A visit to Chillon Castle
The beautifully located Chillon Castle, or “Château de Chillon” in French, dates back to the 12th century. You can roam the interior and learn all about the history of the castle and its surroundings. Meanwhile you'll have beautiful views of Lake Geneva.
ROUTE
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A brief history of the castle
The first written testimony of the castle dates to 1150. The Counts of Savoy controlled the fort then. It was gradually expanded over the following centuries, serving as a fort, arsenal and prison.
The Bernese habitants took it over for a while, until the Vaudois Revolution of 1798 when the castle’s ownership passed on to the Canton of Vaud. By that time, it began to attract writers and artists.
A major restoration project was started by the end of the 19th century. Restoration is still going on today.
What a visit to the castle is like
You can explore the castle on your own, using an information brochure and touch screens and headphones along the route. You can also rent an audio guide for more information and background stories.
The property includes underground chambers, courtyards, the great halls, several themed chambers, a weapons’ room and a chapel.
The building houses several (temporary) culture and art exhibitions. It also has a connection to wine, just as the entire Lavaux region on the northern shores of eastern Lake Geneva. The winemaker in charge grows grapes at the castle’s own 12.500 m2 vineyard. Both red and white wines are produced.
If you want to take a break, you can do so at the picnic spot next to the castle. You can have a bite in Café Byron. A snackbar is open in good weather. After your visit, you can shop for souvenirs.
How to prepare
No special preparations are needed for a visit to the castle. You'll be mostly indoors. There’s a lot to explore, so a visit will easily take half a day or even a whole day. A quicker tour can be done within 1,5 to 2 hours.
Combine your castle visit with other activities
The fortress is located along the north-eastern shore of Lake Geneva, so you can easily combine your visit with a boat trip.
A trip to Rochers-de-Naye or the nearby towns Montreux or Lausanne can be added too.
If you're making a transfer trip between the of Lake Geneva area and the Valais (for example Sion, Brig or Zermatt), a visit to the castle can be a nice break along the way.
