Castles to visit Montreux

Majestic, it blends in naturally with the waters of Lake Geneva. Without doubt one of the most famous silhouettes in the world, Chillon Castle is a symbol of Switzerland, a fine illustration of the country through the harmony of its forms (twenty-five buildings) and the impression of solidity and balance that emanates from it. A fortress set on the water, a veritable lock watching over the old road from Italy, an obligatory passage - due to the narrowness of the site - on the north-south axis, it is also, facing the lake, a ducal residence. It is difficult to date this stronghold precisely, but the presence of a Roman post there already seems to be attested by coins and remains found on the site. Throughout the Middle Ages, the castle was the seat of the powerful Counts of Savoy, established in the region. In 1536, Chillon was known to the Bernese bailiffs, who first made it their residence, before moving to Vevey in the 18th century; as the taste for social life spread, they began to get bored within these solitary walls. Berne took pity on its bailiffs and bought the Tavel house in Vevey to make it their new residence. The demolition of the Chillon castle was then considered; fortunately, the cost of the operation was too high. Finally, the French Revolution led to the fall of Berne. In 1798, the country of Vaud freed itself from Bernese control and since then, the castle of Chillon has belonged to the canton of Vaud.

On site: A modern museography, temporary exhibitions, local wines for sale, souvenir shop and beach.

You have to go up into Clarens to catch a glimpse of this astonishing red-brick building. Vincent Dubochet, a leading Montreux figure, had this château built in 1864 on the presumed site of Julie's groves described in Jean-Jacques Rousseau's La Nouvelle Héloïse . Léon Gambetta, former French Minister of Defense and close friend of Dubochet, stayed here on several occasions. The château changed ownership several times before being bought by German industrialists in 1985, who commissioned painter André Russo to restore it.