How to resist mountain cheese? Dairy producers from the Alps know how to create unattainable delicacies. Not only on our side of the Alps but also on the other side, the Swiss side. One of the best cheeses ever is Gruyere (or Gruyere), which is produced in Gruyères, a village nestled among green valleys at the foot of the Friborg foothills. Among the attractions of this city, not only cheese stands out: the entire historic center has a special architectural beauty, above which stands out the medieval castle. It is no coincidence that the village is part of the “Most Beautiful Village of Switzerland” association. And now we’re off to visit him!
To Gruyères by motorbike, itinerary
From there, you can reach Gruyères in approximately two and a half hours Aosta. From the capital of the Aosta Valley, take the SS27 state road until you reach the San Bernardo Tunnel. Follow it and continue along the Swiss road no. 21, to Martigny. From there follow the A9 motorway along Lake Geneva. Take the A12 motorway to the right Bull and exit at the intersection. Take the Route du Jaun and follow the Route de la Tour to go up Gruyères. Remember that Swiss motorways are regulated by a mechanism Cartoons, i.e. the only permit that is valid for the whole year – the rate for 2023 is 40 CHF (Swiss francs), which corresponds to approximately 42 euros. The document can be purchased online or at some points of sale before the border.
All the attractions of Gruyères, the cheese village
Gruyere (Gruyère), is a medium-hard matured Swiss cheese.
Gruyères is located at an altitude of 810 meters above sea level Canton of Fribourg and has the status of a town in the district of Gruyère. The medieval center is closed to traffic and stands on a hill below the Moléson and Dent du Chamois reliefs. All over the city, there are small restaurants where you can taste local specialties prepared with the typical cheese: fondue, raclette, and desserts prepared with Gruyère double cream.
Dairy La Maison du Gruyère
To learn more about the main attraction of the village – Gruyere – we recommend visiting the modern dairy open to the public, La Maison du Gruyère (Place de la Gare 3, Pringy, entry 7 Swiss francs) which offers visits where you can witness cheese making by cheese makers. It is located in Pringy-Gruyeres, at the foot of the castle hill, near the place where the black-and-white mottled Friborg cows graze. It is a place where we witness the miracle of dairy art, renewed every day and passed down from generation to generation.
Castle of Gruyères
Castles of Gruyères
Built-in the 13th century and then rebuilt at the end of the 15th century. Castle of Gruyeres (Rue du Château 8, item 12 Swiss francs) houses a museum that documents the architecture, history, and culture of the region. There is also a second castle in the locality, the so-called St. Germaine where the “HR Giger” museum is set up, dedicated to the Swiss artist who created the monsters of the Hollywood saga Alien: there are illustrations, backdrops, ornaments, and ghostly sculptures. There is also a bar where you can have a drink under a bone vault!
Tiber museum
Near the HR Giger, in the heart of the historic center, is the Tibetan Museum – Fondation Alain Bordier (Rue du Château 4, entry CHF 10). It is the complete opposite of the “Alien Museum”: here is an amazing collection of Buddhist sacred art assembled by Alain Bordier, with more than 300 pieces of Himalayan art. The perfect place to breathe in the atmosphere of tranquility and contemplate the divine until the irresistible cheese craving returns!
Pedestrian street of the historic village
