Chillon Castle hosts Medieval Christmas from 28 November

Chillon Castle (Château de Chillon) in Montreux will host Medieval Christmas from 28 November 2026, bringing a seasonal programme to the historic fortress. The event returns across six dates through 13 December 2026, with the castle listed as the venue and Riviera Montreux Noël named as a partner.

The programme gives travellers a specific reason to visit the lakeside site during late November and early December. Rather than treating the event as a separate market, the organisers place its activity inside the halls and courtyards of the medieval complex.

Medieval Christmas brings six dates to Chillon Castle

The first date is Saturday 28 November 2026. Further dates are Sunday 29 November, Saturday 5 December, Sunday 6 December, Saturday 12 December and Sunday 13 December 2026.

The official programme describes craftsmen, dances and animals as part of the medieval Advent setting. Music is also named, while the event page groups the programme under all-ages, children, festival and theatre categories. The official event listing identifies the dates and the partnership with Riviera Montreux Noël.

The listed activities are spread over three weekends, so the event is not limited to one opening day. This structure links a recurring seasonal programme with different parts of the castle rather than presenting a single performance at an outside venue.

The medieval programme fits an oval lakeside fortress

The fortress stands on a rocky island in Lake Geneva, in Veytaux between Montreux and Villeneuve. Its buildings follow the oval shape of the island, and the site is connected to the shore by a bridge.

The first written mention of the castle dates to 1150, when it belonged to the counts of Savoy. The complex developed through several periods, including Savoy rule, Bernese administration and the Canton of Vaud. That layered history gives the Medieval Christmas programme its setting: seasonal activity takes place among a keep, courtyards, defensive structures and a former lakeside residence.

The official castle history and layout records the island’s approximate dimensions as 100 metres by 50 metres. It also states that restoration began towards the end of the nineteenth century and continues today, while the monument remains open to visitors alongside conservation work.

Visiting Chillon Castle: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Medieval Christmas takes place at the castle on 28 and 29 November, 5 and 6 December, and 12 and 13 December 2026.
• The programme uses the halls and courtyards, with craftsmen, dances, animals and music listed for the public event.
• The venue is in Veytaux on Lake Geneva, between Montreux and Villeneuve in Switzerland.
• The site occupies a rocky island with a bridge connection, an oval plan and several courtyards.
• Switzerland’s official languages are German, French, Italian and Romansh, and its currency is the Swiss franc.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

For visitors planning a late-autumn trip, the six dates provide a choice of weekends while keeping the event inside the castle’s historic setting.

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 Medieval Christmas take place at Chillon Castle?

It takes place on 28 and 29 November, 5 and 6 December, and 12 and 13 December 2026.

Where is Chillon Castle and how do you get there?

The castle is in Veytaux on the shore of Lake Geneva, between Montreux and Villeneuve in Switzerland.

What is Chillon Castle?

It is a medieval fortress on a rocky island whose first written mention dates to 1150 and whose buildings follow the island’s oval shape.

,