Say cheese!
Is there anything more delicious than a slice of fresh Gruyere cheese? Tested Travel says no! If you love Gruyere cheese like we do, you should plan a visit to La Maison du Gruyere in Gruyere, Switzerland. The literal home of Gruyere cheese, this museum is part homage, part industrial tour and all kinds of yum!
The Location
Situated up in the southern Swiss mountains (about a 45-minute drive from Lausanne), the town of Gruyere is cute and worth a visit all on its own. Of course, the main reason to go is the cheese!
The Smells and Sounds
Upon entering La Maison you are greeted with the smells and sounds of Gruyere — cows mooing, cowbells ringing. There is a great display on the history of cheese making. Surprisingly fascinating stuff! You can get an audio guide in multiple languages to help you follow along. The displays take you from the high mountain pastures and the various grasses and flowers eaten by the cows, to the dairy, to the milk processing.
The Factory
The tour takes visitors from the cute and pastoral to the high tech factory. Based on generations-old recipes, the making of Gruyere cheese is now a science. They even have a super high-tech robot that helps to turn the cheese wheels as they age. Neat!
The Taste
No tour of a food factory would be complete without a little taste of the goods. La Maison offers a lovely tasting of Gruyere cheese in three stages of maturity.
Note that there is also a restaurant, shop, and playground on site.
Visit La Maison du Gruyere here.
