The Vortex opened in the summer of 2020, just outside the Dorigny campus. It is a vibrant area with many facilities: a restaurant, a rooftop bar with a unique view of the lake and the mountains, a nursery, a multipurpose hall and a number of other local shops and businesses.
The Vortex has 62 fully furnished apartments, and around ten unfurnished apartments, reserved for people coming from abroad, in particular those employed by UNIL. Its friendly environment, lively while also academic, owes much to the presence of the many students who live there.
The accommodation is exclusively for the use of UNIL staff and academic visitors newly arrived from abroad or outside the canton of Vaud.
The following are eligible:
This accommodation is fully furnished and equipped. Bedding, bath towels and crockery and cutlery are included. All the apartments have a balcony, a fully-equipped kitchen and a bathroom.
An inventory by type of accommodation is available upon request at the following address : welcomecentre@unil.ch
Some of the accommodations are unfurnished. All the apartments have a balcony, a kitchen and a bathroom.
Unfurnished apartments are available only for long stays (minimum stay of 12 months).
Furnished apartments may be rented for a minimum period of one month and a maximum of two years.
The date of entry into the accommodation is equal to the start date of the rental contract. The contract can only start on the 1st or 15th day of the month. The contract can end on the 15th or 30th/31st day of the month.
For unfurnished apartments, the minimum rental period is one year and there is no maximum period.
The following charges are included in the rent:
The following compulsory charges are additional to the rent:
Optional services available on request:
Administration fees
An application form for accommodation at the Vortex is automatically sent with any recruitment process or invitation to visit, allowing you to let us know whether you are interested.
The Welcome Centre will then contact you with further information.
Meanwhile, please do not hesitate to contact the Welcome Centre or the secretariat of your unit. They will be very happy to answer your questions.
Le Perchoir
Rooftop bar with a sustainable spirit. Open from Monday to Friday from 11.00 until 11.00 pm, on Saturday and Sunday from 4.00 pm until 11.00 pm.
Vortex Coffee and Food restaurant
The restaurant is situated on the ground floor. You will find more information on their website.
Le Vorace
Composed almost exclusively of local products, this local grocery is managed by an association that follows a participatory operating model. Opening hours: from Monday to Friday from 2.00 pm until 7.00 pm. On Saturday open from 10.00 am until 6.00 pm. The grocery store is closed on Sundays.
The Next Cut
A hairdresser with barbering services is now available in Vortex! Opening hours: Mondays from 12:00 to 7:00 pm, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm and Saturdays from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. If you would like to make an appointment, please do not hesitate to check their website.
A bakery will open soon, more information will follow !
This is a sum of money used by the landlord as security in case there is damage to the apartment. It is given back to the tenant when he or she leaves the apartment, if no serious damage is identified.
For rentals of 3 months and more you can also call on a surety company which will offer a guarantee on your behalf, subject to conditions.
The tenancy cannot be terminated if the stay is shorter than three months.
From the fourth month onwards, the notice period is three months, at the end of the month.
For any request related to extension of the tenancy, please contact the Welcome Centre while your rental agreement has at least three months to run.
Pets are not allowed in Vortex' accommodations.
Once you are registered as a Vortex resident you could receive an invoice from SERAFE. It is mandatory for all households to pay a radio-television licence fee which costs CHF 335.- per year. This is device-independent and must in principle be paid by every household. The fee will be collected by Serafe AG. Serafe will automatically send every household an invoice, using data from the cantonal and municipal registers of residents.