region. Patrick Fonjallaz is one of
250 vineyard owners in the Lavaux
region. He is the successor of twelve
generations of wine producers, a
wine dynasty established in 1552.
His winery is destination-worthy,
not only because of the high quality
of the wines, but because of its
breathtaking views of the
surrounding environs.
Continuing south from Lavaux
along the lake, you’ll soon come to
Montreux, Switzerland’s “festival
city” and a noted international
tourist resort. As in Lausanne, many
celebs have been attracted to the
area due to its beauty, temperate
weather and good quality of life.
Among the sights to take in is
Chillon Castle, the most-visited
historic building in Switzerland. It’s
located on a small island in the lake,
a mere few feet from the shore,
and was once the residence and
profitable toll station of the Counts
of Savoy. For hundreds of years, the
occupants extracted a fee from
people and goods passing between
Italy and the rest of Europe. In more
modern times, it became famous for
having inspired Lord Byron’s poem,
“The Prisoner of Chillon,” which was
based on the true story of Francois
Bonivard, a political prisoner from
Geneva. Byron is said to have carved
his name in one of the columns in the
dungeon where Bonivard was kept
for several years. The castle has had
many well-known visitors over the
years, including Henry James, Victor
Hugo and Salvador Dali.
If you happen to be in Montreux
during the first weeks of July, you’ll
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