Castle of Aigle & La Maison de La Dime

This is an absolutely stunning castle—a real jewel whose fairy-tale quality is further enhanced by its lovely setting on a gentle knoll wrapped by endless fields of manicured vineyards. The wines produced here are acclaimed as some of the best in Switzerland. The castle, which was built in the early part of the 13th century as a stronghold for the Counts of Savoy, would alone be worth a visit just because it is so picturesque, but it also features two museums and an exceptionally attractive restaurant. You cannot drive up to Aigle Castle so park your car below and walk up the road to it. The first museum is not in the castle, but rather housed in La Maison de La Dîme (Tithe House), positioned just across the street from the castle gate. As you enter La Maison de La Dîme, there is a charming restaurant, which makes a great lunch stop, particularly if it is a sunny day since it has a splendid outdoor terrace. Upstairs from the restaurant is the Wine Label Museum that displays wine labels from over 52 countries, dating from the early 19th century to the mid-20th century. It won’t take long to go through this museum since it is quite small. Don’t tarry because you need to allow plenty of time for the castle. Walk across the road from La Maison de La Dîme to the castle. As you enter into the courtyard there is a ticket office. One ticket suffices for entry both into the Wine Label Museum and the Castle. It is fun to begin your tour by a walk around the ramparts before exploring the many rooms of the castle. Your tour is self-guided and the rooms are all numbered, corresponding with those on the leaflet given to you as you enter that explains what you are seeing. There are 17 rooms in total, including the wine cellar, private living quarters, an art gallery, and a reconstruction of an 18th-century tavern.