Mostly known for its world-famous two week long Jazz Festival Montreux is well worth a wander through, if only to get to the scenic Château de Chillon or to get to the hiker's paradise of Hauts de Montreux. In the 12th century, viticulture was introduced to the region, and the sunny slopes of the lake from Lavaux to Montreux became an important wine-growing region.
Montreux boasts one of the most beautiful walks along the lake, stretching from Villeneuve all the way towards Vevey. The main square of the town, Place du Marché, features a statue of Freddie Mercury facing Lake Geneva. Some of the numerous small villages around Montreux include La Tour-de-Peilz, Clarens, Territet, and Villeneuve. The Chateau of Chillon provides a marvelous view of the entire Lake of Geneva and can be easily accessed via bus, walk or boat.
WHAT TO SEE
Château de Chillon - A historic castle and the country's most visited place, on a small island in Lake Geneva only a few meters from the shore. It was built originally to allow the occupants to extract a toll from people and goods passing between Italy and the rest of Europe on the road north from the St. Bernard pass. The roadway here is wedged between the lake and the cliffs, so there was no way to get around Chillon. The Castle is more famous in modern times for having inspired Lord Byron's poem, The Prisoner of Chillon, based on the true story of François Bonivard, a political prisoner from Geneva who was released in 1536. Byron is said to have carved his name in one of the columns in the dungeon where Bonivard was detained during a few years. The castle is 45 minutes walk from Montreux along the lakeside, or 4 minutes by train.
Marmots' Paradise - The mountains around Hauts-de-Montreux are threaded with forest trails, isolated villages, caves, grottos, and wildlife. Rochers-De-Naye itself is home to an odd little compound called "Marmots' Paradise" where marmots from all over the world live in an observable system of underground burrows. Any of the train stops will lead to several hiking options. For a real hiker's hike, tackle the four hour, 1000 metre climb from Caux to Rochers-De-Naye. Saner folks might want to get off at Dent-De-Jaman, just below the peak, where you can enjoy the views and fresh air with out the huffing and puffing.
Golden Award of Montreux - An award festival that takes place annually in April in Montreux and is the first international advertising and multimedia competition in Europe, starting the global season for awarding creative excellence. Montreux has been home to a number of creatives and artists, such as Charlie Chaplin, Ernest Hemingway, Vladmir Nabokov, and Freddie Mercury, and the awards reflect that history.
The Montreux Jazz Festival - annually in July since 1967. It is held at the Montreux Music & Convention Centre, built in 1973 and has become a global phenomenon.
HOW TO REACH
By plane - Geneva Cointrin International Airport is the closest major airport to Montreux, and serves direct flights from most major European hubs, as well as a few cities in Canada and the United States, North Africa, and the Middle East. From Geneva, it's a little more than an hour by car, and less than an hour by train.
By train - Montreux is served by direct rail services from Geneva, Lausanne, and Brig-Glis, and is easily accessible via rail connection from almost anywhere else in Switzerland. See the SBB site for timetable info.
