GRUYERES

GRUYERES

Visible from afar against the backdrop of Alpine scenery, the well-preserved medieval village of Gruyeres is a popular destination for visitors, and is often crowded during the summer. As its only street is restricted to pedestrians, vehicles must be left in the parking areas below. The village has houses dating from the 15th to the 17th centuries and is crowned by a castle, the Chateau de Gruyeres. Built in the 11th century, the castle was continuously inhabited by the counts of Gruyeres until the mid-16th century, when the bankrupted 19th count fled and his lands were divided between the lords of Bern and Fribourg. In 1848, the castle was acquired by the Bovys, a wealthy Genevese family who carried out extensive and much-needed restoration. In 1939 the castle passed into the ownership of the cantonal authorities of Fribourg. It now contains a museum. Displayed in rooms with frescoes and grand fireplaces, the exhibits include 16th-century Flemish tapestries and booty taken after the Battle of Murten (1476). Delicate landscapes by the French Impressionist painter Jean-Baptiste Corot (1796—1875), who stayed at the castle, are also on view. At La Maison du Gruyere, a working dairy in Pringy, at the foot of the village, visitors can watch the famous local cheese being made. The dairy also has a restaurant and a shop selling local produce.