Château Vidy (Lausanne)

The castle was built on the site where formerly stood the first Christian church of the famous "vicus" of Vidy, Roman Lousanna. Traces of this old church are still visible in the cellars of the castle today.

Although the neighboring villages of Renens and Chavannes had their own churches, the house was still visited until 1453. Parishioners were asked to "position a discreet stained-glass window in the wall of the nave facing the lake, so that the interior would be better lit". The arrival of the Bernese marked its end. François Merlinge, citizen of Lausanne, bought the "Temple of Vidy with the presbytery and the barn, the courtyard and an adjacent hemp field. In 1669, the church was converted into a residential house. Then the owners changed several times.

The castle was bought by the Loys family in 1733 and in 1771 belonged to Captain Jean-Louis de Loys, who lived in Geneva, as he married the daughter of Mayor Cramer there. Since his children liked Lausanne, he had the property renovated. The work was led by his brother Brigadier Etienne-Louis Loys de Middes, who also built a residence in the Dorigny neighborhood. On May 12, 1800, Napoleon Bonaparte was received in the main reception room for a few minutes. In 1918, the castle was offered to the city, but they declined. The castle remained in the possession of the Loys until 1919, when it, along with the adjacent land (over 27 hectares), was sold by Colonel de Treytorrens de Loys to André Martin, a fuel dealer from Lausanne. The property was sold in different parts to various buyers. In 1960, the city acquired the castle and restored it. During the National Exhibition in 1964, the reception rooms were used for honored guests. On June 30, 1965, the furniture and artworks that adorned the rooms during the six months of the exhibition were auctioned off. The castle then became the Center for European Research under the direction of Jean Rieben and offices for Professor Silbermann, Director of the Institute for Mass Communication Research at the University of Lausanne.

On March 1, 1968, the IOC moved into the castle, as the previous rooms in the Mon-Repos Villa were too cramped.