Montreux Noel Christmas Market
Montreux Noël46°26′ N 6°55′ EMontreuxfrom Nov 20
Montreux Noël suits families and couples who want a long lakeside promenade of chalets with shows for children, and its trade-off is the weekend crush on a narrow quay. The 2026 market runs from 20 November to 24 December along Lake Geneva with 176 chalets, a big wheel, a flying Santa every evening and a cog-railway trip to Santa's house on the Rochers-de-Naye.
Photo EconAmbiente · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Montreux Noel Christmas Market runs November 20, 2026 to December 24, 2026 · confirmed by the organizer (source)
Advent SundaysGaudete, 13 DecemberChristmas Eve
Dates and hours
- November 20, 2026 to December 24, 2026Confirmedsourcechecked Oct 10, 2026
Hours · Mon–Wed 11:00–21:00; Thu–Fri 11:00–22:00; Sat 10:00–22:00; Sun 10:00–20:00
- Dec 24, 2026 · 11:00–17:00 (Chalets and restaurants close at 17:00 on Christmas Eve, the last day.)
Access and crowds
- Toilets
- Adapted toilets stand at each site and are marked on site and in the market's web app; some public toilet blocks have baby-changing tables.
- Getting around
- The organizer says the main areas are easier to reach in a wheelchair, reserved disabled parking sits near each site and Santa's house is accessible to people with reduced mobility. A quiet information point offers a break from the crowds.
- Busiest
- The organizer says weekends are the busiest and suggests avoiding them with dogs.
- Quieter
- The organizer names Monday, Tuesday and Thursday as the calmest days, and Saturday mornings as easier than Saturday afternoons.
Montreux started small in 1995, with 80 chalets on the Grand-Rue over ten days, and grew into a month-long market that the organizer now counts at 176 chalets. The organizer selects exhibitors and leans on regional produce, and the restaurants run to 23:00 every night. The lake is right beside you the whole way along the quays.
The shows are the reason families come. Santa crosses the sky three times every evening and four times at weekends, and the Belle Époque boat sails Santa cruises on five Saturdays. The big trip is Santa's house at the top of the Rochers-de-Naye, where children get a certificate and a gift bag; the organizer advises against it for children under three because of the altitude.
Come by train, since the market starts about 200 metres from the station and the organizer's RailAway rail offer went on sale on 1 October 2026. Buses 201 and 204 are free at weekends from 13:00.
Worth knowing
- The organizer names Monday, Tuesday and Thursday as the calmest days.
- Bring a card or Twint; most stalls take no cash.
- Tickets for Santa's house combine the MOB train and entry and are sold by MOB.
Quick answers about Montreux Noel Christmas Market
When is the Montreux Christmas market in 2026?
Montreux Noël runs from 20 November to 24 December 2026, according to the organizer. On 24 December the chalets and restaurants close at 17:00.
Does Montreux Noël take cash?
Mostly no. Montreux Noël is cashless except at the restaurants and the New Bretzel stand, and cards other than American Express and Twint are accepted.
What time does Santa fly at Montreux Noël?
Santa flies over the Montreux market daily at 17:00, 18:00 and 19:00, with an extra flight at 16:00 at weekends, between the CGN landing stage and Place du Marché.
When does Montreux Noel Christmas Market open in 2026?
Montreux Noel Christmas Market opens on November 20, 2026 and closes on December 24, 2026. Those dates are confirmed by the organizer.
How much is the mug deposit at Montreux Noel Christmas Market?
The deposit on a mug at Montreux Noel Christmas Market was CHF 2 each (2026). You get it back when you return the mug, or keep the mug instead.
In the journal and guides
Read more about Montreux Noel Christmas Market
Guide · 12 min read
What's open in Europe on Christmas Eve?
Seventy-nine markets open on 24 December 2026, and most of them close by 18:30, so do your last shopping before dark.
Guide · 23 min read
When do Europe's Christmas markets open and close in 2026?
Vienna and Copenhagen open first, on 6 November 2026, and Cologne's Heumarkt keeps its stalls up until 10 January 2027. Every row below names who published the date.