Château d'Oron hosts meetings, seminars, trainings, civil weddings, birthdays, receptions and banquets in a castle built at the end of the twelfth century, in Oron-le-Châtel, canton of Vaud. Seven spaces are available, from a seminar room of 40 seats to an outer courtyard that takes 300 people for a standing aperitif.
Seminars and company events
The Salle des Oron is the working room. It seats up to 40 for a seminar or up to 100 for a conference. For larger gatherings, the Salle de Justice seats 170 and is used for meals, banquets, presentations and concerts. It has a large fireplace. The Salle des Gardes seats 60 for meals, banquets, presentations and concerts, and also has a fireplace. The Salle des Voûtes seats 50 and comes with a bar. La Chapelle, a room that continues the Salle de Justice and has no fireplace, takes up to 50 people. Photos of each room and floor plans of the ground floor and the lower level are on the castle's events page.
Weddings and receptions
The castle is approved for civil weddings. The wedding hall holds up to 100 people. The ceremony lasts about 90 minutes and is arranged with the registrar, with a choice of music, guest speeches and readings. Weddings take place every day of the week except Sundays and public holidays, and couples do not need to live in Switzerland. The aperitif, and even the wedding banquet, can be held on site. Administrative steps go through the cantonal civil registry. Confetti, rice and petals, natural or synthetic, are not allowed. Soap bubbles are.
Rooms and capacities
Outer courtyard: up to 300 people for an aperitif. Covered inner courtyard: about 200 people for an aperitif. Salle de Justice: 170 seated. Salle des Gardes: 60 seated. Salle des Voûtes: 50 seated, with a bar. Salle des Oron: 40 seated for a seminar, 100 seated for a conference. La Chapelle: up to 50 people. Wedding hall: up to 100 people. The castle also lists parking next to the building at no charge.
Catering
The castle names no in-house kitchen. Three caterers are approved for events there: Events et Saveurs, La Chenille Gourmande Sàrl and La Rouvraie. Ask the team which one fits a seated dinner in the Salle de Justice and which one fits a standing aperitif in the courtyards.
History and setting
The castle was built at the end of the twelfth century and has stood over the region for more than nine centuries. The Association pour la Conservation du Château d'Oron has looked after it since 1936. It is a Swiss cultural property of national significance, class A. Its historic apartments, collections and a library of nearly 18,000 old books are open to the public, and the castle also hosts exhibitions, concerts, conferences and guided visits through the year.
Getting there
The address is Chemin du Château 1, 1608 Oron-le-Châtel, Switzerland. Free parking is available next to the castle. The castle secretariat answers questions on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
