Lausanne weather in December
December in Lausanne: cold, rainy, with clean air — one of the weakest months to visit.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#11 of 12 months in Lausanne · #1216 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 48/100 (tier F)
- Days
- 6°C
- Nights
- 3°C
- Wet days
- 14
- Sun
- 4.9 h
- Humidity
- 84%
- Daylight
- 9 h

Traveller notes on Lausanne in December
Forum posters describe Lausanne as sharing Geneva's general winter pattern but with noticeably less fog, since the wider Swiss plateau and Geneva itself can sit under low cloud for days at a time in December. Posters note it seldom drops below freezing in low-lying lakeside spots like Lausanne, and some winters bring little or no snow at all right in the city center, even though the region's full climate record shows meaningful average December snowfall and a fairly high number of rainy days overall - Lausanne's lakeside elevation runs milder and snow-uncertain compared to nearby higher ground. Posters are enthusiastic about December as Christmas market season, with especially large ones in Basel, Bern, Zurich and nearby Montreux worth combining with a Lausanne base. Posters generally rate December as cold, often grey and snow-uncertain for Lausanne itself, workable and increasingly festive as the Christmas market season gets underway.
Other months in Lausanne
Forum posters put early June around 15-25C and call it beautiful without being too hot, though they're quick to flag that Swiss weather is genuinely unpredictable and varies a lot by altitude - expect a real mix of warm sun, rain, and the occasional thunderstorm within the same trip. Layered clothing plus sturdy waterproof shoes are the standard packing call. June draws noticeably fewer crowds than peak summer, though the city's jazz festival dates are worth checking in advance if avoiding a busier stretch matters to the itinerary.
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Lausanne climate normals — December
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Lausanne in December
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Peak crowdsBô Noël, Christmas holidays in Switzerland, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Lausanne's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Toughest weatherLausanne's best weather comes in June, August and September — separate windows, not one continuous season.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Lausanne in December
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Festival
Bô Noël
20 Nov – 31 Dec · usuallyChristmas & New YearCrowdedNot one market but a dozen small ones threaded through the squares between the station and the cathedral, plus a rink and a light trail up the hill. Designed to be walked in the dark, which is when it works. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Lausanne — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Lausanne?
Lausanne in December — FAQ
- Is December a good time to visit Lausanne?
- December in Lausanne: cold, rainy, with clean air — one of the weakest months to visit. It ranks #11 of 12 months for Lausanne on SeasonMap's comfort score (48/100).
- What is the weather like in Lausanne in December?
- In December, Lausanne averages a daily high of 6°C and a low of 2.7°C, with about 140.3 mm of rain over roughly 13.8 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Lausanne in December?
- Lausanne has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 38 in December.
- Does it snow in Lausanne in December?
- Lausanne sees roughly 21.6 cm of snowfall in December.
Within 300 km: Gstaad's Glacier 3000 autumn skiing around 1 Nov – 10 Dec, and Geneva's Fete de l'Escalade on 11–13 Dec.