Christmas,  Europe,  Switzerland

My Favorite Swiss Christmas Market

December 14, 2020 / 35 Comments

I did a blog post last week about the Christmas markets in Vienna, Austria. I’d like to share with you this week all my photos and details of My Favorite Swiss Christmas Market!

In fact, this Christmas Market is right down the road from where I live. I’ve been going to the Montreux Christmas Market (referred to as Marché de Noël in this French-speaking part of Switzerland) since I moved here in 1993. The famous market has become bigger and more beautiful every year!

This market was canceled in 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions, but it is open in full force in 2021. I can’t wait to go again this year.

Montreux is a scenic tourist town located on the far eastern end of Lake Geneva (also called Lac Leman). With the surrounding mountain alps and glistening lake, it offers a breathtaking backdrop for a Christmas market.

Swiss mountain backdrop at the market

Walking 1 kilometer along the illuminated lakeside path, you will find 170 decorated wooden chalets with food, drinks, and gifts. They also construct temporary buildings that serve as restaurants and bars. It’s amazing to see the effort they put into decorating this town every year.

The festive sparkling lights and decorations are a good reason to see the market at night. There are huge displays of brightly lit reindeers, snowmen, and Christmas trees.

My favorite thing to see in Montreux at Christmas time is the huge ferris wheel placed in an open area near the covered market (Place du Marché). The wheel flashes its many colors and is a delight to the eyes. When my children were younger, we would take the ride to have an impressive overhead view of the lake and market.

There are many local foods to sample at the market ranging from cheese fondue, raclette, foie gras, and roesti. Do you know these foods? For more info about what raclette is, check out my guest post on a fellow blogger’s site.

Rösti is a Swiss national dish, originally a farmers’ breakfast from the German-speaking part of Switzerland. It is a potato side dish that resembles a giant hash brown. Shredded potatoes are lightly seasoned and then fried in butter.

Photo of rœsti by Uwe Conrad on Pixabay

Some of the constructed temporary restaurants take reservations. For others, you may have to wait for a free table. The indoor restaurants get very crowded at peak hours. You always have the option to buy food from the street stands for a quick bite.

I highly recommend having a delicious cheese fondue with some local Swiss white wine. The most common kind of fondue in this region is called ‘moitié-moitié’, meaning ‘half-half’. This fondue consists of half Gruyere cheese and half Vacherin, both from the Fribourg region of Switzerland. I love a cheese fondue in winter. You can have it with bread and/or potatoes.

No trip to the market is complete without trying the local hot wine – red, white, or one spiked with rum! You will see signs marked ‘Vin Chaud’ literally translated as ‘wine hot’. These steaming wines will definitely warm you up in the chilly Swiss weather. If your taste is more of the bubbly nature, you will find several champagne bars along the lake promenade.

Scene inside the covered market

From the market stands, they serve drinks in small plastic decorated cups that you pay about 2 Swiss francs for. You can keep the souvenir cup or return it when you leave to get your deposit back. It’s a great option to prevent unnecessary waste of paper or plastic cups.

Another one of the European specialties to try are the hot chestnuts (called ‘marrons chaud’ in French). They cook these nuts in clay pots until the skin cracks. You can squeeze out the softened chestnut for a warm treat.

Roasting chestnuts in clay pots

The chestnuts are normally served in a paper cone-shaped bag. You can pay for the chestnuts by the number, such as 10, 20, or 30. You can also buy glazed or candied chestnuts in some of the market stands. These are called ‘marrons glacés’.

cooking chestnuts

One of the most enjoyable things for children at this market is to watch Santa ride on his sleigh. Wires carry him across the sky above the market, and he stops to wave and wish everyone a merry Christmas. There is a set schedule when Santa flies, usually once per hour during the evening hours. Even I get a thrill at seeing this!

Santa flying above the crowd

The best way to get the full experience of the Montreux Christmas market is to arrive in the afternoon when it is still light outside. This will allow you to see clearly all the chalet stands and the decorations. If it is good weather, you can enjoy a beautiful sunset while sitting by the lake.

Sunset at the Market with French Alps across Lake Geneva

When it gets dark, the market will take on another ambiance which I find the most enchanting. You can take in the holiday atmosphere by walking along the promenade and enjoying all the lights, smells, and Christmas scenes. It truly is magical!

Town of Montreux with festive lights in the lake

Hope you’ve enjoyed reading about and seeing pics of my favorite Swiss Christmas Market!

Pin the below for future reference!

If you are interested in other European Christmas markets, be sure to check out my post on Switzerland’s Basel Market!

If you are looking for other ideas on what to see in Switzerland, you will want to see my other posts below!

If you are looking for assistance to plan your next trip, I am here for YOU! I love to plan travel itineraries for myself and others. For more details on how I provide this service, please check out my Itinerary Planning page and drop me a quick email at jan@janadventures.com to get started!

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