Gruyères is one of Switzerland’s most famous medieval towns, located in the canton of Fribourg. In addition to being famous for the cheese with the same name, the town itself is a wonderful place to spend some time.
The town of La Gruyère gave its name to the region and to the fine cheese known as Gruyère AOP.
In this small medieval town, you will find its own castle, medieval buildings, a chalet where you can take a break to have cheese, fountains, and local shops.
Gruyères Region
The Gruyères region is in the pre-Alps of canton Fribourg. Traditional costumes, local songs, theater, and events such as “Poya” are still popular in this region. Poya involves the traditional ascent of animals to mountain pastures in spring.
French is the dominant language in the Gruyères region. Around 60% of the French-speaking population is also able to communicate in German. And there is only one German-speaking place in the Gruyères region – Jaun.
The Gruyères region of Switzerland has a much more manageable number of tourists than areas of Bernese Oberland or Valais. Even so, there are still many beautiful trails in the Gastlosen and Vanil Noir areas.
Furthermore, the mountains nearby (Moléson and Dent du Chamois) surround the Gruyères castle in a very beautiful setting.
This area has a deep reservoir lake called Lac de la Gruyère that receives its water from the Saane/Sarine River. In this area, there is a beautiful little island named Ogoz, on which you will find the ruins of a medieval fortress as well as a small chapel. The town of Gruyères itself is also a popular tourist destination in the Gruyères region.
The region is well-known for its product – the Gruyère cheese. The cheese is a sweet but somewhat salty hard-yellow Swiss cheese.
The flavors change as the cheese gets older. Gruyères cheese may be used in baking, fondues, French onion soup, ham and cheese sandwiches, salads, and pasta. This cheese is commonly available in practically any large or medium-sized supermarket in the country. It is the most widely consumed Swiss cheese in Switzerland and in some places in Europe.
Gruyères Town
A major attraction in the Gruyères region, if not the main attraction itself, is Gruyères, an old medieval town. It is located around 6 kilometers southeast of Bulle.
Gruyères is a 28.4-square-kilometer rural area with just about 5% of the land populated. The majority of the land is either forested or used for agriculture.
The town itself has several sites of national significance. These include the following:
- The entire town center of Gruyères
- The town fortifications
- The Gruyeres Castle – currently houses a museum and is open to the public
- The Saint-Germain Castle – currently houses the HR Giger Museum
- The houses at Rue du Bourg 7, 39, and 47
- The Grange du Laviau – a barn
Only 810 meters above sea level, it is not a particularly high region. The settlement is situated on top of a small hill in the Moléson foothills.
Houses from the 15th to 17th centuries line the main street. By not building extremely modern buildings, they have preserved the medieval look of the town.
In the heart of the medieval town of Gruyeres, the Alain Bordier Foundation opened a Tibet Museum. The exhibit features Buddhist artwork from the Himalayan region, including sculptures, paintings, and ritual objects. It is located in the renovated chapel of St. Joseph. From April to October, the museum is open daily from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
You can also see the work of Swiss artist HR Giger in the St-Germain castle. He won an Academy Award for his work on Alien. His works are displayed in the Musée HR Giger. These include paintings, sculptures, furniture, and film sets. It is a truly fascinating place to visit.
Chalet de Gruyères is our preferred restaurant in town. In this gorgeous wooden chalet, we’ve always loved ordering classic cheese dishes.
The waiters and waitresses are even dressed in traditional garb. It has a great ambiance, and the food is excellent. It’s something I’d strongly recommend.
Gruyères Castle
An imposing structure set atop a little hill in the foothills of the Alps, the Gruyères Castle is a beautiful structure. This castle is one of the best in the country and is a Swiss landmark of national significance.
The castle was the residence of the Count of Gruyeres between 1139 and 1555. He was forced to surrender his castle to Fribourg and Bern due to his debts. Having been burned in 1493, the castle was rebuilt and used by the Bailiff until 1798.
In 1938, the canton of Fribourg repurchased the castle, turned it into a museum, and opened it to the public.
Beautiful paintings and furnishings adorn the interior of the castle.
You can explore the various rooms inside the castle on your own or with a multimedia show.
It is also possible to hire guides according to your needs. They speak several languages. During the guided tour, medieval storytellers will narrate the castle’s legends. For younger guests, they can also organize a treasure hunt.
Summary: Gruyères, Switzerland
Gruyères is a charming tiny town in Switzerland’s canton of Fribourg. It’s absolutely one that I’d recommend to everybody because it’s so delightful. Even though it is not huge and can be toured in a day, visiting it is like traveling back in time to the Middle Ages. And I love that era, especially when it involves castles and costumes.
Gruyères also has other intriguing attractions such as the Tibet Museum and the HR Giger Museum to explore. They also have shops where you may buy souvenirs.
The Gruyères Cheese Factory is also worth a visit if you wish to go beyond the town. Alternatively, you might go to Moléson Mountain. Or, you could visit the reservoir lake.
If you want to visit Gruyères in Switzerland and its surroundings, you definitely have a lot of options. Enjoy!
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Darla Uhl is the owner of TouringSwitzerland.com. Her home is in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Having lived almost 20 years in Switzerland, she's traveled extensively all over the country.
Darla's favorite regions to visit in Switzerland include Engadin, Lake Geneva, Bernese Oberland, Ticino, and Valais. She loves spending time with her family, hiking, visiting museums, and reading books.