Chillon Castle

Background

Chillon Castle stands south of Veytaux in the Swiss canton of Vaud, on a rocky island in Lake Geneva at the eastern end of the lake, between Montreux and Villeneuve. Once a summer residence of the House of Savoy and later the seat of the Bernese bailiffs, it lets you visit four great halls, three courtyards, the dungeons and the lord's bedroom with its 14th-century murals. The castle's official site calls it Switzerland's most visited historic monument. A square keep was built on the island in the 11th century; Count Peter II of Savoy greatly expanded the castle in 1248 and again in 1266–1267. In 1536 a Bernese army captured the castle; after Vaud drove out the Bernese authorities in 1798, the castle passed to Vaud. It has been systematically restored since the end of the 19th century and is now a Swiss cultural property of national significance.

Local customs

• Follow the visitor route through the halls, courtyards and dungeons
• walk the lakeside path for views of the castle and the Savoy shore across the lake
• combine the visit with Montreux on the same day
• notice how the castle guards the passage between the Vaud Riviera and the Rhône valley, long a quick route to Italy.

Travel tips

• Ticket prices and opening hours are as shown on the official website
• there is a car park and a bus stop nearby. The castle is open all year (the official site lists closures on 1 January and 25 December), with shorter hours in winter.
• You can reach it from Montreux by bus or on foot along the lake
• from Geneva, take a train to Montreux and then a bus or walk. The lakeside is at its most beautiful in summer.