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| Montreux |
My travels through Western Switzerland naturally took me
through vineyard country and the breathtaking shores of Lake Geneva. And
finally to the resort town of Montreux.
Attractions in Montreux
Surrounded by undulating vineyards, Montreux is an
unpretentious though charming upmarket resort town gracing the shores of Lake
Geneva. Often described as the jewel of the Swiss Riviera, Montreux comes alive
in a big way every July for its annual jazz/rock festival. This is the
best-known music festival in Switzerland and one of the most prestigious in
Europe, being the second largest annual music festival in the world (after
Canada’s Montreal International Jazz Festival). The festival has attracted names
like Marianne Faithfull, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa, Deep Purple,
Prince, Eric Clapton, Ray Charles, B.B. King, Santana, and Van Morrison. Freddy
Mercury of Queen made Montreux his second home. Deep Purple’s song “Smoke on the Water” tells of the
events of 1971, when a Frank Zappa fan with a flare gun set the Montreux Casino
on fire and destroyed it. The Casino was reopened in 1975.
Long before it became known for its international music
festival, Montreux had already become an international tourist resort since the
early 1800s. This charming lake-shore town with its stylish Belle Epoche hotels
and cobble windy streets captivated artists, writes and musicians over the
years. Some that bear mentioning include Lord Byron, Mary Shelley, Leo Tolstoy,
Ernest Hemingway, Victor Hugo and Hans Christian Anderson. The Empress
Elisabeth “Sissi” of Austria also enjoyed strolling the streets of Montreux.
The most famous of the Belle Epoche hotels is probably the
Montreux Palace on Grand Rue. The Centre des Congrès across the street houses a
concert hall dedicated to Igor Stravinsky who composed his Rite of Spring in Montreux.
Bed & Breakfast Accommodation
in Montreux
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| Castel les Chenes |
I decided against the mad bustle of downtown and opted for a
different experience. I chose a charming bed and breakfast in the residential
quarter of Montreux (Territet) at the foot of Mont Fleuri and above the bay of
Territet. Originally built for a French countess in 1928, Castel les Chênes
became the home of Hermann
& Ulla Schusterbauer, who used it as a language school (it still
functions as one) and currently operate it as a bed and breakfast. Set in the
midst of a beautiful terraced garden, the charming castle perches over a steep
cobblestone road that winds its way above the town. Castel les Chênes enjoys a splendid 180 ° view that spans
the Alps of Valais and Vaud, Lake Geneva, Chillon Castle, Montreux, Haute
Savoie (in nearby France) and the Jura. This bed and breakfast is barely a 10-minute walk from the Lake,
Territet station, the bus service to Montreux and the funicular railway to
Glion.
Rooms vary from
the stylish chambers on the ground floor to the cosy beamed rooms on the top
floor. Each bedroom (1 to 3 single beds) has its own wash-basin and most, like
mine, have a balcony with a panoramic view. Communal shower and toilet
facilities are available on each floor.
After a warm bath and one of Ulla’s signature hot
chocolates, I was ready for adventure. The Chateau de Chillon—possibly the most
visited castle in Switzerland—lay just southeast of Montreux in the charming
town of Veytaux. I could see it from my balcony on the second floor. I fetched
my hat and scarf and was scampering out the door.
Chateau de Chillon
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| Chateau de Chillon |
Easily one of Switzerland’s most majestic medieval castles,
Chateau de Chillon is set on a rocky spur on the eastern shore of Lake Geneva. The
castle ramparts command a marvelous view of the entire lake. Although it
originated around the 11th century, its present structure reflects
its 13th century renovations. Chillon was built for the Dukes of
Savoy, who once ruled this region. The duke built a number of castles to guard
the verdant valleys from the Bernese to the north.
I overheard one tourist attest that the castle was, “romantic, beautiful, fascinating and with
the most impressive and scary outside toilet I have ever seen, 50 meters free
fall and with strong ventilation.” Hmmm… There are many paths to exhilaration,
I suppose.
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| Inner courtyard of Chateau de Chillon |
While it was the centre of court life for the dukes of
Savoy, the castle also served as a prison. Its most famous captive was Francois
de Bonivard, imprisoned there for six years in the 1530s for political
incitement. Lord Byron immortalized him in a poem called “The Prisoner of
Chillon”. Francois Bonivard was imprisoned in the underground cellar,
previously used as a storeroom for supplies and weapons. Bonivard was held
captive there for over xx years before he was liberated by the Bernese.
La Chasse aux Sorcières
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| dungeons of Chillon |
Chateau de Chillon was also the epicenter for witch hunts during
the 1400s through to 1500s and many “witches” were kept there. I toured the
castle during a witch-hunt exhibit and learned that the Pays de Vaud was the site of major witch-hunts between
the 15th and the 17th centuries. During that time, more than 2,000 “witches”
were burned there. On an aside, did you know that Switzerland holds not only the record for
the longest-lasting repression of witchcraft but also for the largest number of
people persecuted as witches, in relation to the population.
Chillon Castle became
an important detention centre for individuals suspected of witchcraft, either
awaiting trial or execution.
Gölden Anna was
the last person in Europe to be condemned as a witch. She was executed in 1782
in the Protestant canton of Glarus, Switzerland.
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| Outer rampart of Chillon |
Nina Munteanu explores the “witch-hunt” in her historical
fantasy “The Last Summoner” (Starfire),
which takes place in Poland and France. The main character, a young baroness living
in 1410, discovers she has strange powers and is hunted as a witch.
The Charm of Villeneuve
Feeling rather peckish after scampering all over the castle
grounds and dark dungeons, I leapt into my ToulouseMobile and drove in search
of a place to eat. Within five minutes I found myself driving along one of old
Villeneuve’s narrow cobbled lanes and spotted an attractive looking restaurant crowded
with patrons—always a good sign.
The Bienveillance, avec Specialities Chinoises, is a gem
inside this quiet old town. I walked into a rather exotic setting of high
ceilings, old lamps, jade dragons and palm trees.
I started out with hot and sour soup, which was a perfect blend
of hot and sour soup and full of goodness like seaweed, tofu and other
vegetables. It was a hard choice between the canard aux germes de soja and the chicken with red curry. The curry
won; and so did I. I ended my delicious meal with a wonderful signature Swiss
café crème. Magnifique!
Montreux and its nearby villages is its own destination; but
it also provides a strategic centre for adventurous forays to other places in
Western Switzerland like Geneva, Lausanne, Neuchatel, le Molésons,
Gruyères,
Aigle, Sion, les Diablerets, Glacier 3000, Mont Blanc, and Zermatt.
Contact Information:
B & B: Résidence Castel Les Chênes
Hermann & Ulla Schusterbauer
Avenue de Naye 15
CH 1820 Montreux-Territet;
tel: +41 (0)21 963 0880; fax: +41 (0)21 963 7334; email: residence@castelchenes.com;
website: www.Castelchenes.com.
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