Stay : Lausanne, cruise and vineyards

There are many ways to explore Lavaux, by train or on foot. The best thing to do is to ask the tourist offices for a brochure on discovering the terraces of Lavaux. For walks of less than 4 hours, choose Vevey as your starting point.

Take the vineyard train to Chexbres-Village (8 minutes). From Chexbres, you can either take the vineyard path down to Saint-Saphorin, or you can choose a longer but more beautiful walk: take the vineyard path that passes above the Dézaley estate, then Calamin (villages of Épesses, then Riex) and on to Cully. From Cully station, trains leave for Lausanne and Vevey/Montreux. During your walk, don't hesitate to stop in the cellars of the villages or, if they are closed, to knock directly at the winegrowers. You can also reach Chexbres from Lausanne: take the train to Palézieux and get off at Puidoux-Chexbres. Make sure you get off at Puidoux-Chexbres, otherwise you will find yourself on the other side of the slope, in the pastures. It is possible to take the path from Puidoux-Chexbres, but you can also take the train to Vevey and get off at Chexbres-Village.

For those who don't want to or can't walk too much, there are some very nice solutions: the Lavaux Express or the Lavaux Panoramic. These small trains, maintained by winegrowers' associations, offer several itineraries departing from Lutry, Cully or Chexbres, each lasting about an hour. A special programme even includes a trip to a wine cellar with wine tasting.

Finally, for the more adventurous, it is also possible to make the great crossing. An exceptional 33 km hike from Ouchy to Chillon Castle, almost entirely through the vineyards. It takes about 8 hours and 35 minutes to walk. As the terrain is fairly flat, it is possible to do it in one day. But it is better to stop and spend the night in Chexbres, Saint-Saphorin, Vevey.

Of the sixteen vessels of the Société Générale de Navigation (NMC), eight are equipped with sternwheelers and offer a real voyage over time on Lake Geneva. You can stop almost at every important point on the shore. You can take a boat from the port of Ouchy, in Lausanne, for Chillon and visit the castle. Then take a boat and visit Montreux, La Tour-de-Peilz, Vevey, Saint-Saphorin, Cully, Lutry and finally return to Ouchy.