Chillon Castle hosts an illumination workshop on 20 October

A full-day illumination workshop at Chillon Castle (Château de Chillon) in Montreux, Switzerland, takes place on 20 October 2026. The programme combines a guided visit, a medieval meal and decorative lettering for children aged 8 to 12.

Chillon Castle sets its illumination workshop for 20 October

The castle foundation lists the Autumn full-day workshops - the art of illumination for Tuesday 20 October 2026. The session runs from 10am to 4pm, is conducted in French and requires advance booking.

The day begins with a visit to the temporary Relics of the Future exhibition and the castle with a guide. After a shared medieval meal, participants explore decorative lettering with a quill, adding colours, patterns and gilding to create a manuscript-style page. The illumination workshop programme also lists a second session on 13 October 2026.

Chillon Castle links manuscript art with a medieval setting

The workshop connects a hands-on activity with a monument whose surviving spaces reflect several centuries of construction and redevelopment. The exhibition visit adds a contemporary layer, because Relics of the Future asks students from the ECAL University of Art and Design Lausanne to reinterpret the castle's rooms, objects, inscriptions and atmospheres.

The site stands on a rocky island in Lake Geneva and follows the island's oval form. Its first written mention dates to 1150, when it belonged to the Counts of Savoy. In the thirteenth century, Peter II of Savoy turned it into a summer residence, while later periods under Bernese and Vaudois rule gave the complex further administrative, military and prison functions. The Vaud tourism history records the monument's position between Lake Geneva and the Alps.

Chillon Castle is approximately 100 metres long and 50 metres wide. Restoration began towards the end of the nineteenth century under the cantonal architect Albert Naef, and conservation work continues as part of the site's management.

Relics of the Future gives the October workshop its theme

The linked exhibition runs from 17 September 2026 to 25 April 2027. Its student projects draw on graphic design, media and interaction design, photography and type design, making the October workshop part of a wider programme that places historic surroundings beside contemporary creative work.

Visiting Chillon Castle: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The illumination workshop takes place at Chillon Castle on 20 October 2026, from 10am to 4pm.
• The activity is intended for children aged 8 to 12, is conducted in French and requires advance booking.
• The venue is at Avenue de Chillon 21, 1820 Veytaux, on Lake Geneva near Montreux. The castle is connected to the land by a bridge.
• The historic site occupies a rocky island with an oval layout, defensive structures, courtyards, vaulted spaces and narrow historic passages.
• Switzerland's official languages include German, French, Italian and Romansh, and the national currency is the Swiss franc.

Searching for Chillon Castle on social platforms

These links open searches for Chillon Castle on each platform.

Frequently asked questions about Chillon Castle

When does the illumination workshop take place at Chillon Castle?

The workshop takes place on 20 October 2026 from 10am to 4pm. A second session is listed for 13 October 2026.

What is the illumination workshop at Chillon Castle?

It is a French-language activity for children aged 8 to 12, combining a guided castle and exhibition visit, a medieval meal and decorative lettering with a quill.

Where is Chillon Castle and how do you get there?

The castle is at Avenue de Chillon 21 in Veytaux, on Lake Geneva near Montreux. A bridge connects the rocky island to the land.