Montreux, resort area in western Switzerland, in Vaud Canton, on the northeastern shore of Lake Geneva, near Lausanne. Montreux comprises three communities and several villages. The area is noted for its mild climate and picturesque scenery. Tourism is very important to the local economy, and the Festival International de Jazz draws thousands of music lovers every July. Montreux is the site of the Castle of Chillon, made famous by the British poet Lord Byron in his poem “The Prisoner of Chillon” (1816). The Montreux Convention was signed here in 1936. Population (1998) 21,476.
