With its mansion built between 1780 and 1783, the Elysée and its large wooded park lie on a terrace facing the Lake. The Lausanne architect Abraham Fraisse built it for Henri de Mollins (1729-1811), a Swiss officer serving Holland.
Its Baroque elegance unquestionably makes it one of the most interesting Vaud buildings of the 18th century. Its main facade is animated by a recessed concave section in the centre, quite unusual in the region, which draws in the visitor. Among the house’s famous guests was Madame de Staël, who performed Andromaque in 1807, with Benjamin Constant and Juliette Récamier.
Today, the building houses the Musée de l’Elysée, founded in 1985 by Charles-Henri Favrod and entirely dedicated to photography. It has a unique collection of more than 100,000 original photographs dating from the 19th century to the present day. The museum offers a schedule of international-standard exhibitions and also puts on many of its own exhibitions that travel throughout Switzerland and abroad. The building is also used for reception purposes by the State Council of the Canton of Vaud.
