Montreux Christmas market

One of Switzerland’s best known Christmas markets, Montreux’s offering features 150 sellers displaying their wares in little chalet-style stalls strung along the town’s main lakefront promenade. The focus is on artisan products, and for the most part these are quality items rather than novelty kitsch. Sellers are selected from all over the world, so you might find handmade Russian dolls, soaps from Provence and maple syrup from Québec alongside locally-made products. One crowd-pleaser is the stall selling glass Christmas tree baubles, where you can watch the glass blower make them right in front of you. As with any Christmas market, the principal pleasure is the atmosphere. Come with a bunch of friends after dark, grab a glass of vin chaud (with a dash of rum, naturally) and get increasingly merry as you browse the colourful stalls. Stop for pizza in the market’s main food area, a cosy wood cabin called the Village des Bûcherons.