In 1952, Charlie Chaplin chose to settle at the Manoir de Ban in Corsier-sur-Vevey with his wife and children, 4 of whom were born in Switzerland. He lived there happily until 1977. In his memory, the famous bronze statue of The Tramp, created by the British sculptor John Doubleday, has been sitting on the quays of Vevey since 1982.
During his “Limelight” promotional tour in Europe, Charlie Chaplin (London 1889 - Vevey 1977) learnt that he would be refused re-entry to the United States because of McCarthyism.
He decided to settle in Vevey with his spouse and his children, four of whom were to be born in Switzerland. The family lived at Manoir du Ban in Corsier, a neoclassical mansion built in 1840 and surrounded by a vast 14 ha park with century-old trees. His children went to a Swiss local school and Charlie Chaplin, at the height of his career, directed and acted in “A King in New York” (1957) and “The Princess of Hong Kong” (1967).
Charlie Chaplin was one of the most creative talents in the era of silent movies. He was an actor, producer, screenwriter, writer and composer and was noticed by Hollywood mostly for his miming technique.
He rests next to his wife at the cemetery of Corsier. A bronze statue of The Tramp, on the lakeside promenade, reminds passers-by of his presence in Vevey.
