Intro
The Gruyère region, with its rolling green landscape and the peaks of the Fribourg Pre-Alps, is home to the world-famous Gruyère cheese. The picture-book little medieval town of Gruyères is perched atop a small hill.
La Gruyère at a glance
The peaceful scenery of the Gruyère region, with the Lake of Gruyère – one of the finest artificial lakes in Switzerland – is home to the black and white Fribourg cows which provide the milk for the strongly flavoured Gruyère cheese. In the middle of this picture postcard scenery, nestling between the slopes of the Moléson and the Dent du Chamois, rises the medieval, traffic-free little town of Gruyères, with its castle, surrounded by a fortified wall.
Inside the 13th century castle is a museum covering eight centuries of the architecture, history and culture of the region. In the second, smaller castle in Gruyères, St. Germain, is the HR Giger museum. It was Giger who designed the horrific fantasy figures for the Hollywood film "Alien". The museum houses the artist's most important pictures and sculptures from 1960 to the present day, and there is also an HR Giger bar.
An important part in the picturesque overall scene in the little town is played by the several restaurants serving specialities from the Gruyère region: fondue, raclette and, especially, desserts made with the excellent Gruyère double cream.
In the modern show cheesery at Gruyères you can see how the tasty Gruyère cheese is made. And to round off the tour of culinary delights: for those with a sweet tooth it would be worth taking a guided tour round the Maison Cailler The Swiss Chocolate factory in nearby Broc.
