Easy hike to Gruyères Castle
Intro
Gruyères Castle, once belonging to the counts, presides over the medieval town of Gruyères from the top of the hill. The small historic town lies 100 m above the Saane, and that is right where this hike is headed.
Description
Your hike through the village of Neirivue in the canton of Freiburg is accompanied by the chime of cow bells. Only appropriate, with the majority of the trail leading across cow fields. It isn't surprising, as the region is one of the greatest cheese producers in Switzerland.
Fields are followed by tarmacked roads and forest trails, making this route pleasantly diverse underfoot with a good balance of ascent and descent. After the last forest stretch, catch your first glimpse of the grand Gruyères Castle.
The ascent to the town follows swiftly afterwards, where you can treat yourself to a meringue and Gruyères double-cream dessert. The multimedia show in the castle museum offers a good introduction to the eight centuries of architecture, history and culture of Gruyères Castle.
The castle, built in the 13th century, was home to a long sequence of counts of Gruyère until it was declared bankrupt by the last count in 1554. The property was then split between the cities of Fribourg and Bern. The counts were then followed by Fribourg's castle bailiffs, the prefects and the Bovy and Balland families, until the Freiburg government bought the castle back in 1938 and founded today's museum.
This hike was suggested by: the Swiss Castles Association and the Swiss Hiking Trail Federation
An enjoyable tour includes the careful planning of the same. Please inform yourself in advance at the local information center about the route and weather conditions. Depending on the season and weather conditions, this route may be blocked or interrupted
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Along castles
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