Château de Chillon

Château de Chillon stands on a rocky island on the shore of Lake Geneva near Montreux and has nearly a thousand years of history. The complex comprises 25 buildings, three courtyards, and underground vaulted chambers. It was in those vaults that François Bonivard was held prisoner from 1532 to 1536, and his captivity inspired Lord Byron's poem 'The Prisoner of Chillon'. The bedroom from the period of Bernese rule has also been preserved. It is the most visited historic monument in Switzerland; allow one to two hours for the permanent exhibition, and the rest of the day for travel and a walk along the lakeside.