Lonely Planet India - August 2016

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Essentials

Make it Happen: Gruyères & surrounds

WAYS TO DO GRUYERES & SURROUNDS

Good to know

l Gruyères’s high point is Mount Moléson

at a height of 2002m (below). take a funicular

and cable car to reach the summit; your

reward will be a 360-degree view of the

Gruyère region with Gruyère lake Mont blanc

the les diablerets Glacier and lake Geneva

(00-41-26-921-8080; http://www.moleson.ch;

1663 Moléson-sur-Gruyères; funicular

and cable car: ` 2430 return).

l Gruyères has its own hot springs at the

Bains de La Gruyère – two swimming pools

with natural spring water heated to 33-34ºc.

(00-41-26- 927-6767; http://www.bainsdelagruyere.

ch/en; Gros-Plan 30 1637 Charmey ; check

website for timings; from ` 1800 adult

from ` 1000 child [also see family rates]).

stay^ e at see/ do

hôtel de Gruyères is a wonderful chalet-style

hotel with rolling hills for a view and the sound

of cowbells through the open windows

(00-41-26-921-8030; http://www.gruyeres-hotels.

ch [email protected];

Ruelle des Chevaliers 1; from ` 1220 0).

Nh Fribourg hotel located in the modern –

higher – part of town is convenient for

the train station the tinguely fountain

and the shopping (00 -41-26-351-9191;

http://www.nh-hotels.com nhfribourg@nh-hotels.

com; Grand Places 14; from ` 9900).

don’t miss the fondue moitié-moitié

at Restaurant le Chalet de Gruyères

(00-41-26-921-2154; http://www.chalet-gruyeres.ch;

Rue du Bourg 53; 9am – 9pm; fondue AOP

Chateau de Gruyères from ` 2050 meringues

with Gruyère cream: ` 900).

the food is fantastic

(right) and the service

smooth and light-

hearted at Au Sauvage

hotel Restaurant in

fribourg (0 0 -41-26 -

347-3060; http://www.

hotel-sauvage.ch;

Planche Supérieure 12;

12pm – 10pm; set menus

from ` 2200).

the perch from lake Murten is the star

at Restaurant du Port in Môtiers but there’s

also a really fresh mixed salad if you don’t

want fish and a great fruit compote with

vanilla ice cream for everyone (0 0 -41-26 -673-

1402; http://www.restaurant-du-port.ch; Route

du Lac 127 1787 Môtiers [Vully]; check website

for timings; fillet of perch from ` 1700).

the nidelkuchen – gateau a la crème –

is a specialty of the Bäckerei Aebersold

in Murten (00-41-26-670-2227; http://www.

nidelkuchen.ch check website for timings;

nidelkuchen: ` 350/ slice).

cherry the cow waits for you at La Maison

Du Gruyère (00-41-26-921-8400; http://www.

lamaisondugruyere.ch; Place de la Gare 3

1663 Pringy -Gruyères; check website

for timings; tour: ` 500).

don’t skip the multimedia presentation about

the town and castle at Château de Gruyères

it will help put your visit into better context

(00-41 26-921-2102; http://www.chateau-gruyeres.

ch; Rue du Château 8; 9am – 6pm; ` 850 adult

` 300 child [six – 15years] includes entry to the

castle garden the historic course temporary

exhibitions and a multimedia show).

an extensive collection of hr Giger’s artworks

can be found at the hR Giger Museum

including the artwork from the Alien films

(00-41-26-921-2200; http://www.hrgigermuseum.

com; Château St Germain; check website

for timings; entry: ` 900 adult ` 300 child

[though we don’t recommend this for children]).

even the rare individual who does not

like chocolate will be converted after the

45-minute tour of Maison Cailler (0 0 -41-

26-921-5960; http://www.cailler.ch; Rue Jules Bellet 7

Broc; 10am – 6 pm Apr 1 – Oct 31 10am – 5pm

Nov 1 – Mar 31; tour: ` 850 adult free till age 16

includes free tasting).

you don’t need to buy any wine at the end

of your winery tour and tasting at Le Petit

Château but you very probably will

(0 0 -41-26 -673-1493; http://www.lepetitchateau.ch

[in French and German]; Route du Lac 134

1787 Môtier [Vully]).

BEST TIME TO VISIT
the peak season is from July
to August. to avoid the
crowds and high hotel prices
visit during the shoulder
season months of April
to June and in september.

GETTING ThERE
we flew direct with swiss
International Air lines
to Zürich International
Airport from mumbai.
swiss International Air lines
Air India turkish Airlines
emirates Jet Airways
Air France british Airways
Qatar Airways and lufthansa
fly to Zürich from mumbai
and new delhi (return fares
from 41125). trains depart regularly from Zürich Airport to gruyères with an approximate three-hour travel time (www.sbb.ch; from 2700).

GETTING AROUND
gruyères is a small compact
town that is best explored
on foot. take the train from
gruyères (see http://www.sbb.ch
for timings and connections)
to murten (two hours from
60 0 one-way) Fribourg (one hour; from 60 0 one-way)
and to môtier (three hours
15 minutes; from 1600 one-way). both murten and môtier are great for walking around. Fribourg is serviced by buses and trams. bicycles or e-bikes may be rented for even a few hours from most stations; reserve to ensure you get a bike in high season (www. sbb.ch/en/station-services/ car-bike/on-the-move-by-bike. html; from 250 0 day).

VISA^
A short-stay tourist schengen
visa for switzerland takes
up to 15 calendar days to
process (www.vfsglobal.ch;
4500 visa fee + 1350 VFS
service charge).

EMBASSY ALERT^
Embassy of India Bern:
http://www.indembassybern.ch

CURRENCY
chF 1 = ` 69.75

VEG OUT/ FANCY
A CURRY?
Vegetarians will do well to
stick to raclette or fondue
served with bread or potatoes
for dipping. If you decide
to try rösti (swiss-style hash
browns) let the serving staff
know you are vegetarian;
it is common to add bacon
sausage or ham to rösti.

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