The gently rolling landscape of Canton Fribourg’s Pays de Gruyère with its lake (Lac de la Gruyère), one of the most beautiful reservoirs in Switzerland, is home to the black and white Fribourg cattle whose milk is made into the tasty Greyère cheese (Le Gruyère AOC). The medieval traffic-free town of Gruyères with its walled castle is situated at the centre of this picturesque landscape, nestled between the mountain flanks of the Moléson and Dent du Chamois.

A museum at the 13th century castle displays eight centuries of the region’s architectural and cultural history. Another museum at the small castle of St. Germain is home to the museum devoted to the work of H.R. Giger, Academy Award-winning Swiss painter, sculptor and designer best known for his set design work on the film «Alien». The museum exhibits Giger’s most important paintings and sculptures from 1960 to the present day and has a themed and richly decorated «HR Giger-Bar».

Several restaurants in the picturesque town serve Gruyère specialities such as the cheese dishes of fondue and raclette as well as desserts made with delicious Gruyère double cream. Cheese-making can be watched at the modern show dairy in Gruyères or the traditional alp dairy at Moléson village. More culinary delights await the visitor with a sweet tooth at the Cailler chocolate factory in nearby Broc.

SUMMER

The chocolate box landscape of the Pays de Gruyère is a wonderland for hikers and mountain bikers. There are themed trails on subjects such as Gruyère legends and a chainsaw sculpture path.

WINTER

The nearby Moléson ski region (2002m) is the largest in Canton Fribourg. Eight lift facilities and 35 kilometres of pistes have downhill runs in varying degrees of difficulty. The smaller ski regions of La Berra, La Chia, Charmey and Jaun are situated close to Gruyères town.