Autumn in Montreux – September 2019

  • rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    2 December 2019 at 1:29:44 #824582

    After a great week in the Bernese Oberland* we moved on to Montreux for a week.

    We stayed at the Eurotel, right on the waterfront, a stone’s throw from the paddle steamer quay and 5 minutes from the station. The 201 bus ran straight past the front door. The buffet breakfast was splendid and oh, the views from our room weren’t too bad (attached). It was about 50 minutes stroll along the waterfront promenade to Chateau Chillon.

    We made extensive use of the free Montreux Riviera Card to get around.

    During the week we visited Rochers-de-Naye, Chillon, Gruyéres, Broc Fabrique, Lausanne, and Glacier 3000.

    More reports and photos on our day to day adventures to follow.

    *Bernese Oberland reports at http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/a-week-in-thun and photos at photos.app.goo.gl/NZoi QHG1hMEyCJn77 (I’ve lumped them all together in one album and swapped from flickr.com to Google photos to avoid the annoying ads that Flickr, or more correctly SmugMug, imposes these days).

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    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    2 December 2019 at 7:14:43 #925905

    Hello mate,

    Thanks once again for your input to this forum, for all the lovely information and fantastic pictures, with which you share your passion for Switzerland.

    Looking forward for more to come. 🙂

    Cheers,
    Steph

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    2 December 2019 at 10:09:31 #925906
    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    3 December 2019 at 3:52:50 #925907

    OK so here are some random photos taken around Montreux during our weeks stay.

    The white funicular runs up to Glion (which is not technically Montreux but close). The red funicular runs up to Mount Pèlerin which is a bit west of Vevey (so not entirely consistent with the theme).

    Apologies for all the shots of art works but they are all along the waterfront and we promenaded up and down that way every day. The Freddy Mercury statue is very popular – I never got a chance to get a clear shot without a cast of thousands lining up for selfies.

    Enjoy. 😎

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    3 December 2019 at 5:38:04 #925908

    Hey mate, what a photographer, I LOVE your pics..you really have an eye for taking pictures, fantastic!!!

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    3 December 2019 at 6:03:51 #925909

    Rochers-de-Naye

    Hi Steph,

    *blush*

    Here’s some from our trip toRochers-de-Naye which I’m afraid are a little disappointing. I made an experiment to try to take more photos with my phone instead of my camera. It wasn’t a great success and the weather was a pretty bleak. A lot ended up on the cutting room floor.

    We went up in the morning. The weather picked up in the afternoon down in Montreux but by then RdN was socked in with clouds.

    It’s a great little train ride and the fact you can get all the way to Haut-de-Caux with the Montreux Riviera Card is a bonus. Only needed a half-fare ticket from there to the top. We actually bought the ticket on the train using the SBB app (❤️) because when we left Montreux the weather looked too bleak to be worth going all the way to the top.

    Reckon it would be magic with some snow about.

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    3 December 2019 at 6:33:25 #925910

    Chateau de Chillon

    After the morning trip to Rocher-de-Naye we caught the 201 bus to Chillon.

    I thought it would be a bit boring but it was really interesting and we spent about 3 hours wandering around the place.

    There is a new visitors center, complete with cafeteria, being constructed – from the artists impressions it look like it will be great.

    Photos are here – photos.app.goo.gl/jSdF h1RDDUf41LeE8. The later ones taken from the water were taken on another day when we caught the paddle steamer from Lausanne to Chillon.

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    4 December 2019 at 2:09:39 #925911

    Cheese and Chocolate

    So, day 10 of our trip and today we were off to Gruyères and Broc Fabrique, sort of replication the Train du Chocolat which according the the photo I took looks remarkably like a bus. (actually if you do the official thing you get a train from Montreux to Montbovon then bus from there)

    At Montreux we hopped on the Golden Pass Panoramic (no reservation) to Montbovon.

    As the train left Montbovon I noticed the last carriage had the famous VIP seats – except they were looking out the back of the train! How can this be?

    Super cute RER train takes you to Gruyères. Lovely scenery. We just got there in time to see the last of the morning action at the cheese factory; pure luck – now we know why the Chocolate Train leaves early. If you go be sure to check the acitivity timetable. Can highly recommend a bottle of Marc (French equivalent of grappa?) they sell in the Cheese Factory shop.

    After the cheesery we walked up to the medieval village for a look see. Very interesting. Plenty of things to do there. Castle, Tibetan Museum, Giger Museum not to mention the quaint village.

    Back to the station then off to Broc Fabrique via Bulle to visit the Cailler factory. Lots of school tour groups visiting. Interesting sound and light show explaining the history of chocolate and the factory. Kids can build their own chocolate slab and from the ones we saw there is a fair bit of creativity in the younger generation. Some nice free tastings at the end but there is only so much chocolate you can eat in one go.

    Back to Bulle then swapped to train to Chatel-St-Denis where we caught a bus back to Vevey and on to Montreux. Chatel-St-Denis is a few stops outside the coverage area for The Montreux Riviera Card but the driver said we were fine to use it. Not sure if the drive was just accommodating or whether it’s a general rule. Nice scenic bus ride down to Vevey then on to the ever popular 201 to our hotel door at Montreux.

    So the Cheese and Chocolate factory visits are OK but the train and bus rides around some lovely rural scenery together with Gruyères village were the best parts of the day

    Photos at photos.app.goo.gl/Zazi 9gwrTTBTTDYw6.

