Is anyone familiar with Epalinges? I've been thinking about moving to the surroundings of Vevey after my studies, but it seems pretty far for an everyday commute. I started looking at things closer to Lausanne and Épalinges seems like the perfect place.
I know, however, the quartiers nord of Lausanne are known to be more rough (Praz-séchaud, Boveresses, etc), and I'm wondering if Épalinges is also rougher than other towns around Lausanne.
Is anyone familiar with this area?
Is it a tightened family oriented community or is it an area to avoid?
How does it compare to places like Lutry/Pully/St Sulpice/Renens?
The vibe in Epalinges is a combination of family and students. At this point it is pretty much bedroom Lausanne with a mix of houses and larger family apartments, some of which are rented by students going to the Ecole Hoteliere. There does seem to be a lot of construction, especially along Croix Blanche and the Route de Berne, as houses are being replaced with new blocks of flats.
The same is occurring in Prilly and Renens, except that the flats tend to be more of a mix between small and large ones. Several large construction projects are underway, so traffic is a nightmare right now. The new transport connections make Renens more connected and therefore a more desirable place to live.
Lots of university professors and doctors living in Epalinges, if anything it's a bit on the posh side. Definitely better than Renens/Prilly/Bussigny. Well connected by metro, the only "downside" is the elevation. I have a colleague who lives there and even in these warm winters he needs to shovel a lot of snow...