The Mont-Pèlerin: A balcony overlooking Lake Geneva

The Mont-Pèlerin (pilgrim’s mount), is located in the Swiss Midlands, in the Canton Vaud, just above the charming town of Vevey. With its perfect location north of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman), the so-called Swiss Riviera, from Mont-Pèlerin you can enjoy amazing sight on the lake and the Alps just behind: Simply breathtaking.

The Mont-Pèlerin and its beautiful settings were already found attractive in the XVIIIth century; a source of inspiration for writers and artists. During the rise of Swiss tourism, between the end of the XIXth century and the beginning of the XXth century, many luxury hotels were built in the region to accommodate the high society and wealthy tourists.

The Mont-Pèlerin is easy to reach for tourists. It is at “only” 1080 metres high - not much for Switzerland! You can walk up to the top departing from Vevey, on the banks of Lake Geneva. Or you can experience a typical mountainous rail transport: the funicular. Starting its ascent in Vevey, the funicular climbs for over 810 meters in less than 15 minutes. The Vevey-Chardonne-Mt-Pèlerin funicular, built at the end of the XIXth century, is worth the cost, around 5€ for a single ticket. The funicular goes through the UNESCO World Heritage Lavaux terraced vineyards. All along the way: Superb views over the lake and surrounding mountains.

At the top, you will have the option to do a 45 minutes walk to arrive at the foothill of the Mont-Pèlerin Tower. The tower, hosting a radio station, is open to the public and offers a platform with 360° views over the area, accessible by a panoramic lift. Other options consist of different footpaths running around Mont-Pèlerin. After spending some time at Mont-Pèlerin, we recommend descending to Vevey on foot at the end of the afternoon, to take the time to enjoy the beautiful view of the sun setting over Lake Geneva.

A curiosity of the place: The Mont-Pelerin Society (MPS), an international classical liberalism organisation, had its first meeting on the Mont-Pèlerin in 1947. Mainly composed of economists, historians, intellectuals and business leaders, since its creation the MPS has had a large influence on the world economy.

Pictures © Credits to Marie-Madeleine & Giuseppe