Montreux Christmas Market & Flying Santa Guide
The Montreux Christmas Market is easily one of my favorite Christmas markets in all of Europe — and I’ve been to quite a few! This one truly stands out not just because of the stunning location on the edge of Lake Geneva, with views of the Swiss Alps. It’s the fact that you can see a human Santa Claus fly through the sky in a sleigh above the market.
Yes, you read that right. Every evening, you can watch the Flying Santa show, where Santa soars over the lakeside promenade with lights, music, and a festive atmosphere. It’s something out of a Christmas movie!
In this guide, I’ll share everything you need to know about visiting the Montreux Noël, including the best time to see the Flying Santa, what to eat and buy, and tips to make the most of your visit to this magical Swiss Christmas market.
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Where to Stay
I actually stayed in Bern, Switzerland, at one of the most gorgeous hotels ever, the Bellevue Palace. I did a day trip over to Montreux. You can get there in 2 hours, but I took a slightly longer route on the way there because I wanted to take a bucket-list train to get there. And that’s the Belle Epoque vintage train! It was very much doable to visit Montreux as a day trip from Bern. Here’s my full guide on the Belle Époque train.
For me, Bern was a convenient location as I was traveling to many other Christmas Markets, and my next stops were Basel and Strasbourg, which were closer to Bern than Montreux. Plus, the Christmas Markets in Bern are great! The best part is that it’s less crowded than most European Christmas Markets.
This is what the route there looked like:
- Train: Bern to Zweisimmen
- Train Time: ~1 hour 16 minutes (via Spiez)
- Belle Epoque Train: Zweisimmen to Montreux
- Train Time: ~2 hours 8 minutes
If you’d like to stay in Montreux instead, then I’d recommend staying at Hotel Splendid, which is located right next to the lakeside promenade — directly adjacent to the Christmas chalets.
How to Get to Montreux, Switzerland
Montreux is easily accessible by train (get train tickets via Omio here), so you can come from different neighboring cities with ease. If you’re flying in, the nearest airport is the Geneva International Airport (GVA), just over an hour away by direct train.
Trains run frequently from Geneva to Montreux, offering stunning views along Lake Geneva.
You can also reach Montreux from Zurich in around 2.5 hours by train with a quick connection in Lausanne or Bern. As mentioned earlier, I personally arrived from Bern, and it was a simple journey.
Once in Montreux, the train station is centrally located, just a short walk from the lakefront, hotels, and Montreux Noël—the town’s magical Christmas market.
If you get an Interrail pass, you can save lots of money! It gets you unlimited train rides with your pass and allows you to ride the Belle Epoque Vintage train for free!
Montreux Christmas Market 2025 Dates
The Montreux Christmas Market 2025 Dates will be from November 20th to December 24th.
Is it free to visit the Montreux Christmas Market?
Yes! It’s free to visit the Montreux Christmas Market and to see the flying Santa. But bring money anyhow for all the shopping, eating, and drinking you will do!
How to see the Flying Santa in Montreux!
Yes, a human Santa Claus is actually suspended in the air and rides in a sleigh across Lake Geneva.
Santa departs from the CGN dock on the lakeside (where the boat pier is) and soars across to Place du Marché (Market Square), right near the giant Ferris wheel. Santa will fly to the Ferris wheel, and after some time, he will fly back to the CGN dock. So you essentially get 2 chances to see him fly at each hour, but on the way back,k there are no flames coming off his sleigh.
The flying Santa happens every day at the start of the hour, 5 PM, 6 PM, and 7 PM. There’s an additional flight at 4 PM on Saturdays and Sundays.
If you don’t visit on a weekend ,then the only chance you have to capture the Santa before sunset is at 5pm. This is the best time to capture it as I went solo and after the first one I really struggled to get a good night shot of the Santa. It kept blurring on my iPhone as Santa passes by so quickly.
Maybe a closer angle would have been better for those night shots. However, I watched the flying Santa at Chalet Fondue. This restaurant has amazing cheese fondue and a balcony with views of the flying Santa. It’s a popular spot, but I was able to stroll in without a reservation. To access the balcony (located on the second floor), you will definitely need to be a customer here.
It is one of the best places to watch the Flying Santa — and if you want a closer view, I’d recommend walking just across from the restaurant, close to the lake. I’d stand a bit further to the left of the restaurant, though. That way, you’ll catch the moment the sleigh shoots out flames — it doesn’t happen right away, so be ready! Other good spots to watch will be close to the Ferris wheel.
Tip: If you’re shooting at night, turn down your exposure on your phone so you don’t get the blurred light streaks as you capture the action.
Things to do in Montreux during Christmas
The highlight, of course, is seeing the flying Santa! But here are some more ideas for your time in Montreux during the Christmas season.
- Shop and wander through the Montreux Noël Christmas Market: The lakeside market has over 170 wooden chalets with fairy lights—perfect for sipping vin chaud and grabbing unique handmade gifts.
- Explore all the Christmas decor. There’s always a different display near the Statue de Freddie Mercury. In 2024, it was a Christmas ornament.
- Watch Santa Fly Over the Lake: Flying Santa glides across the sky on a sleigh every evening at the start of the hour.
- Try Cheese Fondue! There are food stalls selling them in a bread roll at The Cheese Hut. They pour all that cheese in the bread in front of you! You could also visit Chalet Fondue for a sit-down restaurant with cheese fondue. They also have a balcony where you can watch Santa fly over the lake.
- Visit Santa’s Grotto at Rochers-de-Naye: Hop on a scenic cogwheel train up to 2,000m where Santa waits in a mountaintop grotto. You will see the most beautiful snowy views along the way.
- Take in the Views from the Ferris Wheel: Located right by the lake, this festive Ferris wheel gives you stunning views over Montreux and the snowy Alps. Try it at sunset!
- Warm Up in the Lumberjack Cabin: Hidden within the market is this cozy alpine chalet serving fondue, mulled wine, and hearty winter bites. The vibes are great here.
- Explore the Elves’ Village: This is especially fun if you’re traveling with kids. There are crafts, candle-making, and festive performances.
PS: Can’t make it to Montreux for their Christmas Market!? Did you know Hamburg, Germany, also has a flying Santa Christmas Market?
You may also like these posts:
🎄Best European Christmas Markets by Train
✨ Best Cities for Christmas in Europe
🏰 Christmas Guide to Rothenburg, Germany
🎄Cologne Christmas Market Guide
🎅 Christmas Guide to Vienna, Austria
🏘️ The Charming Town of Eguisheim, France
🎅🏼 Christmas Markets in Alsace, France
🐻 Best Christmas Displays in Paris
🎡 Best Christmas Decorations in London
🚂 Belle Epoque Train: Scenic train in Switzerland
🇨🇿 Best Christmas Markets in Prague + Things to Do
