From the lake to the mountains and vineyards, Montreux Riviera offers a postcard landscape. It’s an authentic little piece of paradise that has attracted many artists, writers and travellers in search of beauty, tranquillity and… inspiration.

It’s no surprise that Charlie Chaplin chose to spend his last 25 years on the hills of Vevey, that [Freddie Mercury](https://www.myswitzerland.com/en/experiences/freddie-mercury/) immortalised Lake Geneva with the peaks of Le Grammont on the cover of the album “Made in Heaven”, that Igor Stravinski composed “The Rite of Spring” in Montreux, or that Prince declared his love for Lavaux in a song named after the famous terraced vineyard, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

From Villeneuve to Lutry, along the shores of Lake Geneva, Montreux Riviera enjoys a microclimate that gives it a Mediterranean flair. The atmosphere is perfect for relaxing, going on walks, discovering new areas, and the climate is ideal for a rich terroir, cultivated expertly by restaurateurs and winegrowers.

A few minutes from the shore up on the hills, forests interspersed with meadows invite walkers to roam the hiking trails, observe blossoming wild narcissus – known locally as “the snow of May” – and admire a panorama that transforms with each season. The arrival of the first snowflakes signals the beginning of Alpine fun, on skis, snowshoes or simply on foot.  
For less sporty visitors, [Chaplin’s World](https://www.myswitzerland.com/en/experiences/chaplins-world/) and [Chillon Castle](https://www.myswitzerland.com/en/experiences/chillon-castle/) are the top museum choices. Why not let yourself be tempted by a ride aboard a historical CGN ship, or a Belle Epoque train on the GoldenPass line?

Montreux Riviera is a land of contrasts. It’s a kind of miniature Switzerland where visitors and locals have been living together for three centuries. The region is especially rich in cultural events, including the unmissable Montreux Jazz Festival, and boasts some of the best hotel schools and private clinics in the world. It is also a business hub with infrastructure that is perfectly suited to organising international conferences.

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Montreux

The “Train des vignes” (vineyard train) runs on a fantastic route through the terraced vineyards of Lavaux, the landscape high above Lake Geneva designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, with views of the Savoy and Valais Alps.

An hourly regional train from Vevey station to Puidoux-Chexbres offers the unusual experience of travelling across the terraced vineyards of the Lavaux UNESCO World Heritage Site. From Chexbres-Village station, where the train stops along the way, there are many footpaths through the magnificent, steep terraces. A signposted educational trail tells the story of the vineyard and the grape varieties grown there.  
  
The “Lavaux Panoramic” is a tourist train with tyred wheels that carries visitors from Chexbres-Village along narrow roads through the vineyards. On the way, travellers can learn about the characteristics of the region as they admire the spectacular landscape. Similar trains known as the “Lavaux Express” also run through the Lavaux vineyards from Lutry and Cully. The winegrowers offer tourists the chance to taste their wines in their cellars.

Across the vineyards by train - Montreux