Gruyères: Guide, Hotels, Map & Photos
English|
CHF 130 - 280 Hotel de Ville
 De Ville is a charming hotel situated in a picturesque medieval village with panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. It features free Wi-Fi an… MoreCHF 120 - 230 Hostellerie Saint Georges
 Located in the heart of the medieval village of Gruyères, in the shadow of the ancient castle, is the Hostellerie Saint-Georges. It offers free Wi-Fi… MoreCHF 160 - 250 Hostellerie Des Chevaliers
 Situated on the edge of Gruyères, the Hostellerie Des Chevaliers offers you quiet rooms with balconies decorated in rustic style, and free wireless i… More | ||||||||||||||||||
Gruyères: Guide
Gruyères is a small town in the district of cheese.
Geography
Gruyères is 810 m above sea level, 4.5 km south-south-east of the district capital Bulle FR|Bulle. The historical town is placed on top of an isolated hill north of the alps, to the feets of mount Moléson. It is also the location where the Saane river (French name: Sarine) leaves the Fribourg alps.
The 28.4 km² area of the municipalities of Switzerland|municipality comprises a section of the Saane valley and of the Fribourg alps. The central part of the area is the plains of Alluvial (690 m above sea level) next to the alps, between Gruyères and Broc, from which the hill of Gruyères rises to 828 m above sea level. From the west, the brook Trême meets the Saane. East of the Saane, the municipality area ends in a small corner, borded by the ridges of Dent de Broc (1829 m above sea level) in the north and Dent du Chamois (1830 m above sea level) in the south, ending at the valley of Motélon. The two peaks with their saddle between them are a popular subject for photographs of Gruyères.
Southwest of Gruyères, the municipality comprises most of the catchment area of the brook Albeuve, which originates on the flanks of mount Moléson. The top of mount Moléson is the highest point of the municipality, reaching 2002 m above sea level. It is worth an excursion. West of the Moléson, the densely wooded right valley side of the Trême and the terasse of La Part Dieu belong to Gruyères. 1997, 5% of the area was used for settlements, 49% wood and bosk, 41% agricultural and about 5% was unusable land.
The municipality of Gruyères also comprises the two villages of Bulle, La Tour-de-Trême and Le Pâquier FR|Le Pâquier.
Population
With a population of 1556 (end of 2002), Gruyères is among the medium sized municipalities of the canton of Fribourg. 90.4% of its residents are French speaking, 3.9% German and 1.2% Portuguese (2000). In 1850, the population was 972; in 1900 there were 1389 residents. After the maximum in about 1920 (1711 residents), the population decreased until 1950 by almost 25% to 1302 residents. Since then, a slow growth can be observed.
Economics
Gruyères has always been a rural town. Agricultural products from the surroundings were processed and brought to the market here. Formerly, the focus was on trading cheese and small and big animals. There were several mills and sawmills and since 18th century a gun powder factory. Until the beginning of the 20th century, straw-twisting was also rather important.
Nowadays, Gruyères provides about 750 jobs. Only 9% of the working are in the primary sector, agriculture is only a minor factor for jobs. About 27% are working in the industrial sector, services provides about 64% of the jobs (stand 2001).
Agriculture is still specialised in milk production and cattle-breeding. It delivers raw materials for the cheese production and meat treating. Most important is the famous Gruyère (cheese)|Gruyère cheese. Forestry is also a factor, but tillage is less applied. In secondary sector, there are cabinetmaking, precision mechanics and craftworks. Services has a lot of jobs to offer in gastronomics and hotels. The villages of Epagny and Pringy have in the last years become a living place for commuters, mostly working in the town of Bulle.
Tourism
Gruyères cheese is an important factor in supporting the tourist trade in the region. A major tourist attractions is the mediaeval town of Gruyères with its castle, containing a regional museum and an arts museum. There are cultural activities in the castle (concerts, theater). There is a cheese factory in Pringy which is open to visitors. Nearby is Mont Moléson, a mountain suitable for climbing, or for the less athletic there is a cablecar to the summit which was rebuilt in 1998. The resort town Moléson-Village caters for both summer and winter tourism.
Transportation
A trackless train is the only vehicle allowed in the town's pedestrianised streets.
History
It is known from at least 923, and was the capital of a county until it was divided between Fribourg and Bern in 1555. The castle, which dates from 1272-1280, was then the residence of a governor until 1848, when it was acquired by the Bovy family of Geneva.
The castle became the property of the canton in 1938, and has been made into a museum and art gallery.
Sightseeing
Château de Gruyères is open for sightseeing all year round. It contains the famed "Severed Hand" and a piano made for Franz Liszt. There is a museum dedicated to the work of Swiss artist H. R. Giger.
External links
http://www.gruyeres.ch
This "Travel Guide" section is drawn from the Wikipedia article "Gruyères". We hope you will edit and improve it. It is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.