Page 583 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

SWITZERLAND  581

Montreux at the eastern end
of the lake has a palm-lined
promenade and a busy marina.
As well as belle-époque hotels
and health resorts, the town
boasts one of Switzerland’s top
attractions – the Château de
Chillon. This former bastion of
the dukes of Savoy has all the
accoutrements of a medieval
castle – dungeons, weaponry,
and huge banqueting halls.
About 25 km (15 miles) north
of Montreux, the wonderfully Pit Stop (1984), sculpture in the Museum Jean Tinguely, Basel
preserved medieval hilltop town
of Gruyères is also a major tourist pattern was adopted when pharma ceutical industries.
attraction. The walled town is the town was rebuilt after a This is a legacy of its liberal
divided by a cobbled main street devastating fire in the 18th past, when the city offered a
flanked by tempting restaurants. century. Le Corbusier and Louis home to Huguenots fleeing
You can see the famous cheese Chevrolet are famous sons, perse cution. Their traditional
being made in the traditional though there is little evidence silk-weaving skills eventually
way in Moléson-sur-Gruyères. of the former in the town’s led to the development
architecture. The Musée of synthetic dyes and
+ Château de Chillon International d’Horlogerie has pharmaceutical processes.
Avenue de Chillon 21, 1820 Veytaux. a wonderful collection devoted The old town remains the
Tel 021-966 8910. Open daily. to the watch industry, and is heart of the city and is a maze
Closed Dec 25, Jan 1. & 8 well worth a visit. of fine streets and squares,
∑ chillon.ch including Marktplatz with its
E Musée International daily fruit and vegetable market.
3 Neuchâtel d’Horlogerie The striking red-painted Rathaus
Rue des Musées 29. Tel 032-967 6861.
(city hall) stands here, on the
Neuchâtel. * 33,000. £ @ Open Tue–Sun. Closed public hols. southern bank of the Rhine.
n Hôtel des Postes (032-889 6890). & 8 ∑ mih.ch The twin sandstone towers of
_ Wine Festival (late Sep). the Gothic cathedral are major
∑ neuchateltourisme.ch landmarks. This imposing 12th-
century building stands in a
Neuchâtel, an old religious center grand square – site of the famous
and university town, lies at the autumn fair that has been an
eastern end of Lake Neuchâtel at annual event since the 15th
the base of the Jura mountains. It century. Basel has a modern side
is a little off the beaten track, but too, with a vibrant cultural scene
has an extensive and attractive and a number of interesting
old town overlooked by the museums, most notably the
partly Romanesque Collegiate Kunstmuseum, which includes
Church. Just below the church, an impressive range of 20th-
the Tour des Prisons offers a century artists such as Picasso,
stunning view of the lake and and the Beyeler Foundation,
city. The market square – Place Enameled watch (c.1665) in the Musée in Baselstrasse, a collection of
des Halles – is bounded by International d’Horlogerie around 200 paintings by
elegant 17th-century buildings, modern masters.
including the turreted Maison 4 Basel Switzerland’s most famous
des Halles, now a restaurant. artist, Jean Tinguely (1925–91),
The area around Neuchâtel is Basel. * 166,000. k £ @ has a museum devoted to
known for its wines, including n Basel Tourismus, Stadt-Casino, his outlandish mechanical
Perdrix Blanche. Barfüsserplatz (061-268 6868). sculptures – Museum Tinguely.
_ Fair (Oct–Nov). ∑ basel.com
Environs E Kunstmuseum
20 km (12 miles) northwest of Basel sits in the northernmost St. Alban-Graben 16. Tel 061-206
Neuchâtel lies La Chaux-de- corner of Switzerland, straddling 6262. Open Tue–Sun. & 8 7
Fonds, the largest of Switzerland’s the Rhine at the farthest point ∑ kunstmuseumbasel.ch
watchmaking towns. Located that the river is navigable to E Museum Tinguely
992 m (3,255 ft) above sea level, sea-going vessels. This large Paul Sacher Anlage 1. Tel 061-681
it does not have the feel of a commercial city is a world 9320. Open Tue–Sun. & 7
typical Swiss town. Its rigid grid center for the chemical and ∑ tinguely.ch

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