Montreux, Switzerland

In June last year we went to Switzerland for a few days, for our honeymoon. Switzerland is a beautiful, scenic place - the pictures you see in travel guides and postcards is exactly what you get. For our time there we went to the French side of the country, staying in Montreux and Lausanne and touring neighbouring areas.

We flew with EasyJet from Luton airport, and managed to make it in time, despite getting a flat tyre on the way there. Not the greatest start to our honeymoon, but once seated on the plane, enjoying a celebratory drink, the tyre-drama was long forgotten and we were looking forward to the rest of our trip. We arrived in Geneva and caught a train to Montreux, which took just over an hour in duration.

Montreux, well known for its annual Jazz Festival, is located on the shores of Lake Geneva, with the impressive Alps in background. This small city, situated on the "Swiss Riveria", has interesting historical architecture, boutique shops and restuarants, lining it's picturesque streets and lanes. We stayed in a hotel located near to the Montreux Casino (which, due to a lack of funds, decided not to investigate), called Hotel Helvetie. Booked through Octopus Travel, it was a good deal, bearing in mind that Switzerland is quite an expensive country to visit. What we liked best about our hotel room, was that it had a balcony where we could sit and relax, with a view of Lake Geneva in the distance - not forgetting to consume local cheese and wine at the same time. The hotel also has a roof terrace, with incredible views over Montreux, so it's worth going up there for a peek. When checking into the hotel, we were also given a "Riveria Card" which entitled us to free travel on the bus network system, 50% discount on train travel and discounts on admission prices to certain tourist attractions such as museums and theme parks. It really came in useful, and seems to be provided to all tourists staying at hotels and other holiday accommodation in the area.

Our first morning in Montreux, the weather was a little cloudy, but we decided to buy some breakfast from a local supermarket and eat it on the shores of Lake Geneva - a more impressive breakfast spot would be hard to find! Afterwards we strolled along the promenade and admired the prominently placed statue of Freddie Mercury, who was taken so much with Montreux, that he bought an apartment in the city to reside there. Apparently Montreux also hosts a Freddie Mercury Memorial Day once a year, so for any overzealous Queen fans, perhaps it might be another reason to visit the city. We then went onto explore the city streets, looking in the different shops and getting a general feel for the area.

Due to the cloudy nature of the day, we decided to delay our trip into the Alps and rather visit Castle Chillon, a short bus ride away from the centre of Montreux. The first written reference about Castle Chillon, built in such a beautiful, scenic location, was in 1160, however it is thought to be even older than that. From the 12th Century, Chillon Castle, owned by the Counts of Savoy, was greatly expanded. The castle looks incredible from the outside, but exploring the interior of the structure is fascinating too, from the dungeon to the towers. It is highly recommended. Poetry admirers might recall that Lord Byron wrote a poem entitled "The Prisoner of Chillon", based on Bonivard, a monk, who was imprisoned in the castle. It is also possible to see Lord Byron's signature on the pillar on which Bonivard was chained in the 1530s.

The next day was bright and sunny. The market place, on the promenade, was filled with colourful stalls and we took a brief look at what was on offer before heading to the train station, for our trip to the Alps. We took the cog train to the summit of Rochers de Naye, which climbed steeply upwards, passing through various tunnels along the way, and with amazing views over Lake Geneva and the Alps. We enjoyed every minute of the hour long train trip, which also stopped at different villages, including Glion and Caux. The scenery on our journey was breathtaking. On reaching its summit at over 2000 metres above sea level, we walked along some trails, admiring the view from different angles, before the clouds set in, obscuring everything. At Rochers deNaye there is also the "Marmot's Paradise", a sanctuary where you can observe different species of marmot (believe it or not). A panoramic restaurant is also situated close by, in which one can enjoy a meal whilst appreciating the view. On the way back we decided to stop at Caux for a drink. We sat on the outside terrace of the restaurant, in the sunshine, drinking beer - the Alps around us, Lake Geneva in the distance - life was idyllic! The village is also overlooked by an impressive turreted building, which was once a luxurious hotel, but is now a conference centre.

The following morning it was time to leave Montreux and head for Lausanne. We decided to take a bus to Vevey, and from there catch a train to Lausanne. Along the way we stopped in Clarens, after noticing a sign for Paul Kruger's old place of residence. Paul Kruger, a famous South African historical figure, was exiled from his home country during the Anglo-Boer War and moved to Europe. He finally settled in Clarens, Switzerland, where he died in 1904. We went to look at the house he stayed in, from the outside, as it seems to have been turned into a luxury guest house named "Villa Kruger". After our brief sojourn in Clarens, and a stroll along the lakeside, we carried on with our journey to Lausanne - which will be the subject of my next blog entry.