I will be in Switzerland during the summer and plan to use Montreux as a base for seeing Interlaken (mountains), Bern Lausanne, Gruyere, etc. I will have a car. Any comments on this plan from those who know the area.

Hi davidjac,

I'm a frequent visitor to Montreux and love it there, so naturally I can recommend it highly for a base or a destination in itself!

Here are links to my "reviews" (w/photos) of my favorite activities & excursions from Montreux:

Montreux old town
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...reux_Vaud.html

Lavaux
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...reux_Vaud.html

Promenade Fleuri
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...reux_Vaud.html

Morges
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...rges_Vaud.html

Gruyeres
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR..._Fribourg.html

Saanen
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...wiss_Alps.html

Gstaad
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...wiss_Alps.html

I think you'll be well-situated to see Bern, Lausanne, & Gruyeres, but getting to the mountains of the Berner Oberland will take a bit longer. The road trip is about 1h30 to Interlaken, then getting up to the villages will be another 40 minutes by train, then getting to the top of the Jungfraujoch will take another 30 minutes or so by train. All in all, your travel time will be about 2h30 each way. Depending on how many days you have, you may want to re-locate to another town that's closer for two or three days.

You actually won't need a car; I've only had a car for two of my nine visits to the area, and regretted it both times. Between the trains, ferries, & busses, your transportation will be easy & sweet. There is a train station next to the Geneva airport and under the Zurich airport, so it's very conveninet to travel by train.

Be **sure** to take a lake cruise; schedules at www.cgn.ch.

I'm happy to answer any other questions you have!

Here are more links to photo albums:

Montreux, Saanen, & Zurich, May 2004
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/swanda.../ph//my_photos

Villeneuve Sep 05
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/swanda...ebd1&.tok=

Have fun!

s

How about that rack railway trip up to Rochers de Naye, Swan??

Hey Intrepid1, I've never done the funicular up to Rochers-de-Naye; only up to Glion. There's always next trip! If you've done it, do you have photos so I can see what I've been missing? Thanks!

s

Swandav, I've done the Rochers de Naye tram, and got some nice photos on the way up of very 'swiss' chalets, goats, wildflowers, etc. but from the top it was all clouded in so having our glass of wine in the restaurant was like sitting in the middle of a cloud!

Davidjac, Check dates because if you are going to be in town the same time as the Jazz Festival, well you want to make sure your hotel reservations are in place well in advance. Town gets completely booked. Other than that your plan sounds devine. I've only traveled the area by train, though my girlfriend drove us to Gruyeres one time (good day trip).