Private Day Trip on the Swiss Riviera : Chaplin's World & Chillon Castle | Mercedes Van from Montreux

Your driver-guide collects you directly from your address, wherever you are staying along the arc from Lausanne to Bern, and heads for the Swiss Riviera, one of the most concentrated stretches of culture, history and natural beauty in the whole country.

The day opens in Vevey at Chaplin’s World, the immersive museum dedicated to Charlie Chaplin, who chose this corner of Lake Geneva to spend the final 25 years of his life. The family manor, the recreated Hollywood studio and the park overlooking the lake together form an experience that is equal parts moving and spectacular. Your entrance ticket is already covered. From the museum, a short stop on the Vevey waterfront brings you face to face with the Giant Fork rising from the lake and the bronze statue of Chaplin gazing out at the Alps, two of the most photographed spots on the Riviera.

The circuit then moves along the lake to the Montreux promenade, one of the most elegant lakeside walks in Switzerland. Palm trees, flowering gardens and an unbroken view across to the French Alps. A moment to slow down before the road climbs.

And climb it does. The van winds up above Montreux to Haut-de-Caux, a natural balcony perched high above the Riviera. From here, the whole sweep of Lake Geneva, the Swiss Alps and the rooftops of Montreux below unfolds in a single panorama. For those who want to extend the moment, the Restaurant Le Coucou nearby offers a panoramic lunch on its terrace, available on request and at your own expense.

The day ends where history began. Chillon Castle, the 12th-century fortress rising straight from the waters of Lake Geneva, is the most visited historic site in French-speaking Switzerland and one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Europe. Its vaulted dungeons, Gothic chapel and lakeside towers make for a genuinely compelling final chapter. Your entrance ticket is included.