Gruyères is a picturesque town in the Swiss canton of Friborg, located in the district of Gruyère. Gruyères is located 33 km from the city of Friborg and 5 km from Bulle, at the entrance to the Intyamon valley. Like the city of Bulle, it occupies a position of contact between the Swiss Plateau and the Friborg Prealps.
The founder of the settlement is considered to be Gruerius, the leader of the Vandals. He was looking for fertile land where he could found a city. Rising by the banks of the Sarina River, he saw a beautiful place surrounded by mountains and generously illuminated by the sun. The land was uninhabited, however, Gruerius decided to lay the walls of the castle here.
According to legend, when the construction was completed, a snow-white crane fell from the sky. The leader saw in this a good omen, and from that day on, the coat of arms of Gruyerius and the modern city of Gruyeres has been adorned with a crane.
The medieval town is an important tourist destination at the entrance to the upper Saane valley.
Access : Coordinates: 46.583333, 7.083333 / The Swiss village of Gruyères is located in the Alps, 121 km from Geneva and 56 km from Lausanne.
Highlights :
- Gruyères Castle – Château de Gruyères : This castle was built in the 11th century and until the middle of the 16th century the comets of Gruyere lived here. Then the bankrupt 19th count broke out and his land was divided among the lords of Bern and Friborg
- La Maison de Grier : Dairy on the edge of the village, where the visitor can see how the local gruyere cheese is made, which resembles the Greek gruyere and is often confused with it.
- Church dedicated to Saint Theodule, consecrated in 1254 under Count Rudolph III of Gruyère. Scherrer historic organ. Ringing of 8 bells, on sib2, cast in the 19th century by Constant and Charles Arnoux de Morteau, then completed in 2004 by Paccard d’Annecy./ Chapel dedicated to Saint Sebastian and Saint Roch, known as the Cradle Chapel, built in 1612 after the plague epidemic.
- Gruyères Castle Museum, medieval castle to visit. The visit offers a walk through eight centuries of architecture, history and culture (multimedia room)./ Tibet Museum (Gruyères) on Tibetan Buddhist art, founded in 20096. / “La Maison du Gruyère” museum, cheese making and history. / HR Giger Museum, dedicated to Hans Ruedi Giger the creator of Alien (Château Saint-Germain).
- Gastronomy :Gruyeres is a gastronomic region in Switzerland, where you can watch how cheese is made. ,The commune is surely known for the production of Gruyère cheese, one of the most appreciated cheeses in Switzerland, protected by an AOC. Other types of cheese are also produced such as Vacherin fribourgeois, also protected by a Swiss AOC.
- Mountain landscapes attract hikers and bike lovers. There are many tourist trails here, walking along which one can hear fascinating local legends. There is a trail on which sculptures carved from stone with a chainsaw have been preserved.
Go next : Moleson ski resort : The largest ski area, Moleson, is located near the town of Gruyeres / Fribourg – capital of the canton of Fribourg in Switzerland.
