Vive Montreux!

I've been very busy lately! My mother was here in April and then my brother for 2 weeks. My cousin is arriving later today, so I'm enjoying a 5 minute break! Just about! Anyway, just to say that I've played tourist in the last month or so and really discovered great things about Switzerland. One of them was re-discovering Montreux.

Since my arrival, I've been a regular at the Monteux Jazz Festival. The atmosphere is great, the concerts as well and the view is just splendid! I am now boycotting though as the prices have become just ridiculously high, e.g. Phil Collins' Concert rates at 140/320/380, the first price being the price standing and the others seating. I just don't like crowds, so it would cost for 2 a minimum of 640 CHF for one concert, and then you need to get there, get a hotel room and eat out. Sorry, but for that price, I could get all CDs and DVDs from his concert. Or better get myself to Prague for a weekend!

Anyway, enough motzen, as the Swiss say, and let me get to the point: I went to Montreux last weekend, off Festival season, and discovered a very nice place! I had booked a cool jazzy (whatelse!) hotel called Tralala in Les Planches neighbourhood. I was so surprised to discover the old town of Montreux where it was located!

It was a lovely little village up on the mountain. So cute and quiet! It's small, but very enjoyable. I could not believe that I always had walked the same stretch along the lake and never this typical part of town. I had two restaurants noted down for the evening and the hotel clerk sent me to the first one on my list called Le Caveau des Vignerons (sorry no website!). Nothing fancy, quite rustical actually. We had a breaded tomme cheese on salad as an apetizer and then a big steak that you grill yourself on a hot stone. This was so great! It came with homemade French fries and a mustard sauce. I just saw the second restaurant on my list in the May edition of Monocle (isn't it the greatest magazine ever!), so here you are: Le Museum, famous for Charbonnade too!

On the next morning, we went up Les Rochers de Naye with the train. It's an almost 1 hour up the mountain above Montreux, so you have agreat view in the Lake Léman (or Geneva if you prefer) and behind, direction Jura as well. It's at 2'042 m of altitude and the view is great! As it was May, there was still snow so we could not go hiking around. I would recommend going later in June. Here are some views:

We finished the day with the traditional visit to the famous Château de Chillon. Switzerland is not a country of castles like France or the UK, but this is really THE castle you should visit in Switzerland. It's location is magnifique and it's truly a beauty.

So I hope you will visit soon and enjoy yourself as much as I did!

Cheers!