The small town of Aigle in Switzerland’s Vaud canton is just ten minutes by train from fashionable Montreux. A short journey, but one which swaps the gentle shores of Lake Geneva for the mountainous landscapes of the Rhône Valley. Aigle is a very comfortable community, one of those places where – if you can afford the local prices – it feels good to be alive. There’s a wonderful castle, a fine museum celebrating the local wine industry and superb views of the surrounding mountains. And it is those mountains which pull the crowds, not just for winter sports but also for summer hikes and recreation.

The railway station at Aigle is a ten-minute walk west of the town’s market square. There are regular Swiss Railways trains from Geneva and Lausanne. The station is the starting point for no less than three narrow-gauge rail routes which climb up into the hills around Aigle. These mountain railways serve Leysin, Les Diablerets and Champéry. We can sell tickets right through to these resorts. All three offer excellent winter skiing and challenging year-round mountaineering.

For those looking for less energetic pastimes, Aigle is a good base for exploring Switzerland’s Vaud and Valais cantons. The celebrated Château de Chillon, an island castle on the shores of Lake Geneva is just ten kilometres away, although locals in Aigle will tell you that their local castle is even better and without the crowds who flock to Chillon.

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