Cully Vd lies on the northern shore of Lake Geneva in the canton of Vaud, within the Lavaux landscape. Vine-covered terraces and protected cultural heritage give the village its distinctive character; seasonal offerings and festivals add further highlights. When choosing when to travel, it is therefore worth considering whether you would most like to experience the landscape, the village’s history or a particular event.

Lake Geneva and the vineyard landscape

Cully is one of eleven places in Lavaux classified as being of national importance. The vineyard landscape around Cully consists of terraces supported and bordered by walls. These walls stabilize the slope, slow water runoff and create cultivable land. Across the wider Lavaux lakeshore, the landscape also includes harbors, parks, landing stages and walking paths; Cully itself has a landing stage regularly served by CGN boats during the season.

The former municipality of Cully extended from the lakeshore across the steep slopes of Lavaux to a high plateau, reaching an elevation of 925 meters at Mont de Gourze. This figure refers to the former municipal area. The territory of Cully also includes a watershed between the Rhine and Rhône basins, about two kilometers north of the shore of Lake Geneva.

Local history and protected heritage

Cully was first mentioned in writing in 967 under the name Cusliacum. Human activity here dates back to the Neolithic period; surviving walls and coins date from the Roman era. A prominent landmark is the Reformed Church, formerly Saint-Étienne: it is protected as cultural heritage and features stained-glass windows and a 15th-century bell tower.

Smaller sites in the village also tell its story. The protected Fontaine de la Justice basin dates from 1643. The also-protected Chapelle de l'ancien hôpital has stained-glass windows; associated with the chapel is the protected 16th-century fresco “The Judgment of Solomon.” On Place d'Armes, the protected Davel Monument, dating from 1841, commemorates another chapter in the village’s history. Le CINQ adds to these historic sites as a venue for temporary exhibitions in the central village square.

Market, wine and music

Every Sunday in summer, a large Sunday market takes place on the lakeshore. A different winemaker presents their wines each week, alongside prepared food, crafts and local products. Dates and opening details may change, so check the information before your visit. The Caveau de Cully is a winemakers’ bar open seasonally, offering wine tastings. It is open Thursday to Sunday from 5 to 9 p.m. between May and October; check these opening hours before your trip as well.

In spring, jazz takes center stage in the historic village during the eight-day Cully Jazz Festival. Founded in 1983, the festival brings jazz, R'n'B, soul and traditional world music to intimate wine cellars and large stages; the program varies from one edition to the next. Lavaux Classic is a classical music festival founded in 2004. Cully is one of its venues; for 2027, a festival period from June 17 to 27 is listed there. Thus, the highlights fall at different times of year: the Sunday market in summer, the jazz festival in spring and the stated Lavaux Classic period in June 2027.

Getting here and guided tours

Cully is served by a railway station on the Simplon line. CGN boats also call regularly at its landing stage during the season. Check the current timetables when planning your journey by train or boat; boat services are seasonal.

Lavaux Relax is a public guided tour of the village center. It follows picturesque lanes between the lake and vineyards and avoids steep inclines and rough paths. The tour is intended for families with strollers and people with reduced mobility. It runs seasonally; before booking, check the current tour description and its accessibility information.

Discover more destinations: Bussigny-sur-Oron, Pully, Puidoux, Bourg-En-Lavaux, Lutry, Rivaz Vd, Chexbres, Saint-Saphorin.

For the broader travel overview: Lavaux.