Montreux, Switzerland
When deciding where to travel after Paris, we wanted somewhere that was easy to get to via train and had direct flights to Stockholm. That led us to the discovery of Lake Geneva (or Lac Leman) and our home for the week, Montreux, Switzerland.
LODGING
We took a risk and booked the inconsistently reviewed but relatively inexpensive Golf Hotel (full name: Golf Hotel René Capt). The hotel turned out to be an absolute gem! We had a balcony with a lakefront view and were only a 15 minute walk to the city center. There was also an extremely convenient bus (201) out front that took us to both the city center AND Chillon Castle in the opposite direction. The hotel had a restaurant and bar on the main level that was open for lunch and dinner, with a wonderful patio that overlooked the lake. Breakfast was included in the rate and it was served with a stunning view of the lake in a large dining hall below the main restaurant. We were given a Riviera Card at check-in which gives you free transportation within the area, plus discounted entry to many popular tourist attractions. Most hotels within the area give these cards out!
ACTIVITIES
There are SO many amazing things to do in the Vaud district and incredibly reliable public transportation, so we used Montreux as our basecamp while we explored the area. Here are some of the best things to do in Montreux:
Montreux lakefront - The lakefront is gorgeously landscaped, with benches and swimming areas and a paddleboarding spot along the waterfront. Sunsets are incredible and everyone is out at night, with loads of families walking around. There are 5 or so gelato/ ice cream spots and several restaurants along the walk. BIG FAN.
Le CouCou - Our meal here was undoubtedly one of the highlights of our time in Switzerland. And also the first place I ever tried fondue! We took the 30-minute cog train from Montreux station up to Haut-de-Caux (the trains leave hourly so plan your dining schedule accordingly). The train ride there and back was UNREAL, with incredible views of the lake and surrounding mountains. We had fondue (bread and cheese, yum) and the burger (bread meat and cheese, yum) and watched the sunset. It’s definitely wise to make a reservation here as it gets packed.
Queen The Studio Experience - We spent about 45 minutes in this FREE museum and it was fantastic. Perhaps I’m biased because I’m a big Queen fan, but the various costumes, videos, and memorabilia were really cool to see in person. Queen recorded a bunch of their music in Montreux and Montreux is VERY proud of that fact. The museum is in the home of the former Mountain Studios, where Queen recorded tons of their music. They actually recorded “Under Pressure” here! Most of our time here was spent watching the ~20 minute video and messing around with the mixing board in their studio, where you could mix “Mother Love” and “Made in Heaven”. You could also blast “Bicycle” extremely loud, which is what I did immediately upon walking into the room. What a treat!
Chillon Castle - One of Montreux’s most famous tourist attractions. This castle was once home to a prison… NEAT? It was 7.50 CHF with the Riviera Pass (50% discount from the usual 15 CHF). The tour is self-guided and starts in the basement prison/ dungeon. This was a strong beginning but my attention waned after that (coming back momentarily for the medieval toilets display). We spend about 1.5 hours here. There’s a swimming area near the castle and it looked like many people brought their swimsuits and made a lake day out of their visit. The bus conveniently drops you right in front.
Église Saint-Vincent - A phenomenon occurs to many of us travelers once we turn 30 — we develop an interest in churches (and birds). I don’t understand this, but I have accepted it, and now churches are an essential part of my sightseeing. This church, Church of Saint-Vincent, is located high on a hilltop overlooking Montreux and is visible from the lake path. We trekked up one day and discovered that it had a bunch of stunning Picasso-ish stained-glass windows. VERY CHIC. The view of the lake from here was amazing and there was also a small terraced vineyard next to it.
DINING
The food in Montreux was expensive but good. Here are some of the spots we enjoyed:
Le CouCou - As mentioned above, this restaurant is a MUST when visiting the area. Even just to watch the sunset.
La Fontaine - This pizza restaurant is located up a steep hill and serves excellent food. We ordered shrimp pizza (La Latina) and a margherita pizza and both were excellent, though we favored the shrimp pizza slightly since it was unusual. The outdoor seating area has a spring that you can use to fill up your water carafe. It’s best to make reservations as there aren’t that many tables and it was a very popular spot for dinner! They’re also open for lunch.
Le Palais Oriental - This lakefront Iranian restaurant is incredibly popular, so it’s best to make a reservation. We had the hummus and lamb kebab and both were fine, though a bit pricey. They were kind enough to let us hang out here for an hour after we finished dinner because there was a lightning storm! How fun!
Istanbul - Solid kebab takeout option with friendly staff.
Golf Hotel Restaurant - We split a bolognese here one night as we were exhausted from a busy day of sightseeing. The views of the lake are 10/10 and we were happy to have such a convenient dinner option so close to our cozy bed.
Sleepy Bear Coffee and Arctic Juice - Decent options in central Montreux for a coffee.
Check out my other posts for cities just a quick train ride away from Montreux:
Lausanne - Olympic Museum, Ouchy lakefront, Collection de l’Art Brut museum, Lausanne Cathedral
Vevey & Cully - La Fourchette sculpture, paddleboarding, Lavaux-terraced vineyards
Lake Geneva - general guide to the area including transportation tips
