The Gruyere Region – A Gentle-Hilly Landscape
The Gruyere region, the "middle south" of the canton Fribourg is an idyllic, gentle-hilly Pre-Alps region. It has a significant cattle economy and is famous as origin of the Gruyere cheese, my favourite by the way. The lake contributes to the pleasant landscape, a 14 km (8,6 miles) long, 9,6 km2 (3,7 square mile) large and 75 m (246 ft) deep reservoir. The river Saane flows right through the artificial lake. The beautiful sceneries, old small towns and living customs make this region to an attractive travel destination to explore. In the summertime, you will see many herds of cows gracing with their immense bells around their necks. The Town of Bulle About 27 km (16,7 miles) south of the city of Fribourg lies the French influenced town of Bulle with 11,000 inhabitants. The town is the administrative centre of the Gruyeres district. The classicistic townscape originated after the large fire of 1805. Significant buildings are the Catholic church of St. Pierre of 1816, the Capuchin’s chapel and the city hall. A typical "Carré-savoyard" plan shows the castle of Bulle which was built in the 13th century among the bishops of Lausanne. Close by is the museum with its especially interesting "Poyas" – big colourful farm paintings decorating stables and barns. In addition, you will also see various paintings of Swiss, Italian and French artists, among them from Vallotton, Courbet and Coron. In the town park, a monument reminds of the priest Joseph Bovet, a Fribourg composer. He wrote the song "La-haut sur la montagne" translated (up there on the mountain), which is found in every Swiss songbook. Lac de Gruyere One of the prettiest views overlooking the lake is from the Restoroute Restaurant/Motel. It is a perfect place to have lunch on their big terrace and enjoying the Fribourg Pre-Alps in the near distance.
The lake region offers different sports activities like golfing, tennis, fishing and biking or hiking around the lake. From the village of "Le Bry", you can participate in an hour-long excursion on a barge to discover the lake. Admire the cliffs of Rossens and venture onto dry land to visit the Ogoz Island with its restored chapel and medieval ruins. The Romantic Gruyere Castle The big attraction in the region is the village of Gruyeres 801 m (2627 ft)above sea level. This tiny village of only 1500 inhabitants is about 6 km (4 miles) to the south east of the town of Bulle. With its castle and the medieval fortress walls, embedded in green hills before the massifs of Moléson and Dent du Chamois, it offers a magnificent view. The richly furnished castle, rebuilt after a fire in 1493, was the residence of the Fribourg counts until 1798. To the highlights count choral skirts of the "knights of golden fleece" from the Burgundian wars. You can also see the legends-sought-after hand of an Egyptian mummy and the painted halls from the mid 19th century of C. Corot. In the second smaller "St. Germain castle" is the HR Giger museum. Here, you will discover the fantastic art of HR Giger who invented the horrific fantasy figures for the Hollywood movie "Alien". The museum houses the artist’s most important sculptures and pictures from 1960 to the present day. Also in the museum located is the Giger bar. Well-preserved houses from the 15th to the 17th century line up the main street. To emphasize is the "Maison de Chalamala" from 1531 with Renaissance double windows, which supposedly belonged to a court fool of the counts of Gruyere. People often visit this castle from the cities of Geneva Switzerland, Lausanne or Bern, especially on the weekends. Several restaurants serve food specialties from the Gruyere region. Swiss fondue, raclette and deserts made with the excellent double cream cheese. We were there last about two years ago with some friends after visiting Lake Geneva. Our friends really enjoyed raclette, chocolate fondue with different types of Swiss cheese. If you are on a diet, you may want to order another dish of Swiss food. For example, Roesti served with veal in a delicious mushroom cream sauce is a touch less heavy than cheese dishes. The Village of Moléson The Moléson, an impressive mountain summit lies in the south of the Gruyere region. At the bottom at an altitude of 1130 m (3707 ft) developed the village Moléson as a holiday resort with modern coinage. There are many beautiful Swiss chalets built mostly with wood. At the village, you have also the opportunity to visit an Alp Cheesery in a wooden house from the 17th century and a wax figures cabinet about the Swiss history. A funicular railway and a gondola bring you to the 2002 m (6568 ft) high Moléson summit. At the summit, a restaurant and an observatory compensates you with a marvellous panorama, which reaches from Mount Titlis up to Mont Blanc in France. The Village of Broc Located between the south end of Lake Gruyere and the Dent-de-Broc summit at 1833 m a.s.l. (6013 ft) is Broc, an industrial community of about 2,100 inhabitants. When driving into that small town, you notice almost immediately a sweet smell. Here produces the chocolate factory Cailler, which was founded in 1898 and today is owned by Nestlé. If you like chocolate, you should visit Cailler for a degustation of delicious Swiss chocolate, take a view in the factory and see the movie about chocolate making in the early days. Note: You can visit the chocolate factory only from May – October, Monday to Friday during business hours. The best time to visit the Gruyere region is from mid-May to mid-October. A system of tokens gives you access to different leisure activities. Families usually enjoy the rides on the Bobsleigh, Grass or Downhill Scooter or Minigolf. The Moléson ski area (2003 m / 6571 ft) is the largest in the canton of Fribourg. 35 km (21,7 miles) of pistes served with eight ski lifts offer not too steep slopes to suit you with your family. In the village of Charmey, a gondola takes you up to the Vounetz hill at 1627 m (5337 ft). Nearby is also the winter sports area of La Berra, worth a visit if you like skiing. If you travel to Switzerland for a day or two, visiting the "Gruyere Region" is well worth it. It is small, quiet and has a lot of charm. You will not only experience a quiet region with a perfectly maintained rolling green landscape but also many typical Swiss traditions. Besides, it is close to most cities in the French part of Switzerland and Bern – the capital. Return from Gruyere to Switzerland Attractions Return from Gruyere to High End Travel Switzerland
|
The castle was in possession of Counts from 1139 up until 1555. However, the last count indebted himself completely through his luxury lifestyle so that in 1555, he had to give his possession to the cities of Fribourg and Bern, the 