Twin towns of Montreux and Vevey

The twin towns of Montreux and Vevey have drawn travellers down the centuries. This is one of the most beautiful parts of the Swiss Riviera and has an eternal charm.

The spa town of Montreux has two advantages — a mild climate and an idyllic location in the heart of the Swiss Riviera. On the northeast shore of Lake Geneva, Montreux is perhaps one of Switzerland’s best resorts. The town has carefully preserved its historic architecture and its picturesque lanes retain an old world allure. With their tempting galleries and shops, the lanes wind uphill from the lake to the terrace of the parish church and offer a fabulous view of the lake below and the mountains beyond.

It’s hardly surprising that crowned heads and the famous have long been drawn to Montreux. Writers such as Victor Hugo, Lord Byron, Percy and Mary Shelley returned to the town time and again. Closer in time, Tchaikovsky, Charlie Chaplin, Freddy Mercury, David Bowie and Shania Twain have, at some time or another, chosen to live in this region. Jean-Jacques Rousseau, had once commented that Montreux was ‘the finest place of earth’.

For me it was like a dream come true. After dumping my luggage in the hotel, I joined the tourists flocking to the lakeside. For most visitors, Montreux’s ‘quais’ or lakeside promenades hold an irresistible allure. The 5-km lake-front walk gave me the opportunity to take in the beautiful views of the lake and the stunning backdrop of the Dents-du-Midi peak beyond.

The promenade extended all the way to the Château de Chillon, jutting resolutely into the lake. Built as a summer residence for the Counts of Savoy, Chillon Castle became a familiar name thanks to Lord Byron’s poem — ‘The Prisoner of Chillon’.

The Château de Chillon, one of the most important castles in Switzerland, has much more to it than just the dungeon and Byron’s poem. The castle turned out to be an extraordinary medieval fort; strategically situated by the narrow pass in the mountains. This pass was once the transit route leading to Italy through the Grand-Saint-Bernard Pass and was widened at the beginning of the 18th century. Chillon was built to guard the narrow defile between the lake and the mountains and the Counts of Savoy grew fabulously wealthy by collecting taxes on the merchandise passing their way.

Visions of jousting soldiers and imprisoned marauders flitted through my mind as I made my way through the dark interiors of the castle, constructed around 1160AD. At least that’s when the first written reference about it was made. What is definitely known is that the rock on which the castle was built was occupied by people during the Bronze Age and later by the Romans who had an outpost here.

The castle houses magnificent collections of furniture, pewter ware and antique weaponry. Also there’s the fabulous Saint George’s Chapel, where murals from the Middle Ages adorn the walls. The huge dining hall with its original fireplace and antique furniture, the Count’s bedroom, the beautiful private Chapel, are all a glimpse into how the wealthy lived during that era. The view of the lake and the snow-capped mountains, from the windows of the Count’s dressing room is simply unforgettable.

But I must admit that a chill rode up my spine as I stepped into the dungeon. The ghostly shadows of death had me clamouring for fresh air. The promenade from Vevey to Villeneuve, poetically called the flowered path, extends all the way to the Château de Chillon. There are several statues along the waterfront, of famous personalities who made the Riviera their home. I ambled by the statue of Charlie Chaplin, who settled in Vevey in 1953.

Along the pier I spotted a statue of Freddy Mercury in black granite, with the words ‘Lover of Life, Singer of songs’ engraved on it. Music, art, theatre and cinema — the Swiss Riviera has inspired them all. No wonder Montreux is known for its annual Jazz Festival, held in July.

Music is interwoven in the history of Montreux. ‘The Kursaal’, a casino theatre, which opened its doors in 1881 burned to the ground in 1971 during a Frank Zappa concert and this event inspired the Deep Purple track Smoke on the Water.

But it is not just music that Montreux obsesses about. There are umpteen museums located in the region. The Historical Museum of Old Montreux, housed in a group of 17th century buildings in the heart of the Old Town, is one such place. Here, I relived history by going through coins and relics of the Roman era.

At Vevey, which is also the headquarters of Swiss multinational Nestlé, I found myself in the Swiss Camera Museum. From the camera obscura and magic lantern to the latest developments in photography, this museum covers it all and is a photographer’s delight. From there to the Vevey Historical Museum, located in a beautiful 16th-century building dating from the Bernese occupation, was a natural thing to do.

The gastronome in me now demanded a visit to the Alimentarium Food Museum, internationally renowned for showcasing various aspects of food. But the best part of the visit was the ‘Mediterranean Meal’ prepared by the chef in the adjoining cafeteria.

My visit to the Swiss Riviera had been a wonderful experience. I had been transported through history, feasted my eyes on the idyllic beauty and enjoyed a satiating platter. I spent the remaining hours of my visit sitting on the bench across the lake, lost in reverie.

Tanushree Poddar, The Personal Telegraph