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The château de Chillon near Montreux is famous for its picturesque location on a rock at the shore of Lake Geneva.

The rock had been the site of a human settlements as early as the Bronze Age. The oldest parts of todays structures date from the 11th century when the castle was in possession of the bishops of Sion (Sitten). In the 12th century the castle passed to Savoie. In 1356 it was conquered by Berne and for long was the seat of the bailiffs of Chillon. Since 1803 the castle is a property of the Canton Vaud (Waadt).