Montreux

Town · Canton of Vaud, 🇨🇭 Switzerland

Montreux is a lakeside town on the eastern shore of Lake Geneva, at the foot of steep, green hills. The climate is mild, and palm trees grow along the promenade. The area is known as the Swiss Riviera.

The town is famous for its jazz festival and for its link with the band Queen. Most visitors stay one or two nights. The main sight, Chillon Castle, is a short trip along the lake.

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When to visit

May to September is the best time for the lakeside, boat trips and mountain views. July is busy because of the Montreux Jazz Festival. The Christmas market in late November and December is popular. Winter is often grey and wet by the lake, with snow on the hills above. Rain is common in late spring.

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Typical weather in January

Poor

5° (feels like 2°) · extremes -9°–11°
-2° at night
14 rainy days
6 sunny days
4 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 1 · low

Typical weather in February

Poor

7° (feels like 4°) · extremes -8°–14°
-1° at night
13 rainy days
8 sunny days
5 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 2 · low

Typical weather in March

Poor

10° (feels like 8°) · extremes -5°–18°
1° at night
14 rainy days
10 sunny days
6 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 3 · moderate

Typical weather in April

Fair

14° (feels like 12°) · extremes 0°–22°
5° at night
15 rainy days
8 sunny days
6 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 4 · moderate

Typical weather in May

Good

19° (feels like 18°) · extremes 4°–26°
9° at night
20 rainy days
8 sunny days
7 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 5 · moderate

Typical weather in June

Good

23° (feels like 24°) · extremes 9°–30°
13° at night
19 rainy days
11 sunny days
9 hours of sunshine per day
Comfortable humidity
Calm winds
UV index 7 · high

Typical weather in July

Good

24° (feels like 25°) · extremes 11°–31°
15° at night
18 rainy days
13 sunny days
9 hours of sunshine per day
Comfortable humidity
Calm winds
UV index 7 · high

Typical weather in August

Good

24° (feels like 26°) · extremes 11°–31°
15° at night
17 rainy days
14 sunny days
8 hours of sunshine per day
Comfortable humidity
Calm winds
UV index 6 · high

Typical weather in September

Good

20° (feels like 21°) · extremes 6°–26°
12° at night
14 rainy days
12 sunny days
7 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 4 · moderate

Typical weather in October

Good

17° (feels like 16°) · extremes 3°–23°
8° at night
14 rainy days
9 sunny days
5 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 3 · moderate

Typical weather in November

Poor

10° (feels like 8°) · extremes -5°–18°
2° at night
15 rainy days
3 sunny days
3 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 1 · low

Typical weather in December

Poor

6° (feels like 3°) · extremes -9°–11°
-1° at night
15 rainy days
2 sunny days
3 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
UV index 1 · low

Climate data: NASA POWER + Copernicus ERA5-Land · 1996–2025

Top sights

Chillon Castle is a medieval castle on a rock at the edge of the lake, about 3 km from the centre. It is one of the most visited historic sites in Switzerland.
Freddie Mercury is the bronze statue of the Queen singer on the lakeside promenade.
Queen - The Studio Experience is an exhibition in the casino building about the band's recording sessions in Montreux.
Vieille Ville de Montreux is the older part of town on the hill, with narrow lanes and views of the lake.
Rochers de Naye is a peak above the town, reached by cogwheel train. The top has wide views of the lake and the Alps.
Château du Châtelard is a small castle in the hills north-west of the centre.

Featured Lists

Kazuyanagae / CC BY-SA 4.0

Montreux Must-Sees

Montreux, situated on the shores of Lake Geneva, combines musical heritage with Alpine scenery. The town houses the Queen Studio Experience, where the band recorded several albums, and a bronze statue of Freddie Mercury overlooking the water. Historic sites include the 15th-century Château du Châtelard and the steep, cobblestone streets of the Old Town. For panoramic views of the Swiss and French Alps, a cog railway ascends to the 2,042-meter summit of Rochers-de-Naye.

6 places

Montreux Religious Sites

Montreux's religious landscape features a variety of Christian denominations reflected in its architecture. This collection includes the German Evangelical Reformed Church and the Catholic Ste-Thérèse in Clarens, alongside smaller chapels in the heights of Glion. These sites serve the local Protestant, Catholic, and New Apostolic communities, offering insights into the spiritual heritage and social fabric of the Swiss Riviera.

