| Gruyères
The medieval town of Gruyères is an absolute must for any visit to Switzerland. Located 5km from Bulle, just off the road that leads to the Pays-d'Enhaut and Saanenland across the Intyamon, it stands on a hill in the plain, between the Moléson massif and the foothills of the Pre-Alps. An obligatory passageway to the whole of Haute-Gruyère, the town of Gruyères was once highly prized for its markets and small livestock fairs, which took place every week in the centre of the town, while the big fairs were held at its gate, six times a year. It is now a picturesque tourist destination whose medieval charm has been extremely well preserved. It is a pedestrianised city from which vehicles are banned but large car parks allow parking just outside its walls. A must-see is the castle-museum, which offers a walk through eight centuries of history, and the strange HR Giger Museum, which has found a magical setting in the old town to display the work of the creator of the famous alien creature from the film "Alien". Gruyères has given its name to the whole region and to the world-famous cheese, but only the name of the medieval town is spelt with a final s, perhaps influenced by Greyerz, its name in German. The city stands between the Moléson massif and the Pre-Alps, which offer multiple hiking opportunities, with landscapes of great beauty. We are far from the harshness of the Alps with their rocks, their glaciers and their eternal snows. We are in a green, bucolic, hilly country, but torn by rocky teeth. |
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