does anyone know where the freddie mercury statue is? i have heard its near montreux......is that right?

Yes, the lake / port side, you won't find any problem finding it

A statue in Montreux, Switzerland (by sculptor Irena Sedlecka) has been erected as a tribute to Mercury.[90] It stands 3 metres high overlooking Lake Geneva and was unveiled on 25 November 1996 by Freddie's father and Montserrat Caballé.[91] Beginning in 2003, fans from around the world gather in Switzerland annually to pay tribute to the singer as part of the "Freddie Mercury Montreux Memorial Day" on the first weekend of September

I'm a big fan of Queen and Freddie Mercury and saw the statue on my last visit to Montreux.

It's located at the lake and can't be missed.

Just to be really specific, when you exit the gare in Montreux, go out of the front entrance (direction centre ville), cross the street and look for some really, really steps just to your right that lead directly down to the lake. Once you get down there, turn left along the lake and it is about 3/4 of a kilometre down the lakefront, next to a big, barn-like pavilion.

You can't miss it. There are always a dozen people standing around it leaving flowers and taking pictures.

It is right next to the downtown market.

Yes definately there

Everyone beat me to it...

However, for future reference, if you go to Google maps and enter in 'Freddy Mercury Statue, Montreux', it is marked. (I tried to post a link but when I checked it after posting the link just directs to the Google maps search... stupid technology.)

I volunteer at a kiosque at Montreux each season, and I have to answer that question at least once every time I'm there!

I can also tell you where the debarcadaire is, where the nearest toilets / bank / postbox / supermarket / McDonalds is, how far it is to walk to the Chateau du Chillon (answer: from where our kiosque is: further than you think...), and every year I explain to confused tourists that Montreux doesn't really have a 'town centre'.

And, my favourite question so far this year:

Customer (last Saturday): Can you give me some information on the Montreux Blues Festival?

Me: The Montreux Blues Festival?!?

Needless to say, he was a little confused about the genre of music!

A close favourite from last year was the tourist who asked me where the 'water' was (English was not his first language, and he didn't speak French either). We had a long conversation about the lake (right behind him), the debarcadaire... but he still wasn't happy. I was clearly not getting the point he was trying to make. Eventually, he came back with one of the postcards on display - an 'arty' postcard with a photograph of a waterfall. Where, please, was the waterfall in question? I had some difficulty in explaining that these postcards showed scenes from all over Switzerland, and that sadly said waterfall was (according to the back) in German speaking Switzerland and was therefore not accessible on foot from Montreux.

Not that I'm poking fun at this tourist... it was just a lovely example of miscommunication on both sides!

The 'Pisse Vache' is not too far down the Rhone Valley. Yes it is the name of the nearest waterfall to Montreux

Freddie Mercury had a famously insatiable, extravagant sex drive.
He was even erected after his death.

Aparently he had a recording studio nearby Montreux/Lake Geneva, hence the statue.
I believe there's a statue of another British Queen in Montreux. Queen Victoria, and I've seen a statue of another British female royal on the coast road near an Anglican Church between Chateau Chillon and Montreux.
So either the Brits are popular there or that riviera is (or used to be) popular with the Brits, eg Byron and Shelley.

Taken on Tuesday!

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This coming Monday would have been Freddie Mercury's 65th birthday. In November it will be 20 years since he died. It is the 15th anniversary of his statue in Montreux. Queen also celebrate their 40th anniversary this year.

This weekend is Freddie Mercury Memorial Weekend in Montreux with a number of events and tribute bands playing from this evening.

Pictures from 2007 Memorial Weekend