We will greet you at the lobby of your accommodation in Geneva and invite you to spend a day in the gastronomic heart of Switzerland, the Gruyere region.
The region of Gruyères with the peaks of the Friborg Alps, green hills, and pastures for cows is the birthplace of the world-famous hard cheese Gruyère. Experience La Maison du Gruyère and delve into the secrets of the making of Le Gruyère.
This popular aromatic cheese has been produced according to the traditional recipe in the canton of Friborg for several centuries. It takes about 400 litres of fresh unpasteurized milk to produce one 35 kg cheese.
In the centre of the postcard landscape, between the slopes of Moleson and Dents-du-Chamois, is the medieval city of Gruyères. Inside the 13th-century castle is a museum covering eight centuries of the history, architecture, and culture of the region.
The second, smaller castle of Gruyères houses the museum of Hans Rudolf Giger. When the Swiss artist won an Oscar in 1980 for his creation of the monster character and set design for Alien, he suddenly gained worldwide fame and bought a beautiful Saint-Germain mansion in the centre of Gruyères. In 1998 Giger opened a museum in it, which exhibits an extensive collection of the artist's work. The museum's fantastical atmosphere echoes that of Giger's other brainchild, located across from Giger's bar, with alien sets, provocative paintings, sculptures, and furniture.
An important part of Gruyère's appeal - besides its picturesqueness, of course - is the busy life in the small town, where there are several restaurants serving local delicacies: fondue, raclette and, especially, desserts made with Gruyère cream.
At the end of our gastronomic journey, a sweet adventure awaits you at the Maison Cailler chocolate factory in the nearby town of Brok. Along the way, you will be able to learn the centuries-old history of local chocolate, discover many secrets of production, and be rewarded with an unforgettable tasting.