Version: September 2026
Looking for the best places for a photoshoot in Montreux or around Lake Geneva?
If you’re planning a portrait session in Montreux or elsewhere along the Swiss Riviera, you definitely won’t be short of beautiful backgrounds. We’ve got Lake Geneva, vineyards, castles, forests and mountain views all packed into a surprisingly small area.
Basically, we’re a little spoiled around here. 😂
But here’s the thing: the locations you see over and over again online aren’t necessarily the places where you’ll have the best photoshoot experience.
Some are incredibly busy. Some only really work at certain times of day. And sometimes the quiet little lakeside spot nobody talks about ends up being far better for you than the famous viewpoint everyone has saved on Instagram.
I’ve spent years photographing, hiking and scouting around Montreux and the Swiss Riviera, so in this guide I’m sharing some of my favourite types of locations for portrait sessions — including a few of the classics and the quieter alternatives I tend to love even more.
And yes… I’m still keeping a few secret spots up my sleeve. 😉
1. Lavaux Vineyards
Lavaux is a classic for a reason.
The UNESCO-listed vineyards stretch above Lake Geneva between Lausanne and Montreux, with rows of vines, little villages and huge views across the lake towards the Alps.
Around golden hour, especially, the whole landscape can become ridiculously beautiful.
Lavaux works particularly well for couples, families, anniversary sessions and relaxed portraits where you want that unmistakably Swiss scenery without heading high into the mountains.
There is one catch, though: some parts of Lavaux can get very busy.
That’s why I don’t simply send my clients to the most photographed viewpoint and hope for the best. Timing, season, light and the exact part of the vineyards we choose make a huge difference.
I usually favour quieter paths and sections where we have room to walk, talk and actually enjoy ourselves rather than waiting for fifteen tourists to move out of the background. 😂
Best for: couples, families, anniversaries and relaxed lifestyle portraits
Vibe: vineyards, Lake Geneva views, romantic and very Swiss
Best time: generally late afternoon and golden hour
If you’re also secretly plotting something involving a ring, Lavaux happens to be pretty spectacular for that too. You can see what an actual surprise proposal in the Lavaux vineyards looks like here.
2. Château de Chillon & the Montreux Lakeside
If you want somewhere instantly recognisable as Montreux, Château de Chillon is difficult to beat.
Sitting directly beside Lake Geneva with the mountains behind it, it’s one of the most iconic locations on the Swiss Riviera — and yes, it really is that pretty in real life.
It’s also one of the most visited places in the region.
Which means timing matters enormously.
I particularly love this area early in the morning, when the lakeside is quieter and the light can be beautifully soft. Evenings can work too depending on the season and the type of session we’re planning.
And we don’t have to spend the entire photoshoot standing directly in front of the castle either. There are lakeside paths, greenery, little viewpoints and quieter corners nearby that give us much more variety.
That’s usually how I approach portrait sessions anyway: rather than creating twenty variations of person standing in front of landmark, we’ll walk, explore and use the whole area.
Best for: families, couples, solo travellers and visitors to Montreux
Vibe: lake, mountains, castle and classic Swiss Riviera scenery
Best time: early morning or quieter evening hours
Access: very easy compared with mountain locations
I’ve photographed families here too, so if you’re visiting Montreux with children, I’ve put together a complete guide to family photos at Château de Chillon.
3. Quiet Lakeside Locations Around Montreux
Some of my favourite portrait sessions around Montreux don’t happen at famous locations at all.
Give me a little beach, a quiet lakeside path, beautiful light reflecting off Lake Geneva and enough space for you to move around and I’m happy.
These locations are particularly good if the thought of having a photoshoot somewhere busy makes you want to run in the opposite direction.
We can walk, sit by the water, kick off our shoes, talk, laugh, splash around if the weather allows it — and somewhere along the way you tend to stop thinking quite so much about the fact that I’m taking photographs.
Which is exactly what I want.
These quieter Lake Geneva locations are also some of my favourites for solo portrait sessions and couples because we can make the experience as relaxed, playful or intimate as you want it to be.
And yes, if you’re willing to actually get into the lake, I will absolutely support this life decision. 😂
Best for: solo portraits, couples, maternity and relaxed lifestyle sessions
Vibe: intimate, natural, calm and playful
Best time: sunrise or evening light, depending on the location
Access: many locations are very easy to reach
4. The Mountains Above Montreux
One of my favourite things about living and photographing people on the Swiss Riviera is how quickly the landscape changes once you leave the lakeshore.
