On the Cathedral esplanade, you can see the roofs of old Lausanne in the foreground, St-François church with its green steeple, the lake and the mountains.
During Cathedral opening hours, it is possible to climb up into the belfry so as to enjoy even more extensive views. When the evening comes, the belfry becomes the residence of the Cathedral lookout, who calls out the hour from 10pm until 2am. This tradition has lasted more than 600 years and originally served to warn of fires.