Le Mont-Pèlerin

Canton of Vaud · District: Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut · No published figure for the locality; the municipality of Chardonne has 3'384 inhabitants (31.12.2025).

Part of the municipality of Chardonne

No population figure is published for this locality: the figure shown is that of the municipality of Chardonne.

Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Must-see historical sites Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Le Mont-Pèlerin

The origin of the name is not explained in the sources consulted. The name refers both to the wooded summit of Mont Pèlerin (1'080 metres) and to the locality of Le Mont-Pèlerin, lower down at about 810 metres, around the upper station of the funicular.

Founding of Le Mont-Pèlerin

Le Mont-Pèlerin belongs to the municipality of Chardonne, which stretches from the shore of Lake Geneva up to Mont-Pèlerin; a small part of the mountain lies in the municipality of Puidoux. The locality developed as a resort after the opening in 1900 of the Vevey-Chardonne-Mont-Pèlerin funicular: hotels were built in 1902 (Hôtel Belvédère), 1904 (Grand Hôtel) and 1906 (Hôtel du Parc, now Pelerin Palace), as well as a clinic, Mon Repos, erected in 1904 by the Société de l'Ermitage. The sources consulted name no founder of the locality; the earlier history of the place merges with that of the municipality of Chardonne.

History of Le Mont-Pèlerin

1899. Construction of the funicular linking Vevey to Mont-Pèlerin.

1900. Opening of the Vevey-Chardonne-Mont-Pèlerin funicular on 24 July; over 1'584 metres it climbs from 393 metres in Vevey to 807 metres at Mont-Pèlerin.

1902. Construction of the Hôtel Belvédère.

1904. Construction of the Grand Hôtel and of the Mon Repos clinic, built by the Société de l'Ermitage to plans by the architect J.-H. Collombet.

1906. Construction of the Hôtel du Parc, now called Pelerin Palace, in Belle Époque style.

1917. A fire seriously damages the Hôtel du Parc and destroys its roof.

1934. The composer Maurice Ravel stays at the Mon Repos clinic after an accident.

1947. April conference organised by Friedrich Hayek at the Hôtel du Parc: it founds the Mont Pelerin Society, which takes its name from the village.

1972-1974. Construction of the 122 metre Mont Pèlerin television tower on the wooded summit.

1977. Geshe Rabten Rinpoche founds the Tibetan Buddhist monastery and study centre Rabten Choeling at Mont-Pèlerin.

2008. The Swiss Development Group buys the former Hôtel du Parc for 18 million francs to convert it into apartments.

2009. Major renovation work on the funicular and its cars is completed on 25 September (4.8 million francs).

Historic sites in Le Mont-Pèlerin

Vevey-Chardonne-Mont-Pèlerin funicular. Opened in 1900, this 1'584 metre metre-gauge funicular links Vevey to Mont-Pèlerin station, serving among others Corseaux, Chardonne-Jongny and Beau-Site; renovated in 2009, it now runs automatically.

Pelerin Palace (former Hôtel du Parc). Belle Époque hotel built in 1906, damaged by fire in 1917. In 1947 it hosted the founding conference of the Mont Pelerin Society. Bought in 2008 to be converted into luxury apartments, it was still unfinished in 2016.

Le Mirador (former Mon Repos clinic). Building erected in 1904 as the Mon Repos clinic by the Société de l'Ermitage, to plans by J.-H. Collombet; Maurice Ravel stayed there in 1934. It is now a hotel, Le Mirador.

Mont Pèlerin television tower. 122 metre tower built from 1972 to 1974 on the summit; its viewing platform, 64 metres up, is reached by lift, making it the only television tower in Switzerland open to the public as an observation deck.

Rabten Choeling. Tibetan Buddhist monastery and study centre founded in 1977 by Geshe Rabten Rinpoche; since the founder's death in 1986 it has been led by Gonsar Rinpoche.

Sources

Other villages near Le Mont-Pèlerin

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