Within a relatively short distance from Montreux, we can trade palm trees and promenades for forests, alpine meadows and panoramic views over Lake Geneva.
And you don’t necessarily need a huge hiking adventure to get them.
There are mountain passes and viewpoints accessible by car, train or relatively short walks, as well as more adventurous options if you’d actually like the hiking to be part of the experience.
These locations work beautifully if you want your portraits to feel a little wilder while still staying close to Montreux.
They’re also where we can create more movement: walking through grass, exploring trails, sitting somewhere with a ridiculous view, watching the sun disappear behind the mountains…
Basically, less stand there and smile at me and more let’s go somewhere beautiful and I’ll photograph what happens.
Best for: couples, solo portraits and anyone wanting a more outdoorsy experience
Vibe: mountain views, forests, alpine landscapes and lots of space
Best time: depends heavily on the location and season
Access: from easy-access viewpoints to proper hikes
5. Seasonal Locations Around the Swiss Riviera
One thing I wouldn’t overlook when choosing a photoshoot location around Montreux is the season.
The Swiss Riviera changes enormously throughout the year.
Spring brings blossom and the famous narcissus fields above Montreux. Summer gives us long evenings, alpine access and the possibility of jumping straight into Lake Geneva. Autumn transforms vineyards and forests into warmer colours. Winter can bring snow to the mountains while the lakeshore remains completely different below.
That means I don’t have one list of locations that I use twelve months of the year.
I look at what nature is actually doing when you’re here.
Sometimes a place I wouldn’t choose in July is absolutely spectacular in October — and sometimes the beautiful location you found on Pinterest simply doesn’t look anything like that when you’re visiting.
That’s part of the planning.
6. The Hidden Gems I Don't Share Online
And then there are the places you won’t find listed here.
Over the years I’ve spent a slightly ridiculous amount of time exploring this region — hiking, scouting, following little paths, checking maps and occasionally getting lost on purpose.
That’s how I’ve found many of the locations I use for portrait sessions around Montreux and the Swiss Riviera.
I’m not looking only for somewhere that photographs beautifully. I’m also paying attention to how busy it is, where the light falls, how easy it is to access, whether we actually have room to move and whether the environment can handle people visiting it.
Some of those places I intentionally don’t name publicly.
It’s not an attempt to be mysterious or hoard beautiful locations. I simply don’t believe every quiet place needs an exact geotag attached to it.
I’d rather help preserve them — and keep your experience there feeling like an experience rather than another photo stop.
So... where should you actually have your photoshoot in Montreux?
That depends much more on you than on which location gets the most likes on Instagram.
Do you want mountains or water?
Something iconic or somewhere nobody will recognise?
Are you travelling with young children?
Do you want to walk for five minutes or happily hike for an hour?
Are you dreaming of romantic vineyard photographs, playing barefoot beside Lake Geneva, wandering through the forest or watching sunset from somewhere above Montreux?
That’s why choosing the location is part of the portrait experience I offer.
You don’t need to arrive with a Pinterest board, a detailed itinerary and GPS coordinates.
In fact, a lot of my clients start with some version of:
“We have absolutely no idea where to go… and we’re awkward in photos.”
Perfect. 😂
That’s enough for me to start with.
I’ll help you choose a location around Montreux and the Swiss Riviera that fits the kind of experience you want, while also considering the season, weather, access, crowds and — rather importantly for photographs — where the light is actually going to be.
And once we’re there, I’ll guide you enough that you never have to wonder what on earth you’re supposed to do with your hands.
Planning a portrait session in Montreux?
My portrait sessions are designed for couples, families, friends and solo travellers who want beautiful photographs without spending an hour stiffly posing for the camera.
We’ll choose one area around Montreux and the Swiss Riviera, plan around the best available light, and then keep the session relaxed, natural and genuinely fun.
Portrait experiences currently start at CHF 320, and every session includes location guidance, gentle direction during the shoot and sneak peeks within 48 hours.
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Your Photographer
I’m Maaike Jansen
Your outdoor portrait photographer based near Montreux on the Swiss Riviera.
I photograph couples, families, friends and solo travellers around Lake Geneva, creating relaxed portrait sessions that feel more like spending time somewhere beautiful than posing through a photoshoot.
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