Montreux Jazz Festival 2008

Montreux Jazz Festival © Joanna Griekspoor

The coast between Vevey, Montreux and Villeneuve is called the Swiss Riviera. When we walked along the waterside it hit me how stunning Montreux is. A long pedestrian walk starts at Villeneuve — not far from the French border — and continues past Montreux all the way to Vevey. An hour’s stroll along the lakeside is more than enough, because it’s not for the sake of walking you visit Montreux. It’s for the atmosphere, the incredible view across Lake Geneva and the mountains, the overall beauty of the place, and the annual Montreux Jazz Festival.

I remember our stopover in 2005, one day before the jazz festival. Even though I enjoyed Montreux I was a bit disappointed we couldn’t stay and listen to Norah Jones and the other artists at the festival the following day. We had to return to our au-pair jobs in Zurich. However, I highly recommend Montreux Jazz Festival. People we spoke to, including an old couple visiting Montreux for the third time in a row, had only good things to say about this internationally recognized event.