What is Maison Cailler?
Maison Cailler is a famous chocolate factory and museum in Broc in the south-western Swiss canton Fribourg, at a 1h35 train ride from Montreux. The name means "Cailler house" or "Cailler home". Cailler is one of Switzerland’s main chocolate brands.
As a visitor, you can learn all about the Cailler chocolate in a multi-media tour. It ends with a glance at the actual factory and free sample tasting. A shop and café are available too, and you can participate in all sorts of chocolate workshops and an escape game.
Chocolate factory prices and reservations
Maison Cailler price in 2024
An entrance ticket to Maison Cailler costs CHF 17 per adult without a rail pass. There are discounted rates for students, seniors, disabled visitors, and children. For Swiss Travel Pass and Swiss Travel Pass Flex holders, the museum entrance is free.
Where to buy your chocolate factory tickets
Tickets for Maison Cailler can be bought online and at the museum. Buying online in advance means you can skip the ticket queues at the museum entrance. We recommend this, as waiting times can be impressively long: even up to several hours on busy days.
How long your ticket is valid
Whether you get tickets online or on the spot, they're only valid for access during a specific 15-minute time slot on one specific date. So make sure you show up on time if you've pre-purchased your ticket: preferably about 15 minutes earlier.
Reservations for Maison Cailler
Regular visits don’t have to be booked in advance, but chocolate workshops and the escape game require prior reservation.
Get your tickets for the chocolate factory
Conveniently buy your entrance tickets for Maison Cailler online and skip the queues. Remember that you don't need museum tickets if you have a valid Swiss Travel Pass (Flex).
Offered by Viator: www.viator.com
- Easy, online, free cancellation in most cases
- Lowest Price Guarantee: Viator will refund the difference if you find a better price.
- Extra Support: if you buy here, MySwissAlps can also assist if you have questions about your order.
Offered by Viator: www.viator.com
- Easy, online, free cancellation in most cases
- Lowest Price Guarantee: Viator will refund the difference if you find a better price.
- Extra Support: if you buy here, MySwissAlps can also assist if you have questions about your order.
Offered by Viator: www.viator.com
- Easy, online, free cancellation in most cases
- Lowest Price Guarantee: Viator will refund the difference if you find a better price.
- Extra Support: if you buy here, MySwissAlps can also assist if you have questions about your order.
Promotions
There are currently no promotions available.
Free museum entrance with your rail pass
The travel passes below grant free entry to the cheese factory. In addition, the journey to the museum is free or discounted with many rail passes.
Pass | Discount |
---|---|
Swiss Travel Pass |
Free:
|
Swiss Travel Pass Flex |
Free:
|
How to reach Maison Cailler: directions and map
Maison Cailler is located close to the rail station "Broc-Chocolaterie" (formerly called "Broc-Fabrique") and can best be reached by train. It's an easy 3-minute walk from the train station to the museum.
Take a train to Broc-Chocolaterie
You’ll reach Maison Cailler in a few minutes on foot from the railway station of Broc-Fabrique. There are trains from 3 main directions:
- From Montbovon in the south. Montbovon is located on the GoldenPass route. It can be reached from the directions of Montreux and Zweisimmen/Thun/Interlaken. You can travel to Montbovon on regular trains or GoldenPass trains.
- From Lausanne/Bulle in the south.
- From Bern and Fribourg in the north. From both cities, there are 4 direct connections a day from and to the railway station Broc-Chocolaterie. These regional trains are also referred to as the "Chocolat Express".
The Chocolate Train day trip from Montreux
The Chocolate Train is a day trip from Montreux by train and bus, during which you’ll visit a cheese factory, the town Gruyères and Maison Cailler.
Reach the factory by bus from Gruyères
There's a direct 16-minute bus ride between Gruyères and "Broc, Le Home", close to the Broc-Chocolaterie rail station. It's a 4-minute walk from the bus stop to the factory.
Alternatively, you can take a bus to "Broc, Village" where you can change to the train. It's an additional 4-minute train ride from the town of Broc to the Broc-Chocolaterie station.
Arrival by car
The museum can be reached by car as well. Free parking space is available.
Maison Cailler: location on a map
Opening dates and timetable info
Maison Cailler opening dates and hours in 2024
The chocolate factory/museum is open 7 days a week. Only on public holidays, such as Christmas and New Year's Day, exceptions may apply. Opening hours are:
- 10:00 to 17:00 from November to March
- 10:00 to 18:00 from April to October
- 10.00 to 16:00 on December 24 and December 31
Tickets can be bought until 1 hour before closure time.
