Chillon Castle - everything you need to know for your visit

6 Highlights at Chillon Castle

• The rooms of Chillon Castle share the diverse history of this fortress. Visiting the Lake Geneva is like taking a trip back in time!
• You can admire a collection of 300 objects during your visit. Some items were unearthed during excavations from 1896 to 1903.
• You can explore Chillon Castle independently or on a guided tour all year round.
• The castle hosts 40 events a year, including creative workshops for kids in the water castle.
• Chillon Castle is a prime example of excellent conservation and restoration. The contemporary style of the castle is still clearly visible in the 21st century.
• The medieval water castle is located on the shores of Lake Geneva in a beautiful area not far from Montreux.

The offer at Chillon Castle

You have different possibilities to visit the castle. Either you join a guided tour or you go alone.

The museum

You can explore Chillon Castle on your own. For this purpose, you will receive a brochure at the ticket office that will help you find your way around. If you just want to go exploring, you can also go without a brochure. The visit to the moated castle takes about two hours

A permanent exhibition takes you through 36 rooms of the castle, from St. George's Chapel to the Aula Magna, the so-called Torture Chamber, the Room of Models, the Treasury and the Keep

In addition to the permanent exhibition, one or two special exhibitions are held each year. These always revolve around the castle and its history. For the special exhibition you will receive an additional map at the cash desk

In the rooms of the well-preserved castle you can see collections, some of which were found during the excavations from 1896 to 1903. On the tour you can see historical paintings, weapons and armor, furniture and archaeological findings

The history of the Chillon Castle

The oldest parts of the Chillon Castle were built about 1000 years ago. That was at the time of the Burgundian kingdom under the bishop of Sion. The present shape of the moated castle was formed in the 13th and 14th centuries under the rule of the Counts of Savoy. From 1536 to 1798 the fortress was used as an administrative center. Since 1803, the castle on Lake Geneva has been owned by the Canton of Vaud.

Chillon Castle has been a cantonal monument for over 130 years and is considered a cultural asset of national importance. The Chillon Castle Foundation has been managing the structure since 2002 by researching and maintaining the medieval moated castle. This enables the public to have access to Chillon Castle

Swiss Activities Tips Chillon Castle

Events

Check the Calendar of Events of Chillon Castle to combine your visit with a suitable event

Souvenirs

Want to take home a souvenir or gift from Chillon Castle? Then visit the museum store, which sells handmade and castle-owned items.

Kayak Tour

Want to make your journey even more special? Then rent a small boat and get across Lake Geneva to Chillon Castle. You can dock your boat right in front of it.

Postcard photo

You can take a great photo of the castle at the boat landing. Wait for a ship to arrive or depart and take the perfect souvenir photo with the castle and the ship.

Food and Drink at Chillon Castle

At Café Byron, you can enjoy seasonal and local specialties. It’s located right next to Chillon Castle and offers a wonderful view of it. For a refreshment, we recommend the Buvette in the Savoyard Garden of the castle. This is open in nice weather. Here, you can enjoy drinks, light snacks, and the view of the castle.

Outside the castle, the view of Lake Geneva invites you to have a picnic with your own food.

Opening Hours of Chillon Castle

Chillon Castle is open all year round. The last entry is granted one hour before closing. It is only closed on December 25th and January 1st.

Offer from Swiss Activities:

• Chillon Castle Ticket

Getting to Chillon Castle

Chillon Castle is located in the Canton of Vaud in the town of Veytaux. This historical building is just 5 km southeast of Montreux.

by car

The best way to reach Chillon Castle by car is via the A9 highway. You can take the exit for Montreux or Villeneuve. The castle sits directly on the lake between these two towns. From Zurich, it takes about 2 hours and 50 minutes to get there, around 2 hours and 25 minutes from Basel and Lucerne, and just a little over an hour from Bern. There is a large parking lot right in front of Chillon Castle.

by public transport

You can take the direct train to Montreux and then enjoy a 45-minute walk along Lake Geneva to reach Chillon Castle. If you prefer a quicker option, you can take bus number 201, which runs from Vevey, Montreux, and Villeneuve to the "Chillon" stop, located right in front of the castle.

By Boat

You can easily reach Chillon Castle by boat as well. During the peak season, there are regular trips departing from Lausanne, Vevey, and Montreux. The stop is again called “Chillon” and is only 100 m away from the castle.

Swiss Activities Offers

• Boat cruise from Lausanne to Chillon Castle and back
• Boat cruise from Montreux or Vevey to Chillon Castle and back

By Bus Tour

From Geneva, there are various bus tours that take you around Lake Geneva. These tours include a visit to Chillon Castle, allowing you to see the medieval castle from the city of Geneva.

Swiss Activities Offers

• Chaplin bus tour from Geneva with a boat ride to Chillon
• Riviera Chaplin bus tour from Geneva to Montreux and Chillon
• Chaplin bus tour from Geneva to Montreux and Chillon in winter

Practical information

What you should look out for

Dogs are not allowed in the castle People in bathing suits or without shoes are not allowed in the castle The castle is not wheelchair accessible.

What you should bring

Bring cash, as the nearest ATM is 2 km away in Villeneuve. If you have small children, we recommend that you bring baby carriers. Strollers are prohibited on the visitor tour Wear appropriate clothing, as this is required by the visitor regulations

More practical information

The castle has lock boxes inside the castle A mooring is located in front of the castle for small boats

Chillon Castle is a very popular destination for excursions. You can wonderfully combine the visit here for half or full day excursions with hikes or boat trips.