In the town of Montreux, in western Switzerland on the shoreline of Lake Geneva

 “There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,

There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep Sea, and music in its roar:
I love not Man the less, but Nature more...."
― Lord Byron, Childe Harold's Pilgrimage
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(in western Switzerland on the shoreline of Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps) The town of Montreux, comprising three resort communities (Le Châtelard-Montreux, Les Planches-Montreux, and Veytaux-Montreux, in the Vaud canton, extends along the eastern shore of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman). Its natural setting below mountains protecting it from northerly and easterly winds has made Montreux the lake’s most fashionable health resort. The nearby 13th-century Château de Chillon, made famous by Lord Byron’s poem “Prisoner of Chillon,” is one of Switzerland’s best-known architectural structures. Montreux is on railway lines from Geneva and France to Italy via the Simplon Tunnel and is also a terminus of mountain railways. The tourist trade is important, while the villages of Caux, Chernex, Glion, Chamby, and Les Avants on terraces above Montreux depend mainly on agriculture and viticulture.

+ In the 19th century, writers, artists, and musicians (Lord Byron and the Shelleys among them) flocked to magical Montreux, then a pleasing lakeside resort. It has been a visitor-magnet for the rich, famous, and everyone in-between ever since. Montreux' main draws include peaceful walks along a lakeshore that is blessed with 19th-century hotels, a mild microclimate, a hilltop Old Town, one of the world's premier jazz festivals, Friday-morning lakeside markets, and a remarkable 13th-century fortress.

+ Rock-trivia buffs love the story of British hard rockers Deep Purple recording an album at the town's casino in 1971, commemorating a fire that broke out during a Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention concert (held at the casino). The pall of smoke cast over Lake Geneva inspired Deep Purple to pen their heavy-chorded classic, "Smoke on the Water." 

+ Jazz aficionados still know Montreux as the home of the famed jazz festival. And where else will you find a statue of Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury? Yet, even those who are not music fans will find respite in this resort town on the Swiss Riviera: The wineries here are world renowned, the Chateau de Chillon is an impressive example of a medieval castle, and the views of the Dents-du-Midi are breathtaking. Walk on the lake promenade, ride the cogwheel train, or wander Old Montreux to taste its Edwardian flavor.

+ To summarize: From the lake to the mountains and vineyards, the Montreux Riviera offers a marvelous landscape. It is an authentic slice of paradise that has attracted many artists, writers, and travelers in search of beauty, tranquillity and… inspiration. Montreux Riviera is a land of contrasts. (The region is especially rich in cultural events, and boasts some of the best hotels, schools, and private clinics in the world.)