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    Montreux

    Switzerland

    Montreux

    City

    Montreux lies at the eastern end of Lake Geneva, where palm trees along the promenade meet snow-capped peaks in the background. The town is famed for its Jazz Festival, Belle Époque hotels, and the nearby Chillon Castle.

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    5. Switzerland
    7. Lake Geneva Area
    9. Montreux
    Montreux lies at the eastern end of Lake Geneva, where palm trees along the promenade meet snow-capped peaks in the background. The town is famed for its Jazz Festival, Belle Époque hotels, and the nearby Chillon Castle.
    Montreux is located on Lake Geneva's eastern shore, sheltered by the mountains behind, and boasts such a mild climate that palm trees grow along its promenade. The city is primarily known for the Montreux Jazz Festival (July), its Belle Époque hotels, and its link to the band Queen. The promenade leads along the lake to Chillon Castle, a forty-five-minute walk away. A cogwheel railway ascends to Rochers-de-Naye, with panoramic views of the entire lake.

    Sights in Montreux

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Freddie Mercury Statue
    Attraction

    1Freddie Mercury Statue

    The bronze statue of the Queen singer stands with a raised fist on the lakeside promenade, looking out over the lake. Fans from all over the world lay flowers here, especially on his birthday in early September.
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    Rochers-de-Naye

    2Rochers-de-Naye

    The cogwheel railway climbs from Montreux in about an hour to the 2000m+ summit. Up top, you'll see views across Lake Geneva to the Alps, with a marmot park and small alpine garden open in summer.
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    Chillon Castle
    Museum

    3Chillon Castle

    The water castle on a rock island by Veytaux is Switzerland's most visited historic building. Lord Byron's 1816 poem "The Prisoner of Chillon" about François Bonivard's imprisonment here made it world-famous. From Montreux you reach it on foot along the promenade, by bus or boat.
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    Restaurants in Montreux

    1

    Restaurant Stéphane Décotterd

    Gourmet restaurant above Montreux on the road to Glion, overlooking the lake. The cuisine uses regional products, booking is required.
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    2

    La Fontaine

    Restaurant and bar with Italian-inspired cuisine in the centre of Montreux, just steps from the promenade. Casual for dinner after a day at the lake.
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    Eating & Drinking in Montreux

    Fillets from perch

    Fillets from perch

    Perch fillets from the lake, lightly pan-fried, a classic in the promenade restaurants.
    Vacherin Mont-d'Or

    Vacherin Mont-d'Or

    A creamy soft cheese from the Vaud Jura, often served warm from the oven in winter.

    Wine from Chablais

    East of Montreux, the vineyards of Aigle and Yvorne begin, known for their Chasselas.

    Culture in Montreux

    Montreux Jazz FestivalClaude Nobs founded the festival in 1967. Today, every July for two weeks, musicians from jazz, rock, and pop perform. Besides the concert halls, there are many free stages along the lakefront.Queen and Deep PurpleFreddie Mercury lived and worked in Montreux for many years, and Queen recorded several albums in the studio at the Casino. A statue of the singer stands on the lakeside promenade. The song «Smoke on the Water» by Deep Purple also tells of Montreux: of the fire at the Casino during a Frank Zappa concert in 1971.Montreux NoëlDuring Advent, the promenade transforms into one of Switzerland's largest Christmas markets.

    Nightlife

    1

    Purple Fish

    Lounge bar on Grand-Rue in the center, a café by day, a bar by night. Just a few steps from the waterfront promenade.
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    2

    45 Bar

    Little bar on the Avenue des Alpes above the station, casual for an evening drink.
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    On the Road in Montreux

    Montreux is on the train line along Lake Geneva; you can get here from Lausanne in about 20 minutes. The GoldenPass Express travels via Gstaad to Interlaken, and cogwheel trains lead up to Rochers-de-Naye. CGN boats connect Montreux with Chillon, Vevey, and Lausanne. Everything is easily accessible on foot along the lakeside promenade.

    Accommodations in Montreux

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    Campgrounds in Montreux

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    Nearby

    Lavaux

    Lavaux

    Lavaux is a landscape of steep vineyard terraces on the northern shore of Lake Geneva between Lausanne and Vevey. Since 2007, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage site, and with around 800 hectares of vines, it is Switzerland's largest contiguous wine region.The terraces were created from the 11th and 12th centuries onwards under the influence of the Bishops of Lausanne and the Cistercians; the most important grape variety is Chasselas. The best way to explore the area is on foot: From the train stations of Lutry, Cully, Grandvaux, and Chexbres, paths lead through the vines and wine villages; a longer path runs from Lausanne-Ouchy to Chillon Castle. A more comfortable option is the Train des Vignes, which travels from Vevey through the vineyards up to Puidoux-Chexbres. At the Lavaux Vinorama in Rivaz, you can taste regional wines.
    Lausanne

    Lausanne

    Lausanne stretches in steep terraces from Lake Geneva up to the Gothic cathedral. The Olympic city on the shore in Ouchy, a lively old town and student life make it the youngest of the major Western Swiss cities.
    Lake Geneva Area

    Lake Geneva Area

    Lake Geneva is the center of French-speaking Switzerland. At the western end of the lake is Geneva, with the Jet d'Eau and the European headquarters of the United Nations, while on the north shore, the Lavaux vineyard terraces stretch between Lausanne and Vevey.The region combines city, wine, and lake shores with views of the Alps. Boats, lakeside paths, and railway lines along the lake make it easily explorable without a car.
    Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

    Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

    Chamonix-Mont-Blanc liegt am Fuß des Mont Blanc in Hochsavoyen und gilt als Wiege des Alpinismus. Der Ort ist ein internationales Zentrum für Bergsteiger, Wanderer und Wintersportler. Die Seilbahn auf die Aiguille du Midi (3842 Meter) bringt dich mitten ins Mont-Blanc-Massiv, die Zahnradbahn zum Montenvers zur Mer de Glace, dem größten Gletscher Frankreichs, mit ihrer jährlich neu gehauenen Eisgrotte. Im Ortszentrum mischen sich savoyische Architektur, Belle-Époque-Hotels, Ausrüstungsläden und Restaurants. Die Geschichte der Alpenerschließung zeigt das Musée Alpin. Am vollsten ist es im Juli und August sowie in den Winterferien im Februar; ruhiger sind Juni, September und der Frühwinter. Tickets für die Aiguille du Midi buchst du am besten frühzeitig online, idealerweise für eine der ersten Fahrten am Morgen.
    Valais

    Valais

    Valais in southwestern Switzerland follows the Rhone Valley and is home to most of the country's four-thousand-meter peaks, including the Matterhorn and Dufourspitze, Switzerland's highest peak. The canton is bilingual: German is spoken in Upper Valais, French in Lower Valais.Valais is also Switzerland's largest wine-growing canton and home to Raclette. Its most famous place is car-free Zermatt.