Chillon Castle hosts Relics of the Future on 31 October

Chillon Castle (Château de Chillon) in Veytaux near Montreux hosts a guided tour of Relics of the Future on 31 October 2026. The French-language event brings a castle guide and students from ECAL together to discuss artworks created in response to the monument.

Relics of the Future brings ECAL work into Chillon Castle

The guided tour is part of the exhibition programme and runs from 2.15pm to 3.30pm on 31 October 2026. It is one of three listed dates for the tour, with further sessions scheduled for 21 November 2026 and 6 March 2027.

The official exhibition programme says visitors explore the works alongside a castle guide and ECAL students. The partnership involves the University of Art and Design Lausanne, whose students examine the castle's rooms, objects, inscriptions and atmospheres through graphic design, photography, media and interaction design, and type design.

Relics of the Future is on display from 17 September 2026 to 25 April 2027. Its linked programme also includes family museum days on 7 and 8 November 2026, with a linocut workshop inspired by selected works from the exhibition.

The exhibition connects medieval rooms with contemporary design

The monument grew through several centuries of construction and redevelopment. Its first written mention dates to 1150, when it belonged to the counts of Savoy and stood beside the route later associated with the Via Francigena.

The castle occupies a rocky island approximately 100 metres long and 50 metres wide. Its oval layout includes three main courtyards, a keep, a treasury and a defensive northern section, while the southern side contains the former royal residence facing Lake Geneva.

That setting gives the 31 October 2026 tour a specific focus: contemporary works are discussed within the rooms, structures and inscriptions that inspired them. The result is not a separate gallery visit, but an encounter between ECAL's design practices and a monument shaped by military, residential and administrative uses.

The site has belonged to the Canton of Vaud since 1798. Restoration began towards the end of the nineteenth century under cantonal architect Albert Naef, and a technical commission has overseen conservation work since 1892.

Visiting Chillon Castle: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The guided tour takes place at Chillon Castle on Saturday 31 October 2026 from 2.15pm to 3.30pm and is conducted in French.
• The tour is linked to Relics of the Future and includes a castle guide and ECAL students. The exhibition itself remains on view until 25 April 2027.
• The monument stands at Avenue de Chillon 21 in Veytaux, near Montreux, on a rocky island connected to the shore by a bridge.
• Visitors encounter three main courtyards, underground vaulted spaces, defensive structures, a keep, a treasury and sentry walks. The route therefore includes historic architectural spaces rather than a single modern exhibition hall.
• The event's listed event details identify the Fondation du Château de Chillon as the contact organisation and Veytaux as the address location.

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Frequently asked questions about Chillon Castle

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

The guided tour takes place on 31 October 2026 from 2.15pm to 3.30pm. It is conducted in French with a castle guide and ECAL students.

What is Relics of the Future at Chillon Castle?

It is a temporary exhibition created with ECAL that explores the monument's rooms, objects, inscriptions and atmospheres through contemporary design and photography. It runs from 17 September 2026 to 25 April 2027.

Where is Chillon Castle and how do you get there?

Chillon Castle is at Avenue de Chillon 21 in Veytaux, near Montreux. The monument occupies a rocky island connected to the shore by a bridge.