Lake Gruyère
Intro
The harmonious countryside around Lake Gruyère is home to the black and white Fribourg cows, which provide the milk for the aromatic Gruyère cheese and famous double cream. Another culinary delight on offer in the area is chocolate – and a festival of regional specialities draws in the crowds each year.
Lake Gruyère is arguably the most beautiful reservoir in Switzerland. Without a doubt, the artificial lake between the cities of Fribourg and Bulle, which is fed and drained by the River Saane (French: Sarine), is the longest in the country, at 13.5km. The dam at Rossens was completed in 1947.
At the northern end of the lake lies the small Ogoz Island (Île d’Ogoz), on which a small chapel sits perilously close to the edge of the artificial lake. The many wedding parties that wish to reach the chapel must get there by boat. It is well worth embarking on this journey by pedal boat, rowing boat or sailing boat, even if you’re not getting married!
The Gibloux mountain looms over the lake on the western side. Its summit is home to the Gibloux Radio Tower, complete with observation deck. On the opposite side of the lake in the Fribourg Pre-Alps lies La Berra, renowned above all for being a family-friendly winter sports resort. In this area, there are four lifts and a telemixte giving visitors access to 20km of slopes. A snow park, tobogganing run, three marked snowshoe trails and opportunities for ski and snowshoe tours round off the offering to delight winter guests. Tourists will find various theme, myth and fairytale trails for walks around the lake, as well as a golf course and campsite.
The village of Broc lies at the southern end of the reservoir. It is home to Switzerland’s first chocolate factory, which was built by chocolate pioneer Alexandre Cailler in 1898. Tours (incl. visit to the factory shop) offer an insight into the sweet secrets of chocolate making. Broc also has an energy information centre, housed in an operational hydroelectric power plant.
Also on the southern edge of the lake, nestled between the slopes of the Moléson and Dent du Chamois, sits the medieval and car-free town of Gruyères and its castle surrounded by fortified walls. Nearby is the big Gruyères show dairy, one of the region’s top attractions. Nearby Bulle, the economic centre of the Gruyère region, is famous for its fascinating heritage and folk art museum and the annual festival of regional produce, held in October, which is highly regarded throughout Switzerland.
