Lake Geneva Riviera & Lavaux Cruise from Lausanne

Lausanne-Ouchy: the Harbour Where the Cruise Begins

Ouchy is Lausanne's lakeside quarter, a former fishing village that grew into a promenade of plane trees, flower beds and old harbour walls. Lake Geneva, called Lac Léman locally, is the largest lake in the Alps, a crescent of water shared between Switzerland and France, and Ouchy sits right on its northern shore. From the pier you look straight across to the mountains of the French side.

Knowing how to get to Lausanne-Ouchy is easy: the M2 metro runs down the hillside from Lausanne railway station to the Ouchy-Olympique stop in a few minutes, and the pier is a short stroll away. Arrive early and take a few minutes on the quay before boarding; the Olympic Museum and its gardens are just along the lakefront if you want to add a visit after the cruise.

Lavaux Terraces: the UNESCO Coast from the Water

Soon after leaving Ouchy the boat runs beneath Lavaux, a steep slope of stone-walled terraces that climbs from the lake towards the hills between Lausanne and Vevey. Monks began shaping these terraces in the Middle Ages, and the patchwork of walls, paths and small villages such as Lutry, Cully, Rivaz and Saint-Saphorin was listed by UNESCO in 2007 as a cultural landscape.

Seeing Lavaux from the water is the best way to understand its scale: the terraces rise in steps almost from the shoreline, and the lake reflects light back onto the slopes. Many travellers ask whether a Lavaux cruise is worth it compared with a drive along the coast road; from the deck you see the whole sweep of the slope at once, with the Alps behind it, which no road viewpoint gives.

Vevey: Market Square and the Fork in the Lake

Vevey is a graceful small town where the terraces meet a wide lakeside square, one of the largest market squares in Europe, still used for a weekly market. Look out from the boat for the giant steel fork planted in the water just off the promenade, a playful art installation that has become the town's best-known photo spot.

Behind the town a funicular climbs to Mont Pèlerin, and the hills above Vevey are dotted with manor houses and gardens. On this cruise you enjoy Vevey from the lake rather than stepping ashore, so it is a good way to decide whether you want to come back for a longer visit. Vevey is about fifteen minutes from Montreux by train if you plan a separate day on the Riviera.

Montreux: Palm Trees, Promenade and Alpine Backdrop

Montreux is the heart of the Swiss Riviera. Sheltered by the mountains, it enjoys a mild climate where palm trees and flower beds line a lakefront promenade of several kilometres. Grand hotels from the late nineteenth century stand along the shore, and the town is known for a summer music festival and a cosy Christmas market in winter.

From the boat the view stretches from the promenade up to the Rochers-de-Naye summit, reached by a cog railway from the town. If you are planning a Montreux day trip from Lausanne, this cruise gives you a first look at the whole bay. Many visitors return the next day by train, which takes about twenty minutes from Lausanne, to explore the promenade and the old upper town on foot.

Chillon Castle: the Medieval Fortress on a Rock

The highlight of the route is Chillon Castle, built on a small rock island at Veytaux, just past Montreux. Its oldest parts date back to the eleventh century, and the Counts of Savoy turned it into a powerful fortress controlling the road between the lake and the mountains. Later it passed to Bern and then to the canton of Vaud, and it is now one of the most visited historic monuments in Switzerland.

Seen from the water, the towers, roofs and walls seem to float on the lake, with steep green slopes behind them. The cruise passes close to the castle for photographs rather than stopping for a visit. If you want to go inside, our separate Chillon Castle entrance ticket lets you explore the courtyards, vaulted halls and painted chapel at your own pace.