Known For A Jazz Festival Founded In 1967 - Montreux, Switzerland

We only stopped at this beautiful resort town nestled on the shore of Lake Geneva for only a couple of hours, but walking along the lakefront promenade — with the towering Swiss Alps as a backdrop — was a picture-perfect blend of serenity and drama, combining relaxing Alpine charm with refined lakeside elegance.

Montreux is renowned worldwide for hosting one of the most prestigious music events on the planet — the Montreux Jazz Festival. For decades, this picturesque town has attracted legendary artists, writers, and musicians, including icons like Freddie Mercury and Charlie Chaplin. Thanks to its prime location nestled between the lake and the Alps, Montreux enjoys a mild microclimate that enhances its appeal throughout the year.

The town’s golden age of tourism in the late 1800s brought with it a wave of luxurious hotels and villas designed in the Belle Époque style, with grand facades, ornate decoration, and elegant balconies. Its architectural landscape reflects its international appeal, with a mix of Neoclassical villas, Art Deco buildings, and Mediterranean-style homes built to cater to visitors from across Europe and beyond.

Montreux’s architecture harmonizes beautifully with its stunning natural setting. Many buildings are oriented toward the lake to maximize sunlight and views, while terraced construction cleverly accommodates the steep terrain.

This is what caught my eye - I hope you enjoy!

Belle Epoque architecture

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The Fairmont Le Montraux Palace built in 1906. Since 1966, it has been a venue for the Jazz Festival.

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Beautiful gardens tucked away

Overlooking Lake Geneva in the Garden of the Fairmont Le Montreaux Palace hotel is this statue of Russian-American writer Vladimir Nabokov.

The air is crisp and clean, the vibe is relaxed yet cultured, and everything feels polished without being pretentious.

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The Covered Market was built between 1891 and 1892 and was a gift from German-born Swiss confectioner Henry Nestle, founder of Nestle company.

The lyrics of the 1972 classic rock song "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple are based on a true story that happened in December 1971 during a Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention concert. Someone fired a flare gun, which set the building on fire. The fire sent thick smoke billowing out over Lake Geneva. The band watched the scene unfold from across the lake, and the image inspired that song line.

Located between Lake Geneva and the Swiss Alps, Montreux offers breathtaking views, lakeside promenades, vineyards, and mountains.

‘The Dawn’ by Jaume Plensa

This garden is officially called the ‘Alley of Jazz Musicians Sculptures’ and it is on the shore of Lake Geneva. The garden features sculptures of past performers at the Jazz Festival. This sculpture of Claude Nobs, who founded the Jazz Festival in 1967, was created by Andreas Altman.

A Salvator Dali sculpture ‘Newtonian Nude’ done in 1968.

Marco Zeno created this sculpture of Ray Charles, who performed here in 1997.

The Aretha Franklin sculpture was also created by Marco Zeno. Franklin performed here in 1971.

Another Zeno sculpture is Carlos Santana who performed at the Jazz Festival in 1970, 1988, 2004, 2015 and 2025.

‘The Great Flight’ sculpture by Isabelle Thiltges along the lake shore.

Freddie Mercury lived here and recorded music at Mountain Studios, now part of the Queen Studio Experience museum. This tribute sculpture was created by Irena Sedlecka.

What you should know:

• Credit/debit cards are widely accepted.

• Contactless payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc.) are very common.

• Locals are generally friendly but reserved – polite and helpful.

• Anyone staying in approved accommodations is entitled to a free transport card. 

• The main official language is French, but many people do speak English.

• The currency is the Swiss franc (CHF).

• Anyone staying in approved accommodation in Montreaux is entitled to a free transport card. 

• Parking can sometimes be difficult at times in season.

• Walking or biking is a great way to get around the city.

• You will need a valid passport and a power convertor if you are coming from the US.

• There are many restaurant and food options.

• Tipping is not expected but some people do round up.

For more information: Montreaux, Switzerland

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