Special opening hours: 22–26 July 2026

While families enjoy the magic of Festival au Pays des Enfants Château d’Oex, St. Peter’s Anglican Church invites you to discover a hidden gem of local history and find a haven of peace between festival activities.

Byron, Queen Victoria, the Matterhorn — and 68,000 Great War prisoners. Discover how the English, in love with the Alps, built this little Victorian church in the heart of Château-d’Œx. Read the story ↓

Located just a 5-minute walk from the main festival attractions on Grand Rue 49, St. Peter’s offers families a peaceful space to rest and explore during the busy festival days. Our historic church will be specially open to welcome festival visitors with free entry.

Opening Hours During the Festival

Detailed opening hours: to be confirmed shortly. The church will be open to families during the festival, from Wednesday 22 to Sunday 26 July 2026. Exact times will be posted here and on our Facebook page — please check back soon.

A Remarkable History: From Romantic Paradise to Victorian Resort

How the Alps Became a British Obsession

‘Wanderer above the Sea of Fog’ by Caspar David Friedrich — ‘Wanderer above the Sea of Fog’ (C. D. Friedrich, c. 1818) — the Romantics remade the Alps as a place of the sublime.

Before the 19th century, the Swiss Alps were viewed as a haunted, dangerous wilderness – “the broken Ruins of the former World” as one poet described them. Mountains were seen as divine punishment, reminders of humanity’s fall from grace. But the Romantic movement completely transformed this perception.

It began with writers like Jean-Jacques Rousseau, whose writings portrayed Switzerland as a land of natural beauty and authentic values – freedom, democracy, and harmony. Then came the British Romantic poets. In 1816, Lord Byron and the Shelleys spent their famous “haunted summer” on Lake Geneva, where Mary Shelley conceived Frankenstein during terrible storms. Byron’s poems about Switzerland became instant bestsellers, making places like Château de Chillon tourist destinations that remain popular today.

Portrait of Lord Byron by Thomas Phillips — Lord Byron, whose ‘haunted summer’ of 1816 on Lake Geneva made these mountains famous across Britain.

The British were captivated. Having nothing like it at home, and thanks to this huge romantic movement with Turner, Wordsworth and Byron writing and painting about them, the Alps had become what the Romantics saw as the sublime – a place where one could experience both terror and beauty, finding spiritual renewal in nature’s grandeur.

The Birth of Alpine Tourism

Thomas Cook tours poster to Switzerland — A Thomas Cook poster — from 1863, the first organised tours brought Britons to the Alps in their thousands.

This romantic fascination sparked a tourism revolution. Thomas Cook organized the first package tour to Switzerland in 1863, opening the floodgates. As one historian noted, Switzerland then, outside Zurich, Geneva and the main centers, was relatively poor. Half the people lived off the land and earned next to nothing. But tourism brought money to exactly the areas that didn’t have it before, the rural areas.

Queen Victoria touring Switzerland — Queen Victoria toured Switzerland in 1868 — and where royalty went, British travellers hurried after.

Château d’Oex quickly became a favorite destination, even before modern transport arrived. Victorian families made the arduous journey by foot or horseback over the Col de Jaman pass, determined to experience the Alpine paradise the Romantics had described. By 1866 – nearly 40 years before the railway arrived – the English community was already so established that they had their own chaplain holding services in hotel lounges. The chaplains would stay for a month or two during the summer season, conducting services for families staying at the Hotel Berthod and other establishments.

The first ascent of the Matterhorn, engraving by Edward Whymper — The first ascent of the Matterhorn (1865) — the British came to love the peaks so much that they began to climb them.

When the MOB (Montreux-Oberland Bernois) railway finally reached Château d’Oex in 1904, it transformed accessibility, bringing even more visitors. But it was those early pioneers, inspired by Romantic literature and willing to endure difficult mountain passes, who first established Château d’Oex as an English-speaking destination. By the 1890s, this community had grown so large and permanent that they needed their own church – and St. Peter’s was born in 1899, built in just two months to serve this growing congregation of Alpine enthusiasts.

