If you like it hot...

... so this is the time for you to come to Switzerland. Even if you prefer cold, you can still come here and head to the Apls.

But fun apart, it is beautiful to walk around here with extreme green forests and blooming flowers with fantastic intoxicating smells.

Since we are living in the countryside (B in the map)we learned to value small things like this and it is worth a lot! In one of the last weekends we traveled with out 'hyperactive' friend Miki (he is one of those persons who is always happy and always has got sg to do, it is very healthy to be besides him!(hallottad?)! We all went to Montreux in the Swiss riviera (C) then heading to Gruyere (D). And as you can see in the map it is in the other corner of our lake.

In lilac I pointed our little Sunday trip. A-Geneva, B-where we live, C-Montreux and D-Gruyere Castle.

It is like a summer city, it has amazing waters, clubs, comfortable and expensive hotels that actracted the American and European burguesy already in the last century. Due to its mini-climate in its riviera several different types of palm trees are found, as well as different exotic plants, also a huge shiny Casino which made Montreux even more famous.

The riviera in Montreux.

The Chillon Castle is a must see feature. Beautifully conerved and possibility to make nice pictures if you have sunshine, not our case.

Chillon Chateau in the water.

In December 1971, the British rock band Deep Purple came to Montreux to record an album in the Rolling Stones' mobile studio which happened to be at the entertainment complex that was part of the Montreux Casino (the gambling house in the lyrics).

The historic Casino!

Exactly on that night a Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention concert was taking place also inside the complex when one of their fans in an unthought act set the Casino on fire with a flare gun. The members of Deep Purple who were on their hotel accross the lake watched all the 'show' seeing Claude Nobs directing people to leave safely from the building. SO based in these events and the smoke of the burning casino that spreaded over the Lake Geneva wrote one of their most famous song 'Smoke on the water'. The casino burned to ashes but was reopened in 75. If you are a fan and remember the lyrics think about it, if not, here is a little refreshment:

"We all came out to montreux/On the lake geneva shoreline/To make records with a mobile/We didnt have much time/ Frank zappa and the mothers/ Were at the best place around/ But some stupid with a flare gun/ Burned the place to the ground/ Smoke on the water, fire in the sky

They burned down the gambling house/It died with an awful sound/ Funky claude was running in and out /Pulling kids out the ground/ When it all was over/ We had to find another place
But swiss time was running out / It seemed that we would lose the race/ Smoke on the water, fire in the sky"

And this is how it happened.


This city is also famous for famous residents who had or have nice houses around there like Bill Gates, Claude Nobs (the Montreux Jazz Festival organizer), Stravinsky, Tchaikvsky and others. Among these one deserves to be noted. Freddie Mercury, the frontman of the rock band Queen. An statue was erected in his tribute in the Place du marché facing the lake and fans from around the world gather here annually to pay tribute to the singer as part of the "Freddie Mercury Montreux Memorial Day" on the first weekend of September.

The 3 meters high statue and some tributes

Montreux made itself famous with not only one of the biggest Jazz Festivals in Switzerland but also one of the most prestigious in Europe, it is held annually in early July. The Montreux Jazz Festival was founded in 1967 by Claude Nobs (the funky claude form the lyrics above), lasted for 3 days and most of the following ones took place in the Casino, but after it was burned down they changed the venue which could come back after 1975. It became so famous that the today's festivals are held in different places in the city, last for approximately 2 weeks and receives around 200 000 fans.


This year's festival starts on July 3rd and lasts until 18th. SEveral artists will show their talents and even boats in the river are used as stages.

See you around in the streets of the festival in Montreux!

Sources: wikipedia, Montreux Jazz Festival