Lausanne and Rouen both to be very good 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 Rouen. There are many local specialties found in town. Make sure you try the Passe Crassane, which is a French pear. The town is also known for its cheese, chocolate, and pastries.

Is Lausanne or Rouen Better for Nightlife?

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

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 Rouen has a few options to choose from. You'll find wine bars, trendy cocktail bars, and local pubs where you can grab a drink.

Is Lausanne or Rouen Better for its Old Town?

Lausanne and Rouen both have good historical old towns that attract visitors.

Lausanne offers a nice historic old town area. There's a relatively large historic section that has a Gothic cathedral and many quaint shops.

Rouen is a good destination for visiting its old town. The old town is where you'll find spectacular Gothic churches and the most charming streets.

Is the Shopping Better in Lausanne or Rouen?

Lausanne is notable for its shopping opportunities. Also, Rouen is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its shopping areas.

Lausanne is a popular shopping destination with plenty of stores. 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.

Rouen has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. Some of the city's best shopping is found along the Rue du Gros-Horloge in the old city center. You'll find independent boutiques and well as upscale vendors.

Is Lausanne or Rouen Better for Families?

Lausanne and Rouen are both good 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.

Rouen offers lots of family activities. This beautiful city is filled with nice parks, free museums, and towers that offer views over the city. Kids will enjoy climbing the clocktower, eating pastries, or riding a bike around town.

Is Lausanne or Rouen Better for Couples?

Rouen is well known for couples. Also, Lausanne is still popular, but not quite as popular for romance.

Couples visit Rouen frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. The beautiful city makes a great retreat for couples who enjoy good food and nice architecture. There are many hidden gems around town that make this a favorite French city for many couples.

Lausanne is a nice destination for couples. 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.

Is Lausanne or Rouen Better for Students?

Lausanne is notable for students. However, Rouen is not popular with students.

Lausanne is a very popular city for students and younger travelers. 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.

Rouen is not popular with students.

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

Rouen 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 Rouen can get you to most places easily. The city has two agencies that offer public transportation. Métro du Rouen is a tramway that runs north to south from Boulingrin in the north to Saint-Sever, where it branches off into two lines (one to Technopôle and one to Georges Braque). There are also buses and rail connections to town.

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 Rouen a more walkable city?

Rouen is well known for its ease of walking around. Also, Lausanne is still popular, but not quite as popular for its walkability.

Rouen is a very walkable destination. There are many parts of town that can easily be explored on foot.

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

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

Should I spend more time in Rouen or Lausanne?

How long in Lausanne or Rouen?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Lausanne or Rouen to fill your time. You can spend a similar amount of time exploring either. However, 1-2 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Lausanne than Rouen 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 Lausanne.

One day in Lausanne or Rouen?

In Lausanne, many people enjoy the shopping and museums that this cultural destination offers. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Because of this, one day is usually enough time for a trip here.

The beautiful city of Rouen offers food and shopping. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one day here. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Lausanne or Rouen?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Lausanne. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. This would be the perfect place to spend a weekend, as it has just the right amount of activities. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

Rouen 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 Rouen, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Lausanne or Rouen?

Lausanne is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the destination of Lausanne. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

Rouen 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 Rouen?

You'll find food and shopping around the international destination of Lausanne. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Rouen 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 Vineyard & Wine Tours in France, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in France.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lausanne and Rouen, we can see that Lausanne is more expensive. And not only is Rouen much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Rouen would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Rouen 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 Rouen.

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

Which is Bigger, Lausanne or Rouen?

Lausanne has a larger population, and is about 4% larger than the population of Rouen. When comparing the sizes of Lausanne and Rouen, 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.