A sunset stroll around Vielle Ville, Montreux

Today when I was parked at my usual spot at Mayfair, checking emails and such, I spent a few minutes looking up “things to do in Montreux.” Well, not much comes up that I haven’t already done or heard about, but I read something about Vielle Ville (this is the oldest part of the city) and figured I could catch some nice views of the mountains and lake around sunset.

There’s no specific path to follow, which I prefer, so I started off from the hotel and simply headed up the hill. The cobblestone streets quickly become smaller the further up you go, eventually only allowing one car to carefully maneuver between the multicolored buildings that are all sandwiched together. The best way to distinguish between residences is by the the color of matching window shutters. From red to blue to green to yellow, some shutters are framed by well-kept boxes of flowers and some serve as an ideal place to hang clothes out to dry. Going slighty camera crazy (don’t worry, I haven’t changed a bit), I couldn’t help but think of Nat and the pictures she took of windows the last time we were all in Switzerland. For whatever reason, they are instantly charming, each telling a different story and safe-guarding the private lives of those who live inside.

I found a path that looked private, but with no sign forbidding my entrance in sight, I kept trudging uphill, following the stairs made out of stones as they wound between large houses and the tiny gardens and vineyards that are carved into the mountain. Sounds of plates clattering and people chatting escaped out into the streets, perhaps signaling the end of a family meal. The streets run so close to each house that I almost felt like I was joining them all for dinner, or at least taking part in their conversation though they remain oblivious.

Near the end of the path there is a large stone wall that runs alongside some grape vines and a modern-style home that looks as though it belongs in Malibu. I clammered up just in time to see a golden sun finally penetrating through the clouds, turning the pale yellow sky into a canvas of burning orange. The contrast of colors between the sky and heavy set, charcoal clouds is mesmerizing.

I spent about fifteen minutes sitting on the wall, listening to the dinner party a few houses away while enjoying my own dessert of chocolate biscuit cookies and watching the molten sun drop closer and closer to the water until it disappeared behind a wall of shadows. It was the perfect evening to end my first official ‘weekend’ in Switzerland. Oh, and to top it off, amidst the sound of church bells ringing in the background, a little black cat decided to join in on my walk back down the hill. For a moment I considered taking her back with me, but after some deliberation, we went out separate ways. Ah, companionship. What a luxury.