With its castle and medieval high street, Gruyère is the picture of a village at the foot of the Swiss Alps. Cheese is the village’s main calling card, having found fame for producing the hard, nutty Gruyère cheese. You can watch cheese-making demonstrations and feast in village restaurants on fondue and rosti. And if you don’t like cheese? The HR Giger Museum, with its sci-fi art from Alien and other movies, and the Tibet Museum are two gems, adding offbeat museum trips to the list of Gruyère things to do.
Gruyère is at its busiest in the summer (July and August), so visiting in other seasons is advised. Aim to arrive at the dairy La Maison de Gruyère in the morning to see the town's cheese production in action. Visit in winter for a magical setting with fewer crowds, plus December Christmas markets, twinkling lights, and the chance of snow.
Gruyère is tiny, with most attractions accessible from the one main street. It’s easy to reach within a half-hour train ride from Montbovon or around an hour from Fribourg, and the train station is a 15-minute walk to the main street. If you drive to Gruyère, you’ll need to leave your vehicle in one of the paid parking lots on the outskirts of the village as the main street is car-free.
If you’re staying in Gruyère, nearby Moléson peak works well for a mountain day trip via the No. 263 bus from the train station. Once there, you’ll find summertime activities such as mini golf, tobogganing, go-karting, hiking, and via ferrata, along with morning cheese-making demonstrations. Take the funicular and cable car up for views and mountain restaurants, which are open year-round in good weather.
