The Montreux Jazz Festival is a music festival like no other and in this episode, we look at why.Taking in the chalet full of pop memorabilia that founder Claude Nobs amassed as he welcomed the likes of David Bowie, Prince and Freddie Mercury to the Swiss town or the fabled events that led to one of Deep Purple's biggest hits, this episode of Travel Smart looks at what makes the festival such a unique experience as well as what else you can do by Lake Geneva on a visit.Get all your travel updates with The Independent Travel section.
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00:00Hello and welcome to Travel Smarts, your weekly guide to the best in travel from
00:05the Independents.
00:15In this episode we're in Montreux, soaking up the vibe of this beautiful
00:20town as it hosts the legendary Montreux Jazz Festival.
00:26Montreux is on the Swiss side of Lake Geneva, with Riviera-chic streets
00:31surrounded by majestic mountain vistas. Flower-lined promenades, artist sculptures
00:37and Belle Époque-style buildings combine to create a region that feels truly magical.
00:42Its mild and temperate climate make it the perfect destination to visit all year round.
00:47And the climate is one of the key factors that make Montreux a very special place
00:52for producing what many call the nectar of gods.
00:56I'm in the wine region of Lavaux and I'm about to talk to someone who can tell me
01:00all about the gorgeous local wines that they produce here.
01:06October is when local wineries swing open their cellar doors,
01:10encouraging visitors to sample wine produced from the nearby UNESCO-worthy Lavaux Terraces.
01:16I'm heading to meet the manager of the region's Discovery Centre for Wine
01:20to find out more about Montreux's world-class winemaking.
01:24We are, I think, the main place in Lavaux for wine. We have eight regions in Lavaux
01:30and you have the eight different soils of these eight regions. So if you want,
01:38I can bring you eight times the same grape but you will have eight different wines.
01:44One grape can bring you eight different tastes.
01:50But it's during summer where Montreux transforms, hosting two weeks of music.
02:05In its 68-year history, Montreux has hosted iconic performances by artists including Nina Simone,
02:12Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, Prince and David Bowie.
02:17And recently it's seen Adele, Dua Lipa and Kendrick Lamar.
02:22It really is like no other music festival.
02:28On the festival site stands the Montreux Casino, which has its own place in rock history.
02:35In 1971, Frank Zappa was playing a gig at the Montreux Casino when a flare was set
02:41off by a member of the crowd at the wooden roof which instantly caught fire.
02:45As the blaze spread, Montreux Jazz Festival organiser Claude Nobbs joined firefighters
02:51in evacuating concertgoers while band members of Deep Purple, who happened to also be in town,
02:57watched on with the rest of those present.
03:00The sight of the smoke billowing out across Lake Geneva gave Deep Purple a song title
03:05and it wasn't long before Smoke on the Water became an instant rock classic.
03:16Another place steeped in the musicality of Montreux is the Grand Fairmont Hotel.
03:24And during the Montreux Jazz Festival, its ballrooms and spaces become rehearsal rooms
03:30for the visiting musical acts, meaning it's the place to stay and immerse yourself in the music
03:36scene. To help you make the most of your visit, the festival's CEO gives you his insider tips
03:42on how to best enjoy this stunning town.
03:46So when you're landing in Geneva Airport and you're coming to Montreux, it's only a 45-hour
03:52drive or train to come here and you will be crossing one of the most beautiful parts of
03:57the region which are the vineyards and then you have a lot of also amazing museums like the
04:02Chaplin Museum. You have the headquarter of Nestlé which is very famous with the first
04:08milk chocolate. You have the Castle of Chillon which is one of the most popular buildings
04:13in the region and of course you have the lake. If you're not coming in summer,
04:17for example, and coming in winter, this winter that was amazing, you could just go skiing in
04:22the morning and going playing golf in the afternoon. That's crazy. I'm in love with
04:28this region but if you want to come here, just take time.
04:39Nestled in the picturesque hills overlooking Lake Geneva is Claude Nobbes' Chalet,
04:44a gem that offers an intimate glimpse into the festival's history and its founder.
04:51This charming traditional Swiss chalet is not just a residence,
04:55but a living museum of music history. The chalet is a treasure trove of music memorabilia gifted
05:01by some of the greatest names in music, including Freddie Mercury's piano on which he composed and
05:07performed Bohemian Rhapsody. The chalet is occasionally open to the public for special
05:13tours, an unforgettable experience for music lovers wanting to immerse themselves in the magic
05:19of the festival. We'll be back next week for another episode of Travel Smart Weekly,
05:26which you can watch online on the Independent's mobile app and on your smart TV. And for all the
05:32latest travel news, reviews and advice, be sure to check out independent.co.uk
05:37forward slash travel and listen to Simon Calder's daily travel podcast.
05:49Transcribed by https://otter.ai