Montreux Noël, the Christmas market on the shore of Lake Geneva, runs from 20 November to 24 December 2026. More than 150 wooden chalets line the lakeside quays, with a Ferris wheel on the Market Square and restaurants open until 23:00. The craft and merchant stalls open Monday to Wednesday 11:00 to 21:00, Thursday and Friday 11:00 to 22:00, Saturday 10:00 to 22:00 and Sunday 10:00 to 20:00, and close at 17:00 on 24 December. The market is about 200 metres from Montreux station.
What sets Montreux apart from the big German-speaking markets is the setting: the stalls run along the water, with the Alps of Savoy across the lake. It also has two extras you won't find elsewhere: a Santa's House at the top of the Rochers-de-Naye, reached by cogwheel train, and Santa-themed boat trips on the lake. This guide covers dates, opening hours, the mountain and the boats, and how to get there.
The market on the quays
The chalets stretch along the lakeside promenade from the Market Square, where the Belle Époque covered market hall becomes the centre of the event. They sell crafts, decorations and gifts, alongside food stalls and restaurants. In the evening the market hall is lit up and the lights along the promenade reflect on the lake.
Decorations under the iron roof of Montreux's covered market hall during Montreux Noël. Image: Popo le Chien, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
A crêpe chalet at Montreux Noël. Image: Popo le Chien, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The quays are busiest on Saturday afternoons and evenings. Weekday afternoons, and Sunday mornings when the market opens at 10:00, are the calmest times to browse.
Practical info: The lakeside quays and the Market Square (Place du Marché), Montreux. 20 November to 24 December 2026. Artisans and merchants: Monday to Wednesday 11:00 to 21:00, Thursday and Friday 11:00 to 22:00, Saturday 10:00 to 22:00, Sunday 10:00 to 20:00, and 24 December 11:00 to 17:00. Restaurants: daily 11:00 to 23:00 (24 December until 17:00), last orders 30 minutes before closing. Takeaway food stalls close one hour after the artisans.
The Ferris wheel and the flying Santa
On the Market Square, a Ferris wheel gives a view over the lit market and the lake, and there is also a virtual-reality ride. Montreux Noël's best-known image, though, is the flying Santa: a Father Christmas on a sleigh who crosses above the market between the landing stage of the lake steamers and the Market Square in the evenings. Check the programme on the market's website for the times of each flight.
The Montreux Noël Ferris wheel lit up at night. Image: EconAmbiente, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Practical info: Place du Marché, Montreux. Entry to the market itself is free.
Santa's House on the Rochers-de-Naye
The Rochers-de-Naye is the 2,042-metre summit above Montreux, and during the market Santa Claus "moves in" at the top. Families ride the cogwheel railway from Montreux station up the mountain to visit Santa's House, which makes it more of an outing than a quick stop: plan on half a day. The ride up gives a wide view over Lake Geneva.
The Rochers-de-Naye cogwheel train above Montreux. Image: BCFeh, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Santa's House opens on selected days only. Switzerland's tourism board lists 20, 21 and 22 November, 25 to 29 November, 2 to 13 December, 16 to 20 December, and 23 and 24 December 2026, with trains every hour from 9:30 to 15:30. Tickets for 2026 went on sale on 15 September, and popular dates, especially weekends, sell out. A child ticket was listed at CHF 19; check the adult price when you book.
Practical info: Departures from Montreux station (Gare CFF, Avenue des Alpes). Book in advance on the Montreux Noël website. Dress for winter at the summit, which is far colder than the lakeshore.
Santa on the lake: the Belle Époque boat trips
The other family favourite is the Flying Santa Cruise on one of the CGN's Belle Époque boats, which leaves from the CGN landing stage next to the market. For 2026 the market lists cruises on 21 and 28 November and on 5, 12, 19 and 21 December. These are popular, so book ahead.
A Father Christmas figure on a chalet balcony at Montreux Noël. Image: Popo le Chien, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Practical info: CGN landing stage, Montreux, next to the market. Dates as above; times and booking on the Montreux Noël website.
Other Christmas markets on the Riviera and nearby
Montreux Noël is part of a wider Christmas season on the Swiss Riviera:
- Villeneuve Riviera Noël, the "Village of Elves", in the small town at the eastern end of the lake: 20 November to 24 December 2026.
- Vevey Riviera Noël, a few minutes west of Montreux by train or bus: check its website for 2026 dates.
- Bô Noël in Lausanne: expected to run from 19 November to 31 December 2026, but the dates had not been confirmed when this guide was written.
- The Fort de Chillon museum, across the road from Chillon Castle, has announced a new family attraction for the season, "Santa's secret vault", in the fort's underground galleries. Check its website for dates.
Chillon Castle itself, the medieval water castle on a rock in the lake, is a short ride from Montreux on bus 201 and makes a good daytime visit before the market opens.
Montreux beyond the market
The market only fills the evenings, and Montreux has enough for the daylight hours. The lakeside promenade runs for several kilometres east towards Chillon Castle, past the bronze statue of Freddie Mercury, who recorded in Montreux for years and is one of the town's most photographed sights. West of Vevey, the terraced vineyards of Lavaux, a UNESCO World Heritage site, climb above the lake; in winter the vines are bare, but the walk and the views are still good on a clear day. In Corsier-sur-Vevey, Chaplin's World is the museum in Charlie Chaplin's former home, where he lived from 1953 until his death in 1977.
A day at Montreux Noël
Take the cogwheel train up the Rochers-de-Naye in the morning to visit Santa's House (book the time slot in advance). Back down by early afternoon, walk the lakeside promenade to Chillon Castle, or ride bus 201, and spend an hour inside. Return to Montreux as the light fades for the market: start at the covered market hall on the Market Square, ride the Ferris wheel after dark, and walk the quays to see the flying Santa. Restaurants at the market stay open until 23:00, so dinner can be the last stop.
Getting there
The Montreux Noël sign at the entrance to the market. Image: Kerstin Sonnekalb (WMCH), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
- By train: Montreux is on the main line along Lake Geneva, with direct trains from Lausanne and Geneva, and is the start of the GoldenPass line to Gstaad and the Bernese Oberland. The market is about 200 metres from the station. The RailAway offer gives 50% off public transport to the market; collect the RailAway voucher at the New Bretzel stand under the covered market.
- By bus: At weekends from 13:00, the VMCV buses on lines 201 and 204 are free.
- By car: Use the park-and-ride at Chailly (149 spaces) or the Saussaz car park (140 spaces); the market lists parking at CHF 8. The town centre is congested on market weekends.
Which day should you go?
- With small children: a weekday for Santa's House, booked in advance, then the market in the late afternoon.
- For the atmosphere: after dark, when the market hall, the Ferris wheel and the lights along the quay are lit. Friday and Saturday evenings stay open until 22:00.
- For a quiet browse: a weekday afternoon, or a Sunday from the 10:00 opening.
- On Christmas Eve: the market closes at 17:00, and the restaurants too.
Tips for visiting
- Weather: The lakeshore is milder than the Swiss Plateau and the Alps, but December evenings by the water are cold and damp. The Rochers-de-Naye summit is in full winter.
- Payment: Switzerland uses Swiss francs. Carry some cash in case a stall doesn't take cards.
- Where to stay: The hotels along the lake in Montreux put you a few minutes' walk from the market. Vevey, a short train ride west, is a quieter base with its own Christmas market.
- Combine it: Montreux is easy to pair with a day in Lausanne or Geneva by train, or with Chillon Castle.
- Dates: All dates and hours above come from Montreux Noël and Switzerland's tourism board. Check the official website before you travel, as programmes can change.
