My Visit to Chaplin’s Studios and Grave in Switzerland
Relive the magic of Chaplin! Follow my emotional visit to his Swiss studios and his peaceful grave. Discover the story behind the silent film genius.
This article is a continuation of my visit to Charles Chaplin’s house, located in Vevey, Switzerland. In the first part of the article, I talked about the gardens and the house. In this part, I will talk about the visit to the Chaplin Studios, a structure located outside the house that reproduces scenes from his films.
The Chaplin Studio
Leaving Chaplin’s house, there is still another space to be visited: the Chaplin studio offers an incredible experience. After watching a short video that shows several moments of the director’s career. This introduction with a film is important to prepare visitors for what is to come. It serves to remind those who know him of his career, and to introduce the character Charlie Chaplin to those who may have never seen him.
When the film ends, the screen goes up and we are invited to enter the studios. Right away I saw a scene that reminds me of his childhood in London. There is even a doll of his mother, Hannah Chaplin.
This part is a reference to the actor’s childhood, spent in London. It also refers to the beginning of his career, when he was part of several troupes. The most famous of these was Karno’s troupe, which ended up giving him the opportunity to go to America. The scene features posters and streets.
In this same shot we have the scenes that refer to the film The Kid (1921), featuring the wax figures of Tom Wilson and Jackie Coogan. In this part we also see the reproduction of the fourth scene from the film:
Some more scene reproductions, all interactive:
In the last part of the studio we have the cherry on the cake: One of the costumes used by Chaplin in some of his films: the clothes, the cane, the hat:
Leaving the studios, you can also stop by the official shop that sells various types of souvenirs: books, posters, chocolates, snow globes, markers, walking sticks, shirts, wind-up dolls, larger dolls, mugs, postcards. In short, lots of stuff.
I spent some time in the café located inside the complex. Well, I went back to the gardens and stayed there for a good while longer, philosophizing and promising to return very soon.
Visit to the Cemetery where Chaplin is buried
Everything is very close, but I noticed that if you go by bus, the route may not be so easy if you are not accompanied by a local. The Cimetière de Corsier-sur-Vevey is in the middle of a village, with access through small streets. Since there are not many people to tell you about the place, it may take you a little longer to find it. But what you see on the streets will make up for it. Vevey is a very pleasant place to get lost.
Well, the cemetery of Corsier-sur-Vevey is small and its graves are simple. The actor James Mason is also buried there. But I couldn’t find his grave (yes, I looked around a bit). Chaplin is buried next to Oona Chaplin, his last wife. In front of it there is a bench where you can sit and observe the place. That’s what I did for a good few minutes.
If you go to Vevey, don’t forget to visit the Chaplin statue located in front of the Nestlé Museum. For those who don’t know, it was in Vevey that the famous factory was founded. The statue faces Lake Leman:
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