In 2017, surveys of saproxylic beetles (dependent on dead wood) were conducted in thirteen forests in the canton of Vaud (Switzerland), including several forest reserves. Interception traps were used to catch a total of 298 species of Coleoptera, including 185 saproxylic species. Among these species, 68 are particularly rare and/or have high ecological requirements and some are listed as relict species of primary forests. Their presence demonstrates the conservation interest of the forests sheltering them. Bius thoracicus (Fabricius, 1792), Cariderus aeneus (A.G. Olivier, 1807) and Mycetophagus fulvicollis Fabricius, 1792, three major rarities for Swiss fauna, are reported for the first in the canton of Vaud. Among the forests studied, those of Lavey-les-Bains, Rapilles-Covatannaz, Bois de Fives and Leysin are particularly rich in species.