The WWI Story: Switzerland’s Great Humanitarian Mission

British prisoners of war interned at Château-d’Œx in 1916 — 1916: wounded British prisoners of war, interned at Château-d’Œx — St. Peter’s stood at the heart of their care.

One of our most moving historical episodes reflects Switzerland’s extraordinary humanitarian role during World War I. In 1916, Château d’Oex became part of a remarkable international effort that saw Switzerland welcome 68,000 wounded and sick prisoners of war from all warring nations – a groundbreaking humanitarian initiative coordinated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Swiss government.

This wasn’t just about British soldiers. Between January 1916 and August 1919, Switzerland transformed into a vast hospital, welcoming 37,515 French, 21,000 Germans, 4,326 Belgians, and 4,081 British soldiers. What made this possible was Switzerland’s unique position as a neutral nation and the diplomatic efforts of Gustav Ador, president of the ICRC, working with Pope Benedict XV and the Swiss Federal Council.

The arrangement was revolutionary: instead of languishing in harsh prison camps where disease was rampant, wounded and sick prisoners who were too injured for military service but not ill enough for repatriation were sent to recover in Swiss mountain resorts. The warring nations paid for their soldiers’ care, which saved the Swiss tourism industry devastated by the war.

Château d’Oex welcomed its first British contingent on May 30, 1916 – 216 soldiers and 30 officers. The scenes at their arrival were unforgettable: thousands of Swiss citizens crowded railway stations from Constance to Montreux, showering the trains with flowers, chocolates, and cigarettes. One soldier told the British Minister, “God bless you, Sir: it’s like dropping right into ‘eaven from ‘ell.”

St. Peter’s Anglican Church became the spiritual home for these British soldiers. Rev. E. Dudley Lampen was officially appointed by the Swiss government to oversee their spiritual welfare. The church was so packed that additional halls had to be hired. In 1917, recognizing the soldiers’ needs, a beautiful Goll organ was installed – funded by donations from Times readers who responded to the chaplain’s appeal.

This Swiss internment program established Switzerland’s reputation for humanitarian action and demonstrated how neutral nations could alleviate suffering even during total war. For the internees, it meant proper medical care, decent food, freedom to move within village limits, and for officers, even visits from their wives. The program became a model for humanitarian treatment that influenced the Geneva Conventions we know today.

Our church memorial plaque and the 1917 organ remain as testimonies to when Château d’Oex played its part in what one historian called Switzerland’s “Labour of Love” – proof that even in humanity’s darkest hours, compassion can prevail.

Practical Information for Festival Visitors

Location and Access

Address: Grand Rue 49, 1660 Château d’Oex
From Festival Area: 5-minute walk along Grand Rue
Parking: Limited street parking nearby; festival parking areas within walking distance
Accessibility: Ground floor access available

A Bridge Between Cultures

For over a century, St. Peter’s has served as a bridge between the international English-speaking community and the local Swiss population. From Victorian holidaymakers to modern-day residents and visitors, the church continues to welcome people of all backgrounds.

During the festival, we’re delighted to open our doors to the wider community, offering a glimpse into this unique aspect of Château d’Oex’s multicultural heritage.

Everyone Welcome

Whether you’re seeking a quiet moment between festival activities, interested in local history, or simply curious about this English church in the heart of the Pays d’Enhaut, you’re warmly welcome at St. Peter’s.

No reservation needed – simply drop in during our open hours. There’s no charge for visiting, and you’re under no obligation to stay for any particular length of time.

Beyond the Festival

If you enjoy your visit during the festival, you’re always welcome to join us for our regular Sunday services at 5:30 PM, conducted in English. Our congregation includes long-term residents, seasonal visitors, and Swiss locals who enjoy worshipping in English.

Discover this fascinating history and more during Festival au Pays des Enfants!

St. Peter’s Anglican Church
Grand Rue 49, 1660 Château d’Oex
Website: www.stpeters.ch
Minister: Rev. Mark Fletcher

A warm welcome awaits you – where Byron’s romantics meet modern families, and history lives on in our Alpine village.