Montreux - how crazy during Jazz festival?
Jun 17th, 2016, 04:27 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Montreux - how crazy during Jazz festival?
Hi - we will be in the Montreux area and chose to stay in Vevey to avoid the crowds during Jazz festival. However, there is generally more hotel availability (in Vevey there's really only 3 Couronnes and Hotel du Lac) and there's more to do in Montreux. I am thinking of switching my accommodation to Montreux since it seems we will be going there anyway.
How nutty will things get during Jazz festival?
How nutty will things get during Jazz festival?
Jun 17th, 2016, 09:03 PM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,345
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi ebuni,
I'm pretty sure I gave you my thoughts -- it's crazy crowded in July & August anyway, and it will be even more crazy during the Fest.
But that can be fun.
I was in Montreux during the Fest in 1968, when I had just arrived with my sister and our parents to begin our stay at a boarding school there (I was 13 years old). I saw Ian Anderson wearing a purple tophat with a feather playing the flute on one leg; I saw a VW microbus with the bumper sticker: "Don't laugh -- your daughter may be in here"; and you could get high just by walking through the central square. Remember too that rockers have enjoyed Montreux for decades, and that "Smoke on the Water" chronicles a fire that started during a concert by the Mothers of Invention in 1971 (not during the Jazz Fest). The Rolling Stones used to have a mobile recording studio in town.
It's probably much more tame these days. But. You can never tell!
s
I'm pretty sure I gave you my thoughts -- it's crazy crowded in July & August anyway, and it will be even more crazy during the Fest.
But that can be fun.
I was in Montreux during the Fest in 1968, when I had just arrived with my sister and our parents to begin our stay at a boarding school there (I was 13 years old). I saw Ian Anderson wearing a purple tophat with a feather playing the flute on one leg; I saw a VW microbus with the bumper sticker: "Don't laugh -- your daughter may be in here"; and you could get high just by walking through the central square. Remember too that rockers have enjoyed Montreux for decades, and that "Smoke on the Water" chronicles a fire that started during a concert by the Mothers of Invention in 1971 (not during the Jazz Fest). The Rolling Stones used to have a mobile recording studio in town.
It's probably much more tame these days. But. You can never tell!
s
Jun 18th, 2016, 04:33 AM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Speaking of, I understand Glion is on a hill from Montreux. Do you how long the bus or cable car takes to get up there?
I have a morning flight out of Geneva so want to know how much time this would add to my travel.
I have a morning flight out of Geneva so want to know how much time this would add to my travel.
Jun 18th, 2016, 04:54 AM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,345
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
heheee, it was an experience for a 13-year-old!!
I adore the Hotel Victoria in Glion, if that's the hotel you are considering; I've stayed there 3 or 4 times. The views from the terrace over the lake and into France are stunning. I love Glion, too, and my favorite restaurant, Le Jaman, is there. Le Jaman has both a pinte (casual food like a pub or a cafe) and a formal restaurant.
But it's not super convenient. You can get there two ways --
One way is by train from Montreux station. Trains are not that frequent, about once an hour, and the trip takes about 10 minutes.
The second way is by funicular, and they run every 15 minutes. However, the funicular is located in Territet. You can get to Territet by foot (about 20 minutes by beautiful walk along the lake) or by bus.
Your hosts will give you a Riviera Card making the local trains, busses, and funiculars free.
When arriving, I usually take a taxi up to Glion, and that has cost me about 20 chf.
As much as I like the views from Glion, I've come to prefer staying right on the lake. I love to be able to watch that parade of folks sauntering down the promenade --
Have fun!
s
I adore the Hotel Victoria in Glion, if that's the hotel you are considering; I've stayed there 3 or 4 times. The views from the terrace over the lake and into France are stunning. I love Glion, too, and my favorite restaurant, Le Jaman, is there. Le Jaman has both a pinte (casual food like a pub or a cafe) and a formal restaurant.
But it's not super convenient. You can get there two ways --
One way is by train from Montreux station. Trains are not that frequent, about once an hour, and the trip takes about 10 minutes.
The second way is by funicular, and they run every 15 minutes. However, the funicular is located in Territet. You can get to Territet by foot (about 20 minutes by beautiful walk along the lake) or by bus.
Your hosts will give you a Riviera Card making the local trains, busses, and funiculars free.
When arriving, I usually take a taxi up to Glion, and that has cost me about 20 chf.
As much as I like the views from Glion, I've come to prefer staying right on the lake. I love to be able to watch that parade of folks sauntering down the promenade --
Have fun!
s
Jun 18th, 2016, 04:58 AM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,345
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sorry; my reply was interrupted by my cat, and you posted an additional question in the meantime.
To get the full travel time from Glion to the Geneva airport, use the Swiss rail site at
www.sbb.ch
and then use
From: Glion
To: Geneva airport
and then enter the time & date you might be leaving. I would guess it would be about 1h30 or 2h.
Have fun!
s
To get the full travel time from Glion to the Geneva airport, use the Swiss rail site at
www.sbb.ch
and then use
From: Glion
To: Geneva airport
and then enter the time & date you might be leaving. I would guess it would be about 1h30 or 2h.
Have fun!
s
Jun 18th, 2016, 05:32 AM
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you. Will it be easy at 5 or 6 AM in the morning to get a taxi to get to the train station? Can the hotel arrange it the night before?
