← Gornergrat Zermatt Marathon·2 nights

Montreux and Chillon: Lake Geneva After the Mountains

Two nights on Lake Geneva with a flat lakeside walk to Chillon Castle, timed for the first days of the Montreux Jazz Festival.

Duration2 nights
TransitTrain from Zermatt via Visp to Montreux, about 3.5 to 4 hours
DepartsZermatt

After the Gornergrat Zermatt Marathon: Montreux and Chillon

The Route: Zermatt → Visp → Montreux → Geneva Airport Logistics: Train from Zermatt with a change at Visp, then on to Montreux. Two nights on the lakefront, with a bus or a flat walk to Chillon. Marathon Month: July Duration: 2 nights

Zermatt ──(train to Visp)──> Visp ──(train along the Rhône valley)──> Montreux
                                                                          │
Geneva Airport (GVA) ◄──(train along the lake, check sbb.ch)────────────┘

The Gornergrat Zermatt Marathon is run on a Saturday in early July, and the days after it fall inside the Montreux Jazz Festival, which runs from 2 to 17 July. Lake Geneva is the contrast to the Matterhorn: a flat shore, warm air and a castle on a rock.

July in Montreux: the lake is warm and the promenade busy. The festival fills the town, so hotel rooms are scarce and dear and the lakefront is crowded in the evenings. Book early. Check the festival programme for the stages that are free to enter before assuming a ticket is needed.

Nights one and two: Montreux

The journey from Zermatt takes roughly three and a half to four hours with a change at Visp. Check the connections at sbb.ch, and book a seat on the longer leg if one is offered. The Rhône valley runs flat to the lake, so the day is mostly seated.

The lakefront promenade is the primary walking asset, paved and flat, with benches. Chillon Castle stands on the shore 4 km along the lake. The lakeside walk takes about 45 minutes, and bus N201 runs every 10 to 20 minutes if the legs prefer a ride. Chillon is open from 09:00 to 19:00 from April to September, with last entry at 18:00. Adult entry is CHF 18 (about £16), and an audio guide costs CHF 6. The castle has many stairs, and the cobbles are slippery when wet, so wear shoes with grip and take the stairs slowly. It is not a gentle visit for post-marathon legs, so keep the castle for the second day.

Where to stay and eat

Choose a hotel on or near the lakefront promenade, since the shore is the flat part of Montreux and the town climbs steeply behind it. Compare rates on a booking site and check the cancellation terms, because festival dates sell out. For food, the lake gives fried perch fillets, and the Vaud canton gives papet vaudois, a leek and potato dish with sausage. Book a table in advance in festival week.

Getting home

For Geneva Airport (GVA), take the train along the lake from Montreux, and check the journey time and connections at sbb.ch. Leave generous time on a festival weekend, when trains fill up.