Hello all,

Greetings from Brussels. I have a short-term work project coming up in Lausanne, and I have to be there for the months of May and June. I'm really excited about it, but I'm also struck by how prohibitively expensive rent looks. I thought I'd ask here about some questions I'm struggling to figure out.

First, I'm wondering if renting an apartment in Evian-les-Bains and commuting to Lausanne by ferry is a smart idea. I only need to be in Lausanne three or four days a week, and the whole stay is short enough that I don't think it'll get too annoying. But what do you all think? Is there some obvious problem with this plan that I'm not aware of?

Second, are there any places other than Evian that I should be considering moving to? Evian has been suggested to me, but I'm wondering if there are any other cities/towns that fit the criteria of affordable (relatively), close to Lausanne and beautiful/nice to live in. I'm willing to commute for up to an hour each way.

Third, we have here in Belgium some websites that list short-term apartment rentals. Is there anything like that for Lausanne, or for nearby towns? Should I be looking more at Facebook groups?

Fourth, would I need a car? Doesn't seem like it, but I thought I'd ask. I have a license and can rent a car if need be. If I wanted to go on some nice hikes outside of the cities, would I need a car then?

And finally, an open-ended question: any advice or recommendations for me? I'm really excited for this visit and hopeful the weather will be good in these months. I'm also going to be alone and my weekends will be free, so anything good for a solo traveler would be much appreciated. Let me know your favorite nearby hikes, spots, whatever.

Advice on some or all of these questions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all, can't wait to visit!