Alongside great food and the chance to buy some charming trinkets, anyone who visits the Montreux Christmas Market gets the opportunity to see Samichlaus, with the big man’s house only a quick mountain railway ride away at Rochers-de-Naye. Now, the market has revealed that the mountainside near his home will be lit up with his image this year, in what organisers hope will be the largest Santa Claus ever projected.
With the 20th anniversary of Santa’s House at Rochers-de-Naye fast approaching, the organisers of arguably the most stunning Christmas market in Switzerland want to do something really special to mark the occasion. Since 2002, more than 200.000 children have made the trip up the mountain to visit Santa to ask for presents - which they only recieve as long as they’ve been good, of course.
Now, according to Le Matin, a projection of Santa himself will light up the 2.000-metre-high mountainside of Rochers-de-Naye, Canton Vaud. The event will be run by the famous Swiss projection artist Gerry Hofstetter and promises to be the largest Santa Claus in the world.
Hofstetter himself is famous for his light projections on the Matterhorn, most notably to commemorate the passing of Queen Elizabeth the Second in 2022. He has also illuminated the Federal Palace in Bern on several occasions, as well as famous buildings, historical sites and landmarks in Switzerland and around the world.
The projection is expected to run in the evening at some point between November 27 and December 1 - the organisers explained that the show will be very dependent on the weather. Budding visitors are encouraged to look for regular updates and book their place on the train up to Rochers-de-Naye via the MOB website.