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    4 December 2019 at 5:53:42 #925912

    Lake Geneva Cruise

    Forecast for day 11 was for dull weather so a lazy start and a late breakfast. Made it to Lausanne in time to catch the 11.40 paddle steamer to Chillon. On arrival at the docks I discovered I had left my camera behind so today’s photographic offerings are nothing to write home about. Combination of mobile phone camera and overcast day did nothing to help.

    The boat trip was relaxed. A few weeks later and there would have been more autumn tones. I can just imagine the views of the vineyards on a sunny late autumn afternoon would be spectacular.

    After disembarking at Chillon we strolled back along the waterfront promenade to Montreux; about 50 minutes.

    Had a monster gelato each and went to visit the “Queen Experience” carefully hidden away in the Casino. Very interesting especially as we had not long since seen Bohemian Rhapsody at the movies.

    Photos at photos.app.goo.gl/Ps7k fT7nL1GRx17h6.

    Judy52
    Participant
    131 posts
    4 December 2019 at 6:18:43 #925913

    Hi rockoyster

    I’m enjoying your trip report. We stayed in Montreux in May 2013 and had some lovely weather. I have photos of that huge mountain in the distance behind Lake Geneva too. Do you know it’s name?

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    4 December 2019 at 6:38:37 #925914

    Hi Judy52,

    there are several mountain tops there, like Le Grammontand, Les Jumelles or Dent d’Oche which is already part of France. All of them above 2000 m. They are just stunning from the Promenade of Montreux, right? 🙂

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    4 December 2019 at 6:45:54 #925915

    Hi Judy,

    We really enjoyed Montreux and especially watching the sun rise and set on Dents du Midi (I think that’s the one you mean – the one beyond the eastern end of the lake). As per the first photo I attached.

    Judy52
    Participant
    131 posts
    4 December 2019 at 6:46:37 #925916

    Thanks Ildiko

    I’ve never heard of any of those before. They do look incredible.

    Judy52
    Participant
    131 posts
    4 December 2019 at 6:51:28 #925917

    Thanks rockoyster

    They are the ones you posted on 3 December – 2nd, 3rd and 4th ones. They do look like teeth.

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    4 December 2019 at 6:52:56 #925918

    Hi Rockoyster,

    I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed your picture, this part of Switzerland is very close to my heart as I live here. I’ve traveled so many times on these steamboats on Lake Geneva and I cannot get bored of them. The view is always different.

    I agree, Maison Cailler and the cheese factory of Gruyeres are interesting, but the village of Gruyeres is like a hidden gem.

    Thanks a lot for your reviews and amazing pictures! 🙂

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    4 December 2019 at 6:54:05 #925919

    Thanks, and lucky you Ildiko. I think my favourite places in Switzerland would have to be Lugano and Montreux. I love being near water.

    Montreux may just have the edge.

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    5 December 2019 at 6:52:08 #925920

    Glacier 3000

    Day 12 dawned bright and sunny with clear skies forecast all day. So this was the day to go to Glacier 3000.

    Rather than going back up the Golden Pass route to Gstaad, we decided to travel to Col-du-Pillon by train to Aigle then on Les Diablerets where we caught a bus to Col-du-Pillon. We returned the same way.

    The train from Aigle is a wonderful ride. The train sets off down the main street and heads uphill past the Chateau (who knew Aigle had one?). The scenery is delightful and much of the trip is spent on the side of a cliff. Much more interesting than the Golden Pass route.

    Les Diablerets is charming. It was market day.

    Glacier 3000 is well worth a visit. The two seperate cable cars get you to the top pretty quickly and the views are spectacular. It would have been nice to see a bit more snow cover but that’s September for you. There was a good dump the week after we left though.

    The Peak to Peak Walk looks scarier than it is.

    All in all a great days outing.

    Photos at photos.app.goo.gl/PmQX YRSC4jhXVuE9A.

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    5 December 2019 at 7:47:18 #925921

    “The train sets off down the main street and heads uphill past the Chateau (who knew Aigle had one?)” —– 🙂 I know that feeling, you can find a castle just “accidentally”, wherever you go around here. There are so many castles in this area, amazing. I like that train ride too, for a minute you do not know if you are on a tram or a train.

    Thanks for the photos again 🙂

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    7 December 2019 at 1:45:19 #925922

    Funiculee Funicular

    Day 13 of our trip and we decided just to potter about using the Montreux Riviera Card and try out a couple of funiculars.

    In the morning we walked around the foreshore to Territet and hopped on the funicular to Glion.

    After lunch we caught a train to Vevey-Funi and ascended to Le Négéoz where the walk to Mont Pèlerin starts.

    The few photos I took today are in amongst the general Montreux photos at photos.app.goo.gl/3LHDkWH5aAMqyjEE8.

    Saturday night was party night on the promenade. The live band at the hotel bar played covers of everything from Oasis to Quincy Jones.

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    7 December 2019 at 1:48:57 #925923

    Lausanne

    Day 14 and we’re off to have a wander around Lausanne. We seem to have a habit of visiting cities on Sundays.

    What can I say about Lausanne? It’s hilly.

    Photos at photos.app.goo.gl/hrXBt5SzsV4iWitz9.

    This was our last night in Montreux (boo hoo). Neuchâtel beckons.

    Anna
    Moderator
    6274 posts
    7 December 2019 at 7:22:29 #925924

    I agree, Lausanne is hilly! Still prefer Lausanne to Geneva. Can’t wait to visit again when the weather warms up.

    Thanks for all the write-ups. Keep them coming..

    Regards,

    Anna

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