Le Capitole Cinema in Lausanne: the biggest screen in Switzerland, for families

An Art Deco showcase for the big screen

A stone’s throw from Place Saint-François, Le Capitole has unfurled its Art Deco decor and its huge screen since 1928. Owned by the City of Lausanne and run by the Cinémathèque suisse, it reopened in 2024 after a lengthy renovation, now with two auditoriums (the grand historic hall and a new one in the basement). It is quite simply the largest cinema still in operation in the country. You step in as if entering a theatre, you look up at the ceiling, and the magic of the place takes hold before the lights even go down.

What your children will discover

Here, you don’t just come to see a film: you discover cinema as heritage. The Cinémathèque programmes classics, animated features and great restored titles. For families, the not-to-be-missed date is “Ciné-familles”: roughly once a month, a film is presented to children, with a short introduction by a cultural mediator to give the keys to the film. Enough to turn a screening into a real first lesson in cinema, on a giant screen.

What you do there and the atmosphere on site

The grand hall, majestic, impresses young and old alike. Throughout the year, Le Capitole offers retrospectives, film-concerts and screenings with guests. The atmosphere is both that of a neighbourhood cinema and a great cultural institution. Good to know: some of the Cinémathèque’s screenings also take place at the nearby Casino de Montbenon.

Before you go

• Recommended age: from 4 years, especially for the Ciné-familles screenings
• Duration: allow 1.5 to 2 hours depending on the film
• Price: child ticket CHF 5 (under 12); adult rates at the box office
• Booking: online via the Cinémathèque suisse
• Transport: m2 metro (Flon or Riponne stop), CFF station about 10 minutes’ walk away
• Accessibility: hall renovated in 2024; check for wheelchair access
• Best season: all year round

Tips from parents

• Aim for the “Ciné-familles” dates (about once a month), genuinely designed for children.
• The child ticket at CHF 5 (under 12) makes the outing very affordable.
• Book ahead for event screenings (film-concerts, previews).
• Make the most of the central location to extend the outing with a stroll towards Saint-François.
• Check the stated venue: some screenings take place at the Casino de Montbenon.

Useful information

• Address: Avenue du Théâtre 6, 1005 Lausanne
• Official website: cinematheque.ch
• Opening hours: according to the programme (check the website)
• Getting there: m2 metro (Flon or Riponne), CFF station about 10 minutes away, city-centre buses

Why we recommend it

Because giving your children a film on the biggest screen in Switzerland, in a listed Art Deco setting, makes for a memorable outing. With its Ciné-familles screenings and its low-priced child ticket, Le Capitole makes great cinema accessible to the youngest.

In a nutshell

The largest hall in Switzerland, Art Deco, in the heart of Lausanne: a heritage cinema that opens its doors wide to families.