The highlights
Freddie Tour
Discover the musical history of Montreux and Freddie Mercury and Queen’s stays through fascinating facts, stories and anecdotes during a walk by Lake Geneva.
On requestFor your class
Plan this visit
A cultural school trip to Montreux
The story of Queen.
Discover it with your class.
An interactive guided tour exploring Montreux’s musical history and Freddie Mercury’s connection with the town.
- Local guide
- Audio guide in 6 languages
- Easy walk
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The interactive Freddie Tours give students a fun way to discover Montreux's rich musical history and the close connection between Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of the band Queen, and the town.
- Participants are accompanied by a guide, a Montreux native with a strong connection to Queen's musical world.
- Authentic and previously unheard explanations and anecdotes thanks to the testimony of Peter Freestone, Freddie Mercury's personal assistant for 12 years, with whom the guide has been in regular contact for over 20 years.
- Interactive audio guides in 6 languages: French, English (with Peter Freestone's voice), German, Italian, Spanish and Russian, as well as exclusive photos and videos broadcast throughout the visit to better immerse themselves in the Montreux of the 1980s.
- A tour of the town's iconic locations, suitable for everyone, including the Mountain Studios at Montreux Casino where Queen's greatest albums were recorded. The Freddie Tours end at the lakeside in front of the famous Freddie Mercury statue.
Freddie Tours in the press and media
Since their launch in 2020, Freddie Tour has been featured in numerous press articles and reports broadcast on national and international television channels.
Benefits for schools & school trips
Freddie Tours introduce pupils to a chapter of music history that unfolded close to home and remains little known to the general public.
The guide adapts the tour to the class’s level, from primary through upper secondary school. With younger pupils, he uses anecdotes and clear explanations to keep their attention.
A school outing, excursion or cultural trip can offer a different way to learn. The aim is for pupils to remember what they have discovered and want to find out more.
Visits take place throughout the year or during the school holidays.
French-speaking pupils learning English can take the entire tour in that language. The English version of the interactive audioguides was recorded by Peter Freestone, Freddie Mercury’s personal assistant for twelve years. Pupils can practise their English as they discover the places on the route and listen to his account of Freddie Mercury’s life and Queen’s history.
On school visits, Freddie Tours are extended to allow students to visit the "Queen: The Studio Experience" exhibition, located in the Casino Barrière de Montreux.
All equipment is included
The multimedia audioguide features exclusive photos and videos, along with stories, anecdotes and music throughout the walk. Headphones, their cable and a neck strap are provided so you can enjoy all this content comfortably.
The audio guide works automatically, with no settings to adjust. All you have to do is enjoy the experience.
Discover Montreux with your class
Two routes for a school trip exploring Freddie Mercury and Queen. The visit is tailored to your class and learning objectives.
Pedagogical approaches and ideas
To further enrich the experience, Freddie Tours suggests a variety of teaching approaches that can be carried out in the classroom before or after the visit, to maximise student learning and engagement.
Although this activity seems to be aimed primarily at music teachers, it offers all teachers ways of integrating Freddie Tours into their curriculum, as it explores a variety of themes.
A journey through history and geography
Explore the iconic sites of Montreux and immerse yourself in their rich past through captivating anecdotes.
- The 1971 fire at the Montreux Casino and its influence on Deep Purple's famous song Smoke on The Water.
- The presence of many famous artists and musicians in Montreux.
- The cover of Made In Heaven, Queen's last album, depicting the majestic mountains overlooking Montreux.
An interactive musical experience
- Made in Heaven and Mother Love: students can remix these songs on the mixing desk at Queen – The Studio Experience, a highlight of the visit.
- A Winter's Tale: the last song written by Freddie Mercury is a direct reference to Montreux and its enchanting landscapes.
Film screenings
Teachers have the opportunity to screen the Oscar-winning film, "Bohemian Rhapsody", released in 2018, starring Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury, in class.
It tells the story of the legendary band Queen and its charismatic lead singer. This film offers a valuable cultural and musical complement to the Freddie Tours guided tours, helping students to gain a deeper understanding of Queen's influence on the history of music.
In addition, Queen's latest video clip, "Face It Alone", filmed in Montreux, and the documentary "They all came out to Montreux", available in three 50-minute episodes, tell the incredible story of Claude Nobs and the Montreux Jazz Festival.
For more information, please contact Freddie Tours.
Contact
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