The Swiss Riviera

After Chaplin’s World, we continued our tour along “The Swiss Riviera.” Truth be told, I had no idea such a place existed. Our tour guide, Maria, described the semi-tropical area along Lake Geneva from Lausanne to Montreux as unique due to its microclimate, which is beneficial to both winegrowers and tourists.

We started with a picnic lunch in the Lavaux Vineyards (above and below), the internationally famous wine-growing region on the shores of Lake Geneva. The terraced vineyards, cleared and planted by monks in the 12th century, cover more than 2,000 acres on magnificently steep hillsides with sweeping views of the Alps. 

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Lavaux features 200 different wineries, many owned by the same families for centuries. The primary grapes are white: Chasselas, Pinot Noir and Gamay. After a lunch of salmon and tuna sandwiches, potato chips and white wine, we proceeded to Vevey for a boat ride to Chillon Castle.

The castle, initially a Roman outpost, guarded the roadway through the Alpine passes, and offered both a strategic location and a natural protection on a rocky island. In 1150, the House of Savoy controlled the fort and the pathway between the lake and the mountains. Later, the castle became the summer residence of the ruling counts.

The Bernese overthrew Savoy rule and assumed control of the castle in 1536. For nearly 300 years, the castle served as a fortress, arsenal and prison, popularized by Lord Byron in his poem, “The Prisoner of Chillon,” the story of monk Francois de Bonivard who was incarcerated there until he was rescued by fellow patriots.

Today, Chillon Castle is open to the public and remains a serious tourist magnet. Speaking of Lord Byron, the English poet really got around. He not only lived along Lake Geneva in the Swiss Riviera but also in Genoa along the Italian Riviera, where he drew inspiration from a grotto near Portovenere. Fellow poet and friend Percy Shelley drowned nearby in the Gulf of Spezia, known today as the Bay of Poets.

From the castle, we had about an hour in Montreux, known for its annual jazz festival. Founded in 1967, the event was originally a pure jazz festival but broadened its scope in the 70s and toward the end of the decade, it expanded even more to include music from all continents.

The festival was originally held at the Montreux Casino, which burned down in December 1971 during Frank Zappa’s performance. Deep Purple, in their song “Smoke on the Water,” memorialized the fire: "...some stupid (fool) with a flare gun, burned the place to the ground." Other rockers, like Freddie Mercury of Queen (right), have lived and recorded in Montreux, the gem of the Swiss Riviera.