Puidoux to Montreux

   

From Crêt Bérard, we were able to head directly south to Chexbres, to yet another boulangerie. Sometimes we feel like we’re hiking from one food place to the next. Then we headed west through the terraced vineyards that draw warmth from Lac Léman and its adjacent hillside. We climbed and climbed, then gradually descended down to the level of the lake. Initially, we had planned to just descend, but the vineyards were being sprayed with pesticides today, both by drone and by helicopter, so we chose to stay above the level of spray. Multiple narrow roads travel between the terraces, all heading in the same general direction, to the lakeside communities of Saint-Saphorin and Vevey.

Vevey is known for its giant fork lodged in the water outside the Alimentation Food Museum, and a statue of Charlie Chaplin, who lived here from the 1950s through 1970s after the United States would not allow him to return to the country. The Old City area houses a variety of boutiques. The promenade along the water was a popular place on this sunny day.

In the photo above, you can see a mountain far off in the distance, in the middle between the mountains on the left (north side) of the lake and the mountains on the right (south side). This mountain is on the Swiss-Italian border, and is very close to where we are headed - the Col du Grand Saint-Bernard. It was exciting to have this in our sites, but at the start of the day, it appeared oh so far away. By the time we reached Vevey, where we could last view the mountain, it appeared much closer and it now seems feasible that we might reach this within another week.

In total, we traversed approximately 10 miles today, mostly along the Swiss Riviera. It was obvious why so many wealthy people have settled in this area, with its mix of old and new, the lake, the steadfast French and Swiss mountains, wines, and much beauty all around.

Tonight we are staying at a youth hostel. Our one room is simple, but we cannot complain as we look out over the lake and can reach the lake with a one-minute walk, have a comfortable place to sleep, and have our own shower and bath. Tomorrow, the sun may not shine, but for today, life is good.