Montreux - Geography

Geography

Montreux has an area, as of 2009, of 33.4 square kilometers (12.9 sq mi). Of this area, 8.47 km2 (3.27 sq mi) or 25.4% is used for agricultural purposes, while 16.93 km2 (6.54 sq mi) or 50.7% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 6.37 km2 (2.46 sq mi) or 19.1% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.08 km2 (20 acres) or 0.2% is either rivers or lakes and 1.59 km2 (0.61 sq mi) or 4.8% is unproductive land.

Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 10.9% and transportation infrastructure made up 6.3%. Out of the forested land, 47.0% of the total land area is heavily forested and 3.1% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 0.4% is used for growing crops and 8.8% is pastures, while 1.6% is used for orchards or vine crops and 14.7% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is flowing water.

The municipality was part of the Vevey District until it was dissolved on 31 August 2006, and Montreux became part of the new district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut.

The municipality stretches from Lake Geneva to the foothills of the Swiss Alps (Rochers-de-Naye). It includes the former municipalities of Montreux-Les Planches (until 1952 Les Planches) and Montreux-Le Châtelard (until 1952 Le Châtelard). In was formed in 1962 with the merger of the two former municipalities.