A prose-worthy view, past to match

• Published date: 11 April 2023
• Publication title: Ensign, The

Strung around the eastern shores of sprawling Lake Geneva, the Swiss Riviera’s glitzy lakeside towns were first thrust on to the Grand Tour route two hundred years ago, feted in prose and poetry by the likes of Lord Byron, Leo Tolstoy and Hans Christian Andersen

From rock stars to writers, they have lured the creatives, the rich and the famous ever since.

I had made my way to this oasis of lake and alpine beauty on a Globus escorted tour, along with 20 other eager travellers from the United States, Canada and Singapore.

Our foray with the Swiss Riviera began on the shores of the lake at Chateau de Chillon. This enchanting castle looks like it’s been lifted from the pages of a fairy-tale. Chillon Castle is a romantic medieval broach that combines your best expectations with the era’s gritty reality.

It’s a beautiful place with a brooding heart and lively tales to tell. Most of the castle dates from the 13th century, but its oldest section is thought to be 1000 years old. Built by Peter II, of Savoy, Chillon is considered one of the best preserved medieval castles of Europe.

The dukes of Savoy charged taxes on the passing transalpine trade. Over time, Chillon transformed from a grim military fortress to elegant residence. Luxuries included latrines plunging into Lake Geneva, magnificent tapestries and ornate four-poster beds. Mantled chimneys were a double-edged innovation, allowing the castle residents to enjoy fire-warmed rooms.

Chillon proudly displays its military arsenal from the Middle Ages, including the crossbow famously synonymous with Swiss freedom fighter William Tell. So-called sorcerers were tried and tortured here. The most famous prisoner, Francois Bonivard, was famously immortalised in Lord Byron’s poem, The Prisoner of Chillon. After holidaying on Lake Geneva in 1816 and visiting the castle, he penned the poem, which became a rallying cry for freedom across Europe.

Bonivard was the prior of St Victori in...