15/8/13 Montreaux & Vevey Switzerland

Nick found roast chicken...over 6 weeks without a hot chook...man we enjoyed it.

And here's the proof...or lack of it. Chook & salad...what a treat!

An extraordinary fortified medieval castle in the most beautiful setting imaginable, on lake Geneva surrounded by mountains.

The prestigious Chillon Castle is one of Switzerland's strongest symbols & the most visited historic monument in the country.

Built in the 12th century on a rocky island, it offered both natural protection & a strategic position, from which traffic between the north & south of Europe could be controlled.

-entry to the underground crypt.

The powerful Dukes of Savoy lived there from the 13th century to the 16th century, a glorious period for Chillon, which saw the construction of its many towers & splendid great halls.

- the gothic vaulted ceiling of the dungeon.

This legendary place, with its twofold purpose - fortress @ princely residence- has inspired some of the greatest names in literature, such as Lord Byron, Victor Hugo & Henry James.

- at least you had good views.

Lord Byron was kept in the dungeon for 6 years.

4 of them chained to this post.

The well in in the entry keep.

This is the dining room.

Ornate doors & beautiful fabric wallpaper.

They could spit roast a whole beast in the fireplace.

A bedroom with a bed that is 170cm long & in the back right hand wall is a secret passage & on the left hand side is the stone stove heater.

 The secret passage.

 The stove heater was stoked from underneath & the heat rose up through the stones. You could sit on it to get really warm.

The Lords bedroom...very ornate.

The roof lines set against the mountains.

The view of Montreaux from one of the towers.

The Lord & his immediate family worshipped in this, their private chapel.

The interior courtyard, with the keep on the left.

This courtyard was triangular with all points pointing to the Lords bedchamber.

One of the great halls for entertaining guests.

The stone seats that are at all of the windows.

 Another bedroom.

 We don't know what it is, but it was old & ornate.

This weird photo is looking through the latrine hole at the view you crap on. The rocks are all white...hmmm?

All of the underground storage & vaulted areas have been hand carved out the rock.

A view from the castle to the mainland.

A selfie from the keep tower.

The courtyard between the keep & the Lords courtyard. 

A part of the timber gantry that surrounds the upper levels of the castles outer walls & all of them have internal connecting walkways.

Look a princess & a fairy!

Vevey & one of the water channels that control the mountain run-off.

There are walkways & parks all along the foreshore...very green & very pretty.

Can you believe that the water temperature is surprising moderate & there were heaps of swimmers enjoying the high season.

No wonder...the views are amazing.

See...proof that there are people swimming @ not freezing to death.

One of the many vessels on the lake. Lake Geneva is 45miles long by 8 miles wide & up to 1,000 feet deep & is the remnant of glacial activity millions of years ago.

Seahorse statues with water nymphs guarding the children's swimming area.

Just a pretty view...notice all the ducks sleeping on the rubber ducky in the foreground.

 There are hundreds of swans on the lake.

With views like that...who could blame them.

Having some local refreshment while enjoying the view

Magnificent German sausage & salad for dinner at the campsite looking over Lake Geneva to the Swiss Alps...we miss home, but we are making the most of our European adventure.