I cannot believe that no-one knows the answer to my question.

Even the stalwarts like Ritchie and Dorothy are unusually silent.

Does nobody know where to apply for a replacement driver's licence?

Super - thank you so very much for your fulsome response. Very grateful

This happened to me twice, although mine was issued in Geneva and  the process for that was http://ge.ch/vehicules/permis-de-conduire-et-permis-deleve/perte-ou-vol-dun-permis

You flll in the form, prepay a fee of 50f at the post office with bulletin de paiement and take this with the form to the Service de vehicles to show proof of payment and you get another one after a short wait.

If you are in doubt about one issued in Zurich being able to be processed here I would ring the Service des vehicules about it  but the document is a Confederation suisse one, and I would imagine with a bit of luck surely they would have access to the Suisse data base to duplicate one issued in Zurich and/or give you the website details for the formula in Zurich and how to proceed.The telephone number for the Service de vehicules is on the link given above..

 I have always found them very pleasant and helpful there each time I have phoned them with a query (also for other reasons than a lost licence).

Ah  my apologies, I didn't check to see which town you live in, so my  so Patrick's excellent info more relevent for you.

Maybe, however, with a bit of luck it may be useful for anyone who this may happen to in Geneva at some point.

*should read in first line above  ' so Patrick's excellent info more relevant for you than mine' 

(..pity no edit button..)

Thanks folks

Looked at the PDF file but because my request is somewhat out of the ordinary, living as we do on the poor side of the Lake [!] I have just written to them asking what is best to be done. The mail was addressed to the Lausanne office as they are probably the largest in the region. Let's hope it proves successful.

Thanks again everyone and have a good end to your public holiday

You want to report it stolen, not lost. Otherwise I wouldn't be surprised to get a surcharge for losing an official document.

As far as I know I don't think this applies.

No penalty is mentioned for either a lost or stolen licence on the form mentioned above that you fill out and take with you. You are requested simply to return the original licence if it is found, to the Service de vehicules .

The price stated is the same for replacement whether lost or stolen

I have simply replaced one also, when it was badly damaged, it's the same price too

Update for all you kind people who took the trouble to respond to my plight.

Not possible for any office in the Romandie to replace the "stolen" driver's licence, but when I wrote to the Lausanne office, they were kind enough to give me the direct link to the Strassenverkehrsamt in Albisgüetli where, a thousand years ago, I had obtained mine. These people are super-efficient and even sent a photocopy of the original from 1990! but it seems because I am no longer resident in CH, they will not replace the licence and I have to apply to the French authorities for a new licence here. Not really what I wanted. Loved my CH one but those are seemingly the rules so I have to put up with the regulations. Not really surprising.