Discover Gruyères

Gruyères combines a medieval town with museums, cheese-making traditions and a landscape shaped by pastures. Gruyères lies at an altitude of 830 metres, at the foot of three mountains: Moléson (2,002 metres), Dent de Broc (1,830 metres) and Dent du Chamois (1,340 metres). The historic town sits at the foot of Moléson and the Pre-Alps. Gruyères thus brings together a clearly defined town centre and a varied cultural offering.

The medieval town and Château de Gruyères

The Château de Gruyères stands on a rocky promontory surrounded by walls. It was built in the 13th century and opened to the public in 1939. The medieval town lies right next to the Château and has changed little in its architecture over the centuries. In the historic fortified town, the main street is cobbled and car-free; visitors can explore it on foot.

On the historical tour, you can explore the rooms of the Château at your own pace and learn about the town and its changing residents from information panels. The collection spans different eras and art forms: it includes medieval stained-glass windows, Burgundian vestments, wall decorations from the Ancien Régime, paintings by Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot and the Salle des Chevaliers. The Salle des Baillis contains wall paintings, heraldic stained-glass windows and a faience stove. The Chapes de Bourgogne are displayed in one of the rooms.

The Château’s architectural history can also be traced through its individual features. The Chapelle Saint-Jean-Baptiste dates from the 15th century and is housed in a former defensive tower. The French garden is enclosed by a covered walkway and two towers at either end. Visitors interested in the town’s history can take in both the collection and the architecture on a single tour.

Churches, town gate and museums

Other historic buildings add to the character of the medieval town. The Église Saint-Théodule has a portal tower dating from 1682 and a choir built between 1730 and 1731. Its nave was rebuilt after the fire of 1856; a Régence-style grille from 1758 can be seen at the entrance. In the Middle Ages, the Belluard Gate was the main entrance to Gruyères. It dates from around 1475 and also bears a coat of arms of the Counts of Gruyère painted around 1860.

The Musée HR Giger showcases a different artistic direction: since 1998, it has presented a permanent exhibition of fantastic art featuring works by H. R. Giger. These include works created for the set of the 1979 film «Alien», as well as pieces from his private collection. The Museum HR Giger Bar next to the museum is itself a work of art: Giger designed or modelled its ceiling, walls, floors, furnishings, tables and chairs in the biomechanical style. Exhibitions by international artists rotate in the museum’s gallery.

The Tibet Museum is housed in the former chaplaincy and chapel of the St. Joseph Institute. The Neo-Gothic chapel dates from 1908–1909. Gruyères therefore offers a glimpse of more recent ecclesiastical architecture alongside its medieval and early modern buildings.

Cheese culture and regional traditions

La Maison du Gruyère in Pringy presents the interactive exhibition «Gruyère AOP, a journey to the heart of the senses». The exhibition includes tastings of Gruyère AOP at three stages of maturation: six, eight and ten months. The different maturation periods offer a direct comparison of the same type of cheese. The pastoral traditions of the La Gruyère region have also given rise to their own crafts and arts, including Poyas, wooden spoons and the songs of the Armaillis, such as the Ranz des vaches.

Traditional restaurants in Gruyères serve fondue and dishes from the Bénichon menu. The Chocolaterie de Gruyères offers workshops and breakfasts where visitors can learn about the history of chocolate. At the Cheese Festival, you can watch Gruyère cheese being made over a wood fire; the programme also includes making cream ladles and other wooden utensils, as well as bobbin lace-making. The festival takes place every spring on the first Sunday in May and features around twenty market stalls. As individual programme items may vary, it is advisable to check the dates and programme before visiting. The Christmas market also brings more than forty craftspeople to the medieval town; its exact dates vary from year to year.

Trails and getting around

The hiking options vary in their starting points and routes. The first stage of the Fribourg en diagonale route starts at Gruyères railway station, below the medieval town. The Sentier des Comtes starts in Gruyères, passes the Église Saint-Théodule and runs via the Charrière des Morts towards Saussivue and Chésalles Forest. As a circular route, the Sentier des Fromageries links the La Maison du Gruyère cheese dairy in Pringy with the alpine cheese dairy in Moléson-sur-Gruyères. A hike is also possible around the summit of Moléson.

From the railway station, you can reach the historic centre in a few minutes on foot or take the bus to the «Gruyères, ville» stop. To get to Moléson, take a bus from Gruyères railway station and continue by funicular or cable car. When planning your stay, the trails, museums and historic sites offer a range of options, from a tour of the Château to cheese culture and the hiking routes described above.

Discover more destinations: Moléson-Sur-Gruyères, Morlon, Le Pâquier, Pont-La-Ville Fr, La Tour-De-Trême, Corbières Fr, La Roche Fr, Echarlens.

Return to the main travel overview: Greyerz.