Rivaz Vd: Vineyards, Chasselas and Lavaux

Rivaz lies between vineyards and the lake. The village has preserved its historic layout and reflects the character of a typical wine-growing community. If you are looking for a hotel in Rivaz Vd, you can choose the focus of your stay based on what interests you most: Chasselas and wine culture, paths through the Lavaux wine landscape, or local cultural heritage.

Wine landscape and cultural heritage in Rivaz

Vineyards cover more than 70 percent of the area of Rivaz. The village lies entirely within the boundaries of “Lavaux, vineyard terraces”. It is the only municipality located wholly within this UNESCO World Heritage site. Lavaux is considered an exceptional example of the interaction between people and the environment. The terraced wine landscape is therefore more than just a backdrop: it is part of the cultural heritage that defines Rivaz.

The village’s history can also be read in its landmarks. The chapel of Rivaz dates from the 15th century. Its bell was cast between 1440 and 1450 and is considered the oldest in the region. If you are interested in local history as well as winegrowing, this chapel offers a different perspective on Rivaz from its vineyards and wine-tasting options.

Chasselas and Lavaux Vinorama

The Conservatoire du Chasselas showcases the variety of Chasselas foliage, colors and grape shapes in a 3,000-square-meter public promenade. The Conservatoire Mondial du Chasselas features 19 different Chasselas varieties alongside Fendant Roux. Five varieties are highlighted as particularly important to the development of Lavaux: Fendant roux, Vert de la Côte, Giclet, Blanchette and Bois rouges. This lets visitors experience the grape variety not just as a wine, but also through its different forms and its importance to the region.

Lavaux Vinorama is a visitor center for the wines and terraced viticulture of Lavaux. It presents nearly 300 wines from across the wine-growing region. The exhibition space shows, in just a few minutes, a whole year of the demanding work winemakers carry out in the vineyards. The center includes an indoor tasting area and a terrace overlooking Lake Geneva. Visitors can choose individual bottles, discover a weekly wine selection, or take part in a guided tasting. Check the visiting arrangements in advance if you are planning a visit.

Educational trail, walking tour or e-bike

The Route des Grands Crus de Lavaux is a three-kilometer educational trail about the centuries-old work of winemakers. Information panels, anecdotes and QR codes with additional content explain the Lavaux wine landscape. The route is particularly suitable if you would like to learn about the background of winegrowing.

Lavaux-Experience offers a different time frame: the walk through the terraced vineyards takes about an hour and provides insights into the work of winemakers. It ends with a wine tasting and a typical regional meal in Rivaz. The guided Lavaux e-bike tour, by contrast, is described as a 15-kilometer route through the wine-growing region, starting and ending in Rivaz. The start and end point is a three-minute walk from the railway station. The morning tour also includes a visit to a wine estate with a tasting of three wines.

The stated distances and durations help distinguish between the options: the Route des Grands Crus is three kilometers long, while the Lavaux-Experience walk takes about an hour. The e-bike tour is described as 15 kilometers long. When planning, you can therefore weigh up an educational trail, a guided walk and an e-bike tour without treating these different formats as equivalent.

Winemaking families and getting there

Around fifteen winemaking families live and work in Rivaz; some have been based there for several centuries. Fifteen wineries run by winemakers from the village span the Saint-Saphorin and Dézaley appellation and cru areas. This connection between the village and winegrowing is evident both in the families’ history and in the named wine-growing areas.

Rivaz is easily reached by car, train and boat, and has its own boat landing. Check the boat timetable before travelling. A small train runs down to Rivaz and then back up to Chexbres railway station; its operating dates vary by season. Another small train stays at higher elevations, offers views and makes a detour to Chardonne. Check the seasonal schedule for this service before your visit.

When choosing a hotel in Rivaz Vd, you can first decide whether Chasselas, the Lavaux cultural landscape, a walking tour or local history will shape your stay. The options differ in their stated formats and durations; choose whichever best fits your travel plans.

Discover more destinations: Cully Vd, Saint-Saphorin, Puidoux, Pully, Chexbres, Bussigny-sur-Oron, Bourg-En-Lavaux, Grandvaux Vd.

For the broader travel overview: Lavaux.