6 places

Abaddon1337 / CC BY-SA 3.0

Montreux Parks and Nature

Montreux’s landscape ranges from the floral lakeside promenade to the 2,042-meter summit of Rochers-de-Naye. This collection features manicured rose gardens and parks dedicated to historical figures like Marshal Mannerheim and poet Jean-Villard Gilles. Many of these green spaces, such as Parc de Verte-Rive, are situated along the waterfront, offering views of the Savoy Alps and access to local eateries with outdoor terraces near the Territet and Clarens districts.

12 places

What to experience

Walk the lakeside promenade from Montreux to Chillon Castle. The path takes about 45 minutes.
Take the cogwheel train up to Rochers de Naye for the view.
Visit the Christmas market by the lake in winter.
Hear a concert during the Montreux Jazz Festival in July.
Take a lake cruise to Chillon or across the lake to France.
See the marmots at Marmottes Paradis near the top of the cogwheel line.

Tours & Activities

Montreux — Map

Day trips

Vevey is a lake town with a market and a statue of Charlie Chaplin. It is about 10 minutes away by train.
Lausanne is the largest city on the lake, about 30 minutes away by train.
The Lavaux vineyards, a UNESCO World Heritage site, lie between Vevey and Lausanne.
The Golden Pass panoramic train runs from Montreux up to the Alps.

Where to explore

Vevey and Lausanne are the nearest larger towns on the lake.

Getting there

By air: Geneva Airport is the main gateway. Direct trains reach Montreux in about 1 hour 15 minutes.
By train: Montreux has direct trains from Geneva, Lausanne and Bern, and further trains toward the Valais. Check times on SBB.
By boat: lake boats run from Lausanne, Vevey and Chillon in the warm months.

Getting around

The promenade and the centre are easy to walk.
Buses and trolleybuses go to Chillon Castle and the villages above town. Buy tickets before you board.
Local trains link Montreux with Vevey and with Veytaux-Chillon, the station next to the castle.
Boats connect Montreux with Chillon and other lake towns.
Hotel guests in the region usually receive a free local transport card. Ask at check-in.

Driving

A car is not needed in Montreux. Trains, boats and buses reach most places.
Parking in the centre is limited and costly.
Traffic can be heavy on the lakeside road in summer.

Food & drink

Try cheese fondue or raclette. Perch fillets from the lake are a local dish. White wine from the nearby Lavaux and Chablais vineyards goes well with both. Chocolate and cheese from the region are good to bring home.

Restaurants along the lake are costly. A picnic by the water is a cheaper choice.

Breakfast

BirchermüesliA raw-oat, fruit, and yogurt breakfast invented by a Zurich doctor around 1900, now standard on breakfast buffets.

Lunch

RöstiA fried, shredded-potato cake, originally a Bernese farmer's breakfast, now a national side dish.

Dinner

Cheese Fondue FondueMelted Gruyère and Vacherin cheese in a shared pot, eaten by dipping bread cubes on long forks.

RacletteCheese melted tableside or under a grill and scraped over boiled potatoes, pickles, and onions.

Zürcher GeschnetzeltesSliced veal and mushrooms in a creamy white-wine sauce, traditionally served with rösti.

ÄlplermagronenAlpine herder's macaroni gratin with potatoes, cheese, and cream, often topped with fried onions and served with apple sauce.

Snacks & street food

CervelatSwitzerland's best-known sausage, usually grilled and often called the country's unofficial national dish.

Sweets & desserts

Swiss Chocolate Schweizer SchokoladeSwitzerland pioneered milk chocolate in the 19th century; look for small-batch chocolatiers alongside the big national brands.

Basler LäckerliA dense, spiced honey-and-candied-fruit biscuit from Basel, traditional around Christmas.

Drinks

Swiss Wine Vin SuisseMostly consumed domestically rather than exported; Valais and Vaud, along Lake Geneva, produce the best-known Chasselas whites.

Safety & health

Montreux is very safe.
Watch your bags on busy promenades and boats.
Tap water is safe to drink.
Streets in the old town are steep and can be slippery in wet weather.

History

Montreux grew from three small villages on the lake. In the 19th century writers such as Lord Byron made the lake and Chillon Castle famous. Grand hotels were built when visitors arrived by rail.

The jazz festival started in 1967. In the 1970s and 1980s the band Queen recorded here, and Freddie Mercury lived nearby. The statue on the promenade remembers him.