Each December, children and families may visit Father Christmas by cogwheel mountain train at Santa’s Swiss house on Rochers-de-Naye, an Alpine peak towering over Montreux and Lake Geneva (Lac Léman).
Visiting Santa’s house at the top of Rochers-de-Naye is one of the main attractions for children at the annual Marché de Noël à Montreux on Lake Geneva in Switzerland. Tickets for Santa’s House in 2026 go on sale on 15 September, and popular dates sell out quickly.
The Christmas market on the lakeside quays in Montreux is the largest and best Weihnachtsmarkt in French-speaking Switzerland, but a cogwheel train trip up the mountain to see Santa at his Swiss home adds a magical element, with snow almost guaranteed. Unfortunately, the train to Santa’s house is not cheap. Reservations are essential and often sell out. An alternative is visiting the Village of the Elves in nearby Villeneuve, or at least seeing Santa flying with his reindeer and sleigh over the Montreux Christmas market several times every evening.
Where to stay for the Montreux Christmas Market: Hotels in Montreux and ski resorts such as Zermatt and Leukerbad come at a premium during Christmas time. Cheaper deals may be easier to find in Geneva and Lausanne, where hotels aim more at business travelers, who are less likely to visit during the Christmas market period.
- 2026 Montreux Christmas market dates: 20 November to 24 December 2026
Santa’s Rochers-de-Naye House at a Glance
- 2026 dates: 20 November–24 December
- Open: Wednesday–Sunday, plus 7, 8, 21 and 22 December
- Tickets on sale: From 15 September 2026
- Adult: CHF49
- Child 6–15: CHF19
- Getting there: Cogwheel train from Montreux, around 50 minutes
- Reservations: Essential — popular dates often sell out well in advance
- Good to know: Not recommended for children under 3
The House of Santa Claus on Rochers-de-Naye, Montreux
The House of Father Christmas (La Maison du Père Noël aux Rochers-de-Naye) opens each year during the Montreux Advent Christmas market festival period. Rochers-de-Naye Alpine station is at an altitude of 2032 m and offers marvelous views of Lake Geneva, the Alps, and Montreux.
During summer, Rochers-de-Naye is best known for its marmot park and hiking trails, but during Advent, Santa Claus is the main attraction for most children. Adults will enjoy the fantastic views year-round, with snow almost guaranteed in December. (Snow on the shores of Lake Geneva is relatively rare and seldom happens during the Christmas market period.)
Visiting Santa’s Workshop in Montreux, Switzerland
Santa’s House at Rochers-de-Naye is open around the same period as the Marché de Noël à Montreux (Christmas market). In contrast to the Weihnachtsmarkt at lake level, Santa usually takes Mondays and Tuesdays off and may have something else to do on the evening of December 24.
In 2026, Santa’s House is open Wednesday to Sunday from 20 November to 24 December, plus Monday 7 and 21 December and Tuesday 8 and 22 December.
In addition to photos with Santa, young visitors can enjoy further Christmas-related events that change annually. Restaurant facilities are available. (Reservations via MOB GoldenPass).
On weekdays, expect to spend around 90 minutes at the summit and on busy weekends up to three hours, excluding the train ride.
Riding the Santa Claus Express from Montreux to Rochers-de-Naye
Unfortunately for families, traveling up to the summit of Rochers-de-Naye is not cheap. Furthermore, the Junior Card is not accepted, while the half-fare card gives only around CHF10 discount.
Visit Santa in 2026
In 2026, the special Santa package, including return fares on Santa’s train and basic admission charges from Montreux to Rochers-de-Naye, is:
- Adult: CHF49
- Swiss Half Fare Card: CHF39
- GA / day pass / Swiss Travel Pass: CHF20
- Child 6–15: CHF19 (The Junior Card is not valid on the Santa train!)
- Under 6 with reserved seat: CHF10
- Under 6 without seat: free
Sales begin 15 September 2026, and weekends usually sell out very quickly.
Seat reservations are essential for the outward journey, but free seating on the return ride.
In 2026, Santa’s House is open Wednesday to Sunday from 20 November to 24 December, plus Monday 7 and 21 December and Tuesday 8 and 22 December.
The train departs generally once per hour between around 10 am and 6 pm from Montreux and two hours later from Rochers-de-Naye. Seat reservations are essential. Last-minute reservations may be possible if space remains, but on weekends it may be necessary to book weeks in advance. Reservations are possible from mid-September. In 2025, 85% of seats sold out before the opening of the Christmas market, and the remaining slots sold out only a few days later.
Santa’s home at Rochers-de-Naye can only be reached by cogwheel train. The train ride from Montreux takes just less than an hour. It is a magical journey with the train passing through many tunnels and crossing several bridges with wonderful views. During the journey, the mountain train climbs around 1,600 m from Lake Geneva to near the top of the Alps.
Other Family-Friendly Activities at Montreux Christmas Market
Despite the cost, the train to Santa’s house on the summit of Rochers-de-Naye often books out, especially on weekends. Fortunately, there are many other family-friendly activities at the Marché du Noël in Montreux, including workshops and rides.
Santa Claus flies with his reindeer-pulled sleigh over the Montreux Christmas market every evening at 17:00, 18:00, and 19:00. (Also at 16:00 on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.) On 24 December, flights are at 16:00 and 17:00 only — thereafter Santa has something else to do.
The best place to watch Santa flying is on the lakeshore between the Freddie Mercury statue and the Ferris wheel.
The Village of Elves in nearby Villeneuve is also popular with families with smaller children, while the medieval market on some weekends at the wonderful Château de Chillon is worth the short ride (or even pleasant walk) from Montreux.
The Marché de Noël à Montreux is by far the best and largest Christmas market in the Lake Geneva region in Western Switzerland. Other large Christmas markets in the Lac Léman region are in Lausanne and Geneva, but these pale in comparison to the Marché de Noël à Montreux.
