Vevey & Montreux

The Swiss Riviera on the eastern shore of Lake Geneva, where the Lavaux vineyard terraces, Château de Chillon and Chaplin's former home line up along the lakeside.

Vevey and Montreux lie on the northeastern shore of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) in the canton of Vaud, a stretch known as the "Swiss Riviera": backed by the Alpine foothills and facing the peaks across the water in France, it enjoys mild winters and cool summers, with palm trees along the lakefront. Vevey is home to Nestlé's headquarters, and Charlie Chaplin spent his final years here; Montreux, 6 km to the east, is famous for its jazz festival and its links with Queen. The main areas to explore: first, the lakeshore, from Vevey's giant fork and the Market Square along the Montreux promenade to Château de Chillon, on foot, by bike or aboard a paddle steamer; second, the Lavaux vineyard terraces (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) to the west, for hiking and wine tasting; third, the viewpoints above, reached by cogwheel railway or funicular to Rochers-de-Naye, Les Pléiades and Mont Pèlerin; fourth, day trips further afield, north to the town of Gruyères and the Cailler chocolate factory, south to Aigle Castle, or west to the Olympic Museum in Lausanne. Getting there: about 1 hr 10 min by train from Geneva Airport to Montreux, and about 15 minutes from Lausanne to Vevey; trains, buses and boats run frequently within the area, and hotel guests receive a Riviera Card for free local buses. The best season is May–October: wild narcissi in May, the jazz festival in July (accommodation is tight, so book early), and the grape harvest in September–October; there are also Christmas markets in December. Prices are high; plan on 2–3 days.

Top sights

Château de Chillon – A medieval castle on a rocky islet in Lake Geneva, famous for Byron’s poem “The Prisoner of Chillon” and one of Switzerland’s most visited…
Lavaux Vineyard Terraces – Thousand-year-old vineyard terraces stretching along the lake between Lausanne and Montreux. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, ideal for hiking…
Rochers-de-Naye – A rack railway takes about 55 minutes from Montreux to the 2,042-metre summit, offering panoramic views over Lake Geneva and the Alpine pea…
Olympic Museum – The Olympic-themed museum in Lausanne, where the IOC is headquartered, with a stepped lakeside garden overlooking Lake Geneva.
Chaplin's World – The estate where Chaplin spent his last 25 years in Vevey, converted into an immersive museum combining his former home with film sets.
Montreux Lakeshore & Freddie Mercury Statue – The garden lakefront of Montreux, the “Swiss Riviera” on Lake Geneva, where a statue of Freddie Mercury, lead singer of Queen, faces the wa…
Gruyères & Gruyères Castle – A medieval hilltop town in the home of Gruyère cheese, where a 13th-century castle, a cheese workshop and a chocolate factory can be visite…
Fork of Vevey – An 8-metre stainless steel fork sculpture planted in Lake Geneva, Vevey’s most famous photo landmark, right beside the Alimentarium.
Alimentarium – A food-themed museum founded by the Nestlé Foundation, using interactive exhibits to explain the full journey of food from growing to diges…
Vevey Grande Place & Old Town – One of Europe’s largest lakeside squares, with a lively Tuesday and Saturday morning market; in summer, a wine market where visitors can sa…
Montreux Jazz Festival – A world-class music festival founded in 1967, with two weeks of lakeside performances each July, many free stages and food stalls along the…
Montreux Noël Christmas Market – One of Switzerland’s largest Christmas markets, with over a hundred wooden stalls along the lakeshore, and a cog-railway ride up Rochers-de…
CGN Belle Époque Paddle Steamers – Take a Belle Époque paddle steamer on Lake Geneva, linking the piers at Vevey, Montreux, Chillon Castle and the Lavaux vineyards.
Maison Cailler – A factory experience center for one of Switzerland’s oldest chocolate brands, where you can watch chocolate being made and sample it withou…
Château d'Aigle – A 13th-century castle surrounded by vineyards, housing a vine and wine museum, and a symbol of the Vaud Chasselas wine region.
Mont Pèlerin – A hill behind Vevey; ride the century-old cable railway up, and the Plein-Ciel tower at the summit overlooks the Lavaux terraces and Lake G…
Les Pléiades – A viewpoint ridge behind Vevey where wild daffodils blanket the slopes in May like “May snow”; a cog railway from Vevey reaches it in about…
Blonay–Chamby Museum Railway – Switzerland’s first museum railway, running century-old steam trains on weekends over viaducts and vineyards, with a locomotive museum alon…
Musée Jenisch – Vevey’s municipal art museum, holding Swiss modern paintings and an important collection of works by Oskar Kokoschka and prints.
Moléson – The emblematic peak of the Gruyères region, reachable by cable car to its 2,002 m summit, with views over Lake Geneva and the Alpine peaks.

Where to eat

Café du Port – Lake-fish specialist beside the old harbor in Vevey; several local media outlets rank its perch fillet among the best i…
Caveau des Vignerons – Fondue restaurant in a vaulted cellar at the foot of Montreux's old town, serving cheese fondue, raclette and other Swi…
La Coupole 1912 Historic Beer Hall – Historic beer hall inside the Hotel Astra opposite Vevey station, with stained-glass murals of the Fête des Vignerons a…
Le Contretemps – Restaurant on the lakeside path between Montreux and Chillon Castle, with a large lawn terrace overlooking the lake and…

Itineraries

Classic Swiss Alps & Lakes: Zurich to Geneva – In via Zurich and out via Geneva, connecting Lucerne, Jungfrau, Zermatt, and Lake Geneva.
Grand Train Tour of Switzerland – Follow the official scenic rail loop, riding the GoldenPass, Glacier Express, Bernina Express, and Gotthard Panorama Ex…
Grand Tour of Switzerland Self-Drive – A clockwise self-drive journey through four language regions, crossing high mountain passes to connect snow-capped peak…
Lake Geneva Riviera & Gruyères – Travel east along the lake through the Lavaux Vineyards and Chillon Castle, and head to Gruyères for traditional cheese.