Continuing with our tour of Château de Chillon started in part 1 which focused on the inside, we now go outside.
Scaled model of Chillon – the lake is on the far side of the castle where there are no turrets. I guess they do not expect invaders to attack from the lake. My vantage point above the model is similar to that when I took the picture below.
If one looks out of the arrow loops in the wall and the turrets, the view is unparalleled.
This is a view of Villeneuve, looking east from Chillon with the Rhone valley to the right. Can you see below the A9 viaduct a white train running along the lake front ? That local train runs all the way from Lausanne along the edge of the lake, it is one of the prettiest line in Switzerland.
Looking further to the right from the view above, the French Alps can be seen on the other side of the Rhone valley across the lake.
What is this ? Through this hole, one can see the lake below.
Well, they were medieval toilet seats. No discussion about putting the seat down. And it must be cold.
One of the recurrent themes about the castle is the role it played in witch hunt trials and execution. Apparently, there were a lot of witches in this area (Valais) in the 14th and 15th century. Many were private or political conflicts that were deliberately linked to witchcraft and resolved by religion.
The chateau has a second line of defense, an internal moat, but I am not sure if it was filled with water, however.
Soldiers can patrol the entire perimeter of the castle at the top of the wall.
From the top of the perimeter wall, looking west from Chillon, one can see Montreux, and possibly Vevey.
Looking below, two swans looked like rocks. They were indeed very large birds, fattened by all the passing tourists.
There is a little jetty by the entrance of the chateau.
After we left the chateau, we drove over to Villeneuve to get on the A9 to speed back home. Looking back, Chillon is just visible under the beginning of the A9 viaduct on the left.
Like most of the towns along the lake, Villeneuve has a beautiful park by the lake.
