Chillon Castle hosts guided tours on 31 October

Chillon Castle (Château de Chillon) in Montreux will host a guided tour of the Relics of the Future exhibition on 31 October 2026. A castle guide and students from ECAL will discuss the works during the French-language session.

Relics of the Future brings a guided tour on 31 October

The exhibition places contemporary work by students from the ECAL / University of Art and Design Lausanne alongside the castle’s rooms, objects, inscriptions and atmospheres. The organisers describe the project as a contemporary look at the site and its medieval symbols.

The tour begins at 2.15pm and ends at 3.30pm on 31 October 2026. It is one of several guided sessions linked to the exhibition, with further dates listed for 21 November 2026 and 6 March 2027 on the official tour page.

ECAL work responds to the castle’s medieval fabric

The temporary exhibition runs from 17 September 2026 to 25 April 2027. Its works draw on the forms, images, letters and motifs found within the monument, making the guided tour a direct link between present-day design and the historic site.

The castle stands on a rocky island in Lake Geneva between Montreux and Villeneuve. Its oval plan follows the shape of the island, which measures approximately 100 metres by 50 metres, according to the castle history published by the foundation. The first written mention dates to 1150, while the keep and the oldest surviving parts date from the eleventh century.

The location also explains why the exhibition is more than a gallery installation. Contemporary works are being placed within a monument whose defensive side once protected the Via Francigena, while its lakeside buildings served as a residence for the counts of Savoy. The site therefore provides both the subject and the setting for the students’ work.

From the Via Francigena to a contemporary exhibition

The building developed over several centuries and passed through Savoy, Bernese and Vaudois periods. It became a stronghold, arsenal and prison under Bernese rule from 1536 to 1798, before restoration began towards the end of the nineteenth century under the cantonal architect Albert Naef.

The exhibition continues that layered history without replacing it. Visitors encounter new photography, graphic design, media and interaction design, and type design in spaces whose surviving architecture includes Gothic vaults, courtyards, a keep and sentry walks. The exhibition partnership with ECAL is recorded by Switzerland Tourism.

Visiting Chillon Castle: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The guided tour takes place at Chillon Castle on 31 October 2026 from 2.15pm to 3.30pm and is held in French.
• The session is linked to Relics of the Future and brings together a castle guide and ECAL students around the exhibition works.
• Veytaux-Chillon station is served by S5 regional trains, and the castle is a six-minute walk from the station.
• The monument has narrow passageways, cobbled courtyards and numerous stairways, so the heritage layout can make access difficult for wheelchair and walker users.

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Frequently asked questions about Chillon Castle

When does the Relics of the Future tour take place at Chillon Castle?

The guided tour takes place on 31 October 2026 from 2.15pm to 3.30pm, in French.

What is Chillon Castle?

It is a medieval waterside castle on a rocky island in Lake Geneva, with a first written mention dating to 1150.

Where is Chillon Castle and how do you get there?

The castle is between Montreux and Villeneuve in Switzerland. S5 trains stop at Veytaux-Chillon station, a six-minute walk away.