Saint-Sulpice on Lake Geneva

Saint-Sulpice lies on the shore of Lake Geneva between the Chamberonne and the Venoge. The municipality in the canton of Vaud is part of the Ouest lausannois area. Parks, paths by the water, water sports and historic buildings give the town a variety of facets. When choosing a hotel in Saint-Sulpice, it may therefore help to consider in advance whether you are most interested in the lakeside scenery, outdoor activities or the town’s history.

Lakeside paths, parks and scenery

The public parks of Pierrettes, Pélican and Débarcadère offer views of the lakeside scenery, with water, sky and mountains. A scenic footpath runs along the lake from east to west, passing the remains of an 11th-century Romanesque church and ending at Parc du Laviau. Another route follows the lakeshore from Parc du Débarcadère: it passes lakeside houses and small natural beaches and continues as far as Saint-Sulpice beach.

On the right bank of the Venoge, the Sentier de la Venoge runs for several kilometres through a green, natural setting. For those who like to combine exercise with stops at different places, there is also a 3.7-kilometre fitness trail connecting Parc du Débarcadère, Parc du Russel and Parc des Pierrettes. The outdoor trail has equipment for cardiovascular, strength and flexibility exercises. A pond with an observation tower built over it is located in the Russel leisure and sports area; a children’s playground is nearby.

Water sports on Lake Geneva

The publicly accessible Centre nautique UNIL+EPFL offers a range of activities on the water: dinghy or catamaran sailing, windsurfing and wingfoiling, pump foiling, stand-up paddleboarding, canoeing and kayaking, and single sculling. Two-hour group courses in dinghy sailing and windsurfing are also available. As operating hours may vary by season and course schedules may change, check the latest times before making plans.

Kitesurfing is permitted at Plage du Laviau from 1 September to 15 June. Seasonal rules apply to this activity; local conditions and safety requirements may change. At the eastern edge of Saint-Sulpice is Port des Pierrettes, a harbour for small boats on Lake Geneva. A fishing and leisure harbour, it combines views of the water with the fishermen’s houses and holiday pavilions that stand side by side during the warmer months.

The church and the town’s history

The name Saint-Sulpice comes from a Benedictine priory that already existed in the 11th century. The Romanesque church has a frescoed choir, an apse, subsidiary apses and a distinctive bell tower. It is open to the public outside of services, concerts and private ceremonies; conditions may vary during private events. The buildings of the former priory have been preserved, but are now privately owned.

History is also visible at Port des Pierrettes: the southern basin and neighbouring fishermen’s huts are classified as historic monuments of the canton of Vaud. In addition to serving fishing and leisure activities, these protected structures give the harbour an added historical dimension.

A transformed lakeshore and boat connections

The lakeshore revitalisation, completed in 2024, created six reed beds close to the shore, with shallow-water habitats that encourage the growth of aquatic plants. In summer 2024, an observation platform and viewing benches were also added, and the path along the shore for non-motorised traffic was restored. Alders and shrubs were planted in late autumn that same year. The work was intended to improve the shoreline’s biological functions at local and regional levels and complement the renaturalisation of the Chamberonne delta.

During the warmer months, CGN boats call at the Saint-Sulpice landing stage. Depending on the year and water level, the season runs from May to the end of October. Three regular return services operate daily; timetables may vary by season. A boat connection to Lausanne-Ouchy is available from the landing stage. Check the timetable before travelling if you plan to use this connection.

Discover more destinations: Féchy, Lonay, Cuarnens, Ecublens Vd, Saint-Livres, Montherod, Echichens, Lavigny.

Return to the main travel overview: Morges.