Tag: Vevey

(From Vevey-Marché (lac) we caught a ferry boat to the Castle of Chillon which is at the far side of Montreux)

Taking a ferry on Lac Leman is the best way to view the beautiful houses and architecture along the shoreline.

Floral displays on every one of the ferry terminals.

Freddie Mercury

Hotel Fairmont Le Montreux Palace

Hôtel Eden Palace Au Lac

A glimpse of the hotels in Montreux and the famous statue of Queen singer, Freddie Mercury.

“If you want peace of mind, come to Montreux”, said Freddie Mercury (1946-1991). As well as living in Montreux, he also recorded six albums there with Queen, including “Made in Heaven”. In memory of his presence, Freddie Mercury’s bronze statue has stood on the lakeside promenade since 1996.

And a unique way to arrive at our destination.

I am beginning to spot a theme in my travels. Water. With the exception of  Paris and Prague most of the places I have visited are either on the coast or by a lake (and even those cities have a significant river to walk by)

Which brings me to the next European location – Montreux in Switzerland, alongside the lovely Lac Léman or Lake Geneva and only a 40 minutes train ride away from Geneva. On our first day we caught a bus* to Vevey Funi and took the funicular railway up the mountainside to Mont Pèlerin (no views sadly because of the fog lingering over the water). In better weather I expect it is a wonderful place to visit and there are Lavaux Vineyard trails to explore with spring blossoms, autumn harvesting and numerous inns and taverns and wine tasting rooms if you stop off at Chardonne.

On returning to the lakeside we then walked back along the promenade (Quai Ernest-Ansermet) into Vevey town centre for a look around whilst waiting for the next ferry boat back towards Montreux.

What is so delightful about Vevey is the floral lined promenade where swans float on the lake and boats pass by including the beautiful Belle Époque paddlewheel steamers.

Promenade

Pier

Nymph riding a Seahorse

Seating

Flora

The old town has many areas just for pedestrians and, as is common in Switzerland, has a pretty floral fountain.

(From Vevey-Marché (lac) we caught a ferry boat to the Castle of Chillon which is at the far side of Montreux, with the intention of visiting the castle in the afternoon before walking back via Quai des Fleurs and Quai Alfred Chatelanat to our hotel (2 miles). A full self-guiding tour takes approximately 1.5 – 2 hours, depending on how fast you walk and how much reading you do.)

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