I really prefer not to switch to Geneva for our last night, thus introducing yet another hotel. I am fine waking up early.
I really prefer not to switch to Geneva for our last night, thus introducing yet another hotel. I am fine waking up early.
Jun 18th, 2016, 08:27 AM
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes! The Victoria. Even though it is a bit out of the way, the hotel and the ambience seem like a great fit for me.
Please confirm: If I stay at the Victoria my options for dinner will be Le Jaman or the hotel, anything else we will have to take a taxi or the funicular down.
Is Territet 20 mins from Montreux walking, or 20 mins from Glion walking? Meaning once I get to Montreux train station then I walk to Territet to get the funicular? But, once I am in Glion then I can take the cable car right away? Its just that I end up in Territet versus Montreux?
Please confirm: If I stay at the Victoria my options for dinner will be Le Jaman or the hotel, anything else we will have to take a taxi or the funicular down.
Is Territet 20 mins from Montreux walking, or 20 mins from Glion walking? Meaning once I get to Montreux train station then I walk to Territet to get the funicular? But, once I am in Glion then I can take the cable car right away? Its just that I end up in Territet versus Montreux?
Jun 18th, 2016, 09:28 AM
#10
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,345
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi again,
Yes, I agree about the Victoria. I love it. It has a real old-world ambiance about it. And the staff is just fantastic.
No, there are other restaurants in Glion; I just haven't visited them. And I love the Jaman. Oh, the hotel's restaurant is very, very good, too, and lots of folks go up for the food and to dine on the terrace with the incredible views.
Territet is 20 minutes from Montreux walking along the lake or maybe 5 minutes by bus (the busses come along every 10 minutes, so you never have long to wait). Glion is about 45 minutes walking a STEEP uphill from either Montreux or Territet. Montreux & Territet are right at the lake, and Glion is up on the hill above.
If you don't want to take a taxi from the train station, just cross the street and go downstairs to the main street that parallels the lake. Walk across the street and stand at the bus stop with your back to the lake. Bus #201 will come by, and it will take you to the "Territet Gare" bus stop. Cross the street (underground) and go behind the church, and you'll see the funicular. It runs every 15 minutes. I'm not sure what the fare will be without the Riviera Card.
At Glion, the train station and the funicular station are housed together. Just, yes, the funicular goes down to Territet, and the train goes down to Montreux.
You can see this clearly if you go to google maps and pull up a map for "Glion Montreux Switzerland." You'll see the thin grey line of the funicular linking Glion & Territet.
Oh, and it's not a cable car (a car connected to a cable that is suspended between towers) but a funicular (a train that runs up a mountain pulled by a cable).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funicular
Have fun!
s
Yes, I agree about the Victoria. I love it. It has a real old-world ambiance about it. And the staff is just fantastic.
No, there are other restaurants in Glion; I just haven't visited them. And I love the Jaman. Oh, the hotel's restaurant is very, very good, too, and lots of folks go up for the food and to dine on the terrace with the incredible views.
Territet is 20 minutes from Montreux walking along the lake or maybe 5 minutes by bus (the busses come along every 10 minutes, so you never have long to wait). Glion is about 45 minutes walking a STEEP uphill from either Montreux or Territet. Montreux & Territet are right at the lake, and Glion is up on the hill above.
If you don't want to take a taxi from the train station, just cross the street and go downstairs to the main street that parallels the lake. Walk across the street and stand at the bus stop with your back to the lake. Bus #201 will come by, and it will take you to the "Territet Gare" bus stop. Cross the street (underground) and go behind the church, and you'll see the funicular. It runs every 15 minutes. I'm not sure what the fare will be without the Riviera Card.
At Glion, the train station and the funicular station are housed together. Just, yes, the funicular goes down to Territet, and the train goes down to Montreux.
You can see this clearly if you go to google maps and pull up a map for "Glion Montreux Switzerland." You'll see the thin grey line of the funicular linking Glion & Territet.
Oh, and it's not a cable car (a car connected to a cable that is suspended between towers) but a funicular (a train that runs up a mountain pulled by a cable).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funicular
Have fun!
s
Jun 18th, 2016, 02:37 PM
#11
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 122
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Montreux will be busy, but still worth the visit. The word "Jazz" is in the title of the festival for marketing purposes only; there's precious little actual jazz ever scheduled.
One year, we timed our trip to be able to go to Montreux for the "jazz" fest; we booked the tickets before the performance schedule was announced. Of course, there was NO mainstream jazz on the schedule for the days we'd be in the canton, so we wandered through town just to see it. We stopped to eat in one of the open-air cafeteria-style restaurants near the middle of town. Decent food, but the floor show was the best -- several little birds had found the corn dish on the buffet, and were busy grabbing kernels and flying out to the nest to feed the little ones! We avoided sampling from that tray, but the rest of the food was fine.
One year, we timed our trip to be able to go to Montreux for the "jazz" fest; we booked the tickets before the performance schedule was announced. Of course, there was NO mainstream jazz on the schedule for the days we'd be in the canton, so we wandered through town just to see it. We stopped to eat in one of the open-air cafeteria-style restaurants near the middle of town. Decent food, but the floor show was the best -- several little birds had found the corn dish on the buffet, and were busy grabbing kernels and flying out to the nest to feed the little ones! We avoided sampling from that tray, but the rest of the food was fine.