How to plan your journey with the Swiss timetable
If you plan your journey with the Swiss timetable, use the following names:
- "Broc-Chocolaterie" (formerly called "Broc-Fabrique") for the rail station close to the museum
- "Broc, Le Home" for the bus stop close to the rail station and the museum
- "Broc-Village" for the rail station in the town of Broc, and "Broc-Village, gare" for the bus platform across from this station
- "Broc, Fabrique de chocolat Cailler-Nestlé, Rue Jules-Bellet" for the exact museum location
Best months to visit the chocolate factory
Maison Cailler is open on nearly all days of the year. Any season is good for an excursion to the chocolate factory. We specifically recommend it as a rainy-day option.
A visit is fine on sunny days as well: if you limit your time in the factory to 2 or 3 hours, you can still plan additional outdoor activities, such as visiting nearby Gruyères or a pleasant hike in the gentle hills of the Fribourg canton.
Weather info and forecasts for Broc
You don't need good weather to visit Maison Cailler. If you plan to combine your visit with sightseeing in Gruyères or hiking, dry weather is of course best.
5-day forecast for Broc
What to expect from the chocolate factory
The interactive multi-media tour
You’ll enter the museum in small groups and enjoy a multi-media tour (available in different languages) of approximately 1 hour, in which you’ll learn about chocolate. The history of chocolate, the growing of cocoa beans, and Cailler’s approach are explained.
You’ll also get to see parts of the actual factory and get a live glimpse of how the chocolate is made. Most importantly: your tour ends with some free sample tasting!
Tasting and buying chocolate: café, shop and confectionery
- Besides the limited amount of free samples available after the museum tour, you can sit down in the café and order all sorts of chocolate products.
- There’s a large boutique shop from which you can get the normal range of Cailler chocolates.
- More exquisite creations are available in the confectionery.
Activities: chocolate workshops, escape game and outdoor game
- Book a chocolate workshop to create your own souvenir. The options range from family workshops and birthday parties to truffles or Christmas chocolates creation.
- There’s an escape game at Maison Cailler, available for groups of up to 5 people.
- Families can enjoy a free 1-hour outdoor discovery game, guided by smartphone. All participants receive a chocolate award.
How to combine the chocolate factory with other excursions
- If you like Swiss food, have a look in the Nestlé outlet shop located between Maison Cailler and the rail station Broc-Fabrique.
- Maison Cailler is located in Broc, which is close to the medieval village Gruyères. The cheese-making factory La Maison du Gruyère and a beautiful castle can be found here.
- Your trip to Gruyères and/or Broc can be combined with a nice train ride, such as the GoldenPass or the Chocolate Train from Montreux.
Maison Cailler FAQ
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Can I join a guided tour in the chocolate factory?
No, you’ll explore the museum and factory on your own with the aid of audio guides. If you prefer personal attention and explanation, we recommend that you book a chocolate workshop.
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In which languages are audioguides available?
You can listen to the explanation in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, Japanese, Thai, Korean, and Russian.
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How long does an excursion to Maison Cailler take?
We recommend allocating 1,5 hours to your chocolate factory visit, excluding the time to reach it. An average multi-media tour takes 45 to 60 minutes. But you’ll probably want to visit the café and shop as well. If you participate in activities such as the escape game or a chocolate workshop, count on about half a day.
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Is the factory wheelchair accessible?
Yes, you can enjoy the chocolate factory if you’re in a wheelchair.
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How to beat the crowds at Maison Cailler?
If you prefer a quiet chocolate factory visit, we advise you to buy your admission ticket online in advance to skip the queues. You can then directly enter as soon as the factory opens.
Visiting in the late afternoon, if most visitors return, is another option. Note that entrance tickets can be bought until 1 hour before closure time.
If you can, visit the chocolate factory outside of weekends, Swiss school holidays, and the peak tourism months.
History of the Cailler chocolate factory
In the early 19th century there were several chocolate factories in Vevey on Lake Geneva. Francois-Louis Cailler opened a grocery store there, selling chocolates too. He gradually expanded his business, buying new factories in the region.
Cailler’s heirs continued his work, introducing milk chocolates and pralines. In 1898 a Cailler factory in Broc was opened. The range of chocolate products was further expanded. The invention of a new way to create milk chocolate, using condensed milk from the Gruyère region instead of milk powder, resulted in a creamier substance.
The current museum in Broc was opened in 2006. Cailler, which is part of the umbrella food company Nestlé, is still inventing new flavors and products.
Other websites of interest
- www.cailler.ch: Maison Cailler chocolate workshops
- www.cailler.ch: Maison Cailler escape game
- www.nestle.ch: Nestlé outlet shop
- www.chocolatexpress.ch: the Chocolat Express train Bern-Broc
Dates and times
- www.cailler.ch: Maison Cailler opening dates and hours
Prices
- www.cailler.ch: Maison Cailler ticket prices