Gruyeres & Broc visit, cheese process explained?

  • Removed user
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    3 April 2019 at 16:04:06 #820759

    Hi,

    During our stay in Montreux, I have marked one day for visit to Gruyeres & Broc. However the mixed reviews I have read isn’t giving me enough conviction to go for it. We will be buying the STP when we get there so our journey and entry is covered.

    I read in couple of reviews that we hardly get to see the actual cheese making process in Gruyeres. Is that an accurate statement ?or is it because the guests didn’t reach there well in time to see the process.

    Which brings me to the questions.

    What is the best time to reach Gruyeres ?

    Should we visit Broc first or Gruyeres first ? Almost all advice say to visit Gruyeres first. But I was wondering if we get to see the cheese making if we reach there in second half ? This gives the early bird advantage at Broc and if we reach there at the opening time of 10 am we get to be in the first or second tour ?

    Any thoughts ?

    PS: I have also considered the Emmentaler cheese factory during our stay in Lucerne on one of the reserved days. just that it is a 1.5 hours journey one way plus there is no reduction in admission fees hence I am little skeptical.

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    Removed user
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    3 April 2019 at 17:04:18 #908321

    Hi Rohan

    Gruyeres & Broc are a great day trip from Montreux! I would certainly recommend it, specially if the travel time is shorter than if you go for the Emmentaler factory.

    I am not sure what the review was referring to but I found the cheese making process was very well explained. It is done through a series of chambers (if they haven’t changed it since I was last there) so you don’t get up “close and personal” with the cheese if that’s what they refer to, I’m not sure. They still spend some time explaining what and how, and also the different facets of cheese making…

    You should visit Gruyeres first, however that is more from a practical point of view – Gruyeres sits on top of the hill so if you go there first you’re then making your way down the mountain which is nicer than making your way up the mountain… It is really up to you though.

    I have taken guests there and had lunch in Gruyeres, and also in Broc at the factory itself, both were very good options!

    What is very common as well is to visit the Cailler chocolate factory after the cheese one to make it a full day 🙂

    If you want to have more in depth cheese experiences, you can also opt for one of the other cheese activities offered by Gruyeres tourism: http://www.la-gruyere.ch/en/Z9301/ch eese-and-chocolate

    You can also find the full tour on here: http://www.myswissalps.com/ac tivities/culinarytours

    Hope this helps in your decision making!

    Maria.

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    3 April 2019 at 22:31:16 #908322

    Hi Rohan-

    I last visited the show dairy in Gruyeres – La Maison du Gruyère – about 20 years ago. So, details for the dairy itself have certainly faded from my memory. We combined it with a visit to the village perched on top the hill nearby. We certainly saw the details of cheesemaking, and the village – though overloaded with tourists – is a nice place to visit. And, the nearby chocolate factory in Broc adds to the benefits.

    cailler.ch/en/maison-cailler

    This link gives a lot of details, including the exact timing for the cheese making process.

    http://www.lamaisondugruyere. ch/homepage-en/

    Nice as the dairy in Gruyeres is, personally, I prefer the one in the Emmental. It actually takes less time from Luzern ( 1 hr, 23 minutes) than the time for most trains to get to Gruyeres from Montreux. Even though the train does not take the most “Emmentally” route via Langnau, the scenery is still representative of the area. Worth a look now and then, as you go through some of the villages.

    emmentaler-schaukaeserei.ch/en/

    Regular readers of my posts will recall that I like the Emmental a whole lot. So, that influences my attitude.

    I like the one in Affoltern i.E. because the dairy site has a separate building where cheese is made the old way, in a copper kettle over an open fire. And, I think that the overall layout offers more, including a nice cheese shop, and a good sized restaurant. (To be honest. I do not remember details of the restaurant in the dairy at Gruyeres. We ate up in the village).

    Plus, Emmental scenery.

    There are no entrance fees for the show dairy in Affoltern. However, the restaurant is not as cheap as I would expect.

    Slowpoke

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    9 April 2019 at 12:37:59 #908323

    Thank you Maria and Slow poke.

    Right now I have kept my plan flexible to visit either of the cheese factory and will decide on the go depending on weather.

    Regards

    Rohan

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