Day 10: Lake Geneva and Château de Chillon
A Free Morning of Exploring Lausanne
Today, we slept in a bit. It’s unusual to have a free morning on a Rick Steves' tour, so we took advantage of it before we set off on another travel day. We checked out the local markets and then found the church—or should I say “a” church. It turned out to not be the famous one that we were looking for, but we checked it out (and enjoyed it) anyway. After we walked for awhile, looking for our way back to our hotel, we realized that we hadn’t gone to the right church. Eventually, we looked on our phone map app and figured out the way to the “real” church. It was a scenic and history-rich stop and worth the adventure getting there. Martin said it was the oldest gothic style church in Switzerland. What surprise us was how many bodies were buried inside the church. That is not a tradition that is common in central Minnesota. Pam made the comment, “Maybe that’s why they use so much incense.” She might be right! |
After visiting the churches, we went down to the bridge by the metro to soak in the nice weather and stroll around by the waterfront. There were a lot of swans and ducks swimming around and a couple parks to stroll through.
Lake Geneva & Château de Chillon
We met our group at 12:15 and got on board our steamship. It’s a historical vessel that still runs on steam. Martin got us first class tickets, so we headed right to the top and first class for some good views. It was a really relaxing ride. We grabbed a light lunch on the boat and enjoyed the views. We arrived at our castle stop—Château de Chillon—and learned about the history of both the castle and the region. The Savoys had established the castle first. It was interesting to hear that when the leader of the region made his way around the region, they literally packed up all his things and took it with them. That’s where the phrase “setting the table” came from. They literally had to put it together! The castle was incredibly well kept up and restored. Martin said it was the best, most preserved example in Switzerland. It was established in about the 11th century. It was never attacked or burned, so that was probably a big part of it. Lord Byron had written a famous poem about a clergy who was imprisoned in the dungeon, bringing fame to the castle. It was pretty inhuman how they tied 250 prisoners in that small space, chained to the posts with no toilet. |
Wine Tasting to Finish Out the Day
After the castle, we drove past the Montreux Jazz Festival which was going on. This is the one famous for being the inspiration of “Smoke On the Water,” Stevie Ray Vaughn’s getting booed off stage and other performances over the years. It’s also the city in which Queen recorded a lot of their music. Thane, one of the tour members, shared the lyrics of "Smoke on the Water" as we passed Montreaux. Thane is a big music fan, and so am I, so this was really cool for us to see, even if from a distance. Our next stop was the vineyard for some wine tasting. We got a quick tour of the place, recently repurchased by a relative of the man who established it. Then we got to taste a white, light red and red wine. They also served a platter of cheese and meats with bread sticks. |
Back in Lausanne, Pam and I headed to the Coop for supper and then back to our apartment for the evening. Another good day. Yes, we’re a bit tired too, but in the best way possible. :)