Chillon and its region from 1900 to 1995 – Heritage, tourism, and memory 5/5

Chillon Castle: from prison to museum (1900–1995)

At the beginning of the 20th century, Chillon Castle was still a state-owned building, used as an arsenal and prison. Since 1803, it has belonged to the canton of Vaud, which is responsible for its management and maintenance. The prison remained in operation until 1895, when it was closed, marking the end of Chillon's era as a place of detention.​

At the end of the 19th century, cantonal archaeologist Albert Naef (1862–1936) launched the first restoration projects, aiming to understand the different stages of the castle's construction and preserve this historic monument. This work, which continued throughout the 20th century, gradually transformed the castle into a museum.​

In the first half of the 20th century, the castle became a place of remembrance and culture, hosting exhibitions and collections. It was gradually promoted as a national heritage site, and its restoration continued in a spirit of scientific rigor and respect for authenticity.​

The birth and growth of tourism in Chillon (1900–1967)

Since the Belle Époque, Chillon Castle has ceased to be a mere historical monument and has become a true tourist icon of the Vaud Riviera. The castle's iconic silhouette is widely featured on promotional posters extolling the charms of the region.​

The arrival of modern transportation made it easier to get to the site: the railroad connected Villeneuve to Bex in 1857 and to Lausanne in 1861, while regular boat service on Lake Geneva began in 1828. A tramway opened in 1903 between Villeneuve and Chillon, then replaced by a bus line in 1952.​

Tourism, which began around 1840 with the construction of the Hotel Byron and a few other establishments on the lake shore, experienced a particular boom between 1950 and 1967. Chillon Castle became the most visited historical monument in Switzerland, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.​

Villeneuve: from lakeside town to industrial community (1900–1995)

At the beginning of the 20th century, Villeneuve was a rural lakeside community that lived off wine growing, agriculture, and lake trade. The population grew from 1,751 inhabitants in 1900 to 1,989 in 1950, then to 3,705 in 1970, reflecting sustained demographic growth.​

Industry diversified at the beginning of the 20th century, particularly along the railway line built in 1892 to connect Villeneuve station to the Arvel quarries: Miauton ironworks (1907), Grands Vergers sawmill (1917), Schmidlin & Co. chocolate factory (1927), Villeneuve soap factory (1931), Vevey mechanical engineering workshops (1947), Mottier Frères metal constructions (1952), and Guyot carpentry factory (1957).​

L’assainissement de la plaine de l’Eau-Froide (1915–1920) permet le développement des cultures maraîchères, tandis que le remaniement parcellaire d’une partie du vignoble (1931–1934) donne naissance aux quartiers de villas de Longefan, Cheseaux et Tortiguet. L’autoroute A9 (1966–1970, sortie à Villeneuve) contribue au développement économique, résidentiel et démographique de la commune.​

Fort Chillon: Military Memory and Heritage (1941–1995)

Between 1941 and 1994, the military fort at Chillon embodied Switzerland's modern defense system, serving first as an artillery fort and then as an infantry fort, integrated into the Chillon barrage position. It was used as a military fortification until 1994, when it was declassified as a “secret defense” site.​

After 1994, the fort left the military domain and became part of the heritage and memory. In 2010, a private group bought the site and transformed it to accommodate private wine cellars, cultural events, and guided tours. In 2013, the Fort de Chillon company was created, and in 2018, it obtained a permit to build a museum, which opened its doors to the public at the end of 2020.​

Today, Fort Chillon is a 2,125 m² “super-fortress” hidden between Lake Geneva and the mountains, offering visitors the chance to discover one of the region's best-kept secrets. It complements Chillon's heritage offering by providing an immersive experience of 20th-century military history.

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Sources

• Article « Villeneuve (VD) » dans l’Histoire de la Suisse (HLS-DHS-DSS), 2017.​

• Site officiel de la ville de Villeneuve (VD), section « Histoire ».​

• Article « Fort de Chillon » sur le site de l’association Léman Sans Frontière, 2024.​

• Fiche « A390 Fort d’artillerie de Chillon » sur le site FortLitroz, 2021.​

• Article « Château de Chillon » sur le blog du Musée national, 2021.​

• Article « Chillon en images : genèse d’une icône touristique » sur la Gazette vaudoise, 2025.

5 Articles in this series:

Chillon in the Middle Ages – A fortified castle at the heart of Savoyard power (11th–15th centuries) 1/5

Chillon under Bern and the Canton of Vaud – Prison, arsenal, and the birth of tourism (1536–1895) 2/5

Villeneuve and the Chillon region – From lakeside village to tourist center (13th–19th centuries) 3/5

The Military Fortress of Chillon – A 20th-century fortress (1941–1994) 4/5

Chillon and its region from 1900 to 1995 – Heritage, tourism, and memory 5/5