Swiss Parks Network
Monbijoustrasse 61
CH-3007 Berne
Tel. +41 (0)31 381 10 71
Mob. +41 (0)76 525 49 44
info@parks.swiss
EPF Grandjean Sàrl compte plusieurs domaines d’activité tels que le déchiquetage de bois, la vente de plaquettes, le commerce de bois, la vente de pellets, de copeaux de jardin, l'abattage, etc.
From Icarus to Piccard, let yourself be wafted away and follow the history of lighter than air travel. Château-d'Oex has become the world alpine capital of hot air ballooning. The astonishing universe of ballooning will no longer hold any secrets.
The village of Estavannens is registered in the inventory of federal sites of national importance for its two dense and homogenous hamlets made up of stone and wood houses from the 16th- 19th century.
Since 1956, the Poya d’Estavannes has been an important event in Gruyères. This festival celebrates the ascent of livestock herds to their alpine pastures. The 7th edition took place in 2013.
The trail connects the two villages Estavannens and Grandvillard. In the latter the house of Banneret is located, which was built in 1666.
Built between 1619 and 1633, it was restored in 1999. Its rococo style high altar was created by artisan Charles Pidoux with the paintings by Gottfried Locher.
From Montbovon station, visitors embark on a cheese-themed mystery trail. Along the walk by Lake Lessoc, clues await them at various stations, where they use their smartphones to progress in their quest.
Le Parc propose un programme d’activités spécialement conçues pour les écoles, les classes d’école à la montagne et les colonies de vacances. Ces journées et demi-journée à la carte peuvent se réaliser été comme hiver.
When Steeve Daenzer took over the family dairy farm in 2016, he decided to shift its core business to rearing suckler cows. He had long entertained the idea of offering customers a pasture-to-plate experience. In 2017, Steeve and his wife Caroline began putting these plans into action. They opted for Salers, a hardy breed of cattle renowned for its excellent maternal attributes. Since then, the herd has grown to 45.
For the better part of the year, the Salers in the care of Caroline and Steeve Daenzer feed on fodder from their farm, the Ferme de la Rosette in Château-d’Œx. In the summer months their cattle spend their time grazing on the mountain pastures surrounding the Les Preises alpine farm in Les Mosses.
The cattle are sent to the Les Moulins abattoir (Château-d’Œx), a cooperative chaired by Steeve, where they are turned into a selection of organic Ferme de la Rosette products. In addition to fresh and processed beef products, Caroline and Steeve also sell fresh pork and lamb, and a range of other farmhouse produce.
Fabrice Isoz runs his dairy farm, La Ferme de la Sciaz, in La Lécherette situated at a lofty altitude of 1,450 metres in the commune of Château-d’Œx. Twenty or so cows provide the milk needed to make his speciality, Le Piat, a soft, washed-rind farmhouse cheese unique to the Pays-d’Enhaut. In winter he produces close to 250 individual cheeses. Some of these become the star ingredient in tartipiat, the Château-d’Œx version of the tartiflette – the classic French dish of melted cheese and potatoes – which is served up to the hungry skiers who flock to the slopes of the Vaud Alps.
In summer, Fabrice takes his dairy herd to their mountain pastures in Fenil-aux-Vaux. Their milk is used to make the famed L’Etivaz AOP, as well as raclette and curd cheese (séré). The Isoz family has also branched out into agrotourism, offering visitors a wonderful overnight stay on their mountain farm and much, much more besides!
From Gros Mont to Charmey, via La Monse
From the Gros Mont to the Intyamon
An important group of crosses marking missions (spiritual retreat destinations and pilgrimages) and summits is located in Gruyère. Throughout the region, all villages and their surroundings are dotted with crosses, despite the fact the fact that in recent years the tendency has been toward suppression. These crosses, generally in wood or forged iron, are symbols of popular devotion. They represent an ancestral attachment to faith and stand as beacons of christianity on the landscape.
Every year, the Jaun cheese dairy transforms almost 2.3 million kilos of milk, all sourced from local farms in Jaun, Im Fang and Ablänschen, into an extensive range of products. Behind this impressive feat are Jean-Jacques Clément and his dedicated team of dairy workers, apprentices and shop staff.
Jean-Jacques Clément is passionate about his job. The number of visitors to his cheese dairy, which is located on the road that leads to the Jaunpass, is proof of the quality of his products. The secret of the cheese dairy's success – which the master cheesemaker frequently shares – is that everything here is made with love. The dairy's shop window is full of fabulous food, including several cheeses and dairy products with the Swiss Parks label. As required by the product specifications, the cheese dairy uses only milk from Jaun and Im Fang to make its Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP and Gruyère AOP. Jaco, as Clément is affectionately known, also produces traditionally churned farmhouse butter,
The Delacombaz family, artisanal cheese-makers, run both the cheese factory and Montbovon grocery store which features local dairy products. Our cheese operation works with about 1 million kilos of milk from 9 community dairy farmers per year. This milk is transformed into Guyère AOP ; Vacherin fribourgeois AOP ; Raclette Montbovon ; Pré Fleury ; Manguyon ; house yogurts ; butter ; fondue mixes, house, moitié-moitié and Vacherin Fribourgeois ; Gruyère double cream and sérac (whey cheese).
Our store features all our products as well as an array of specialty products made in the Regional Nature Park and other regions. You will also find an assortment of wines, drinks, baked goods, meats, and other groceries.
Our cheeses and dairy products are labelled "Product of the Park" and are certified "Swiss Guarantee."
In 1988, Michel Béroud and his wife Hélène took over the running of the Fleurette cheese dairy and, with it, the production of its signature product, the Tomme Fleurette. This soft rind cheese cemented its fine reputation when it was named best bloomy-rind soft cheese at the 2001 Swiss Cheese Awards.
Even after 20 years and a host of awards, the master cheesemaker is as committed and passionate as ever to creating new specialities which celebrate all that the region has to offer. They include La Dzorette which is dusted with cut fir tree needles during the ripening process, Fromage des Forts, and K-Ré, a soft cheese with a Marc du Dézaley-washed rind. All of these can be bought directly from the cheese dairy.
To ensure the consistent quality of his products, Michel Beroud can count on twenty or so local farmer-suppliers from Rougemont. The delicate scent of wild flowers in the milk from their grass-fed cows lends the Fleurette cheese dairy products their unique and unmistakable taste.
On July 8th, 1910 the idea for the funicular was born. Working at a frantic pace, civil workers completed the funicular in just 5 months. The track runs for 531 meters at an impressive slope of 54.5%. To make all this possible three works of art were constructed: a brick viaduct with eleven arches, two steel bridges to cross the Sonloup road, and a small culvert arch over the bobsled run. From the beginning, electric traction was chosen for the funicular and on December 14th, 1910, the first passengers took their seats in the 50 person capacity cars. With an hourly capacity of 500 people in each direction, the red funicular soon became an integral part of life in Les Avants. Renovated in 2012, the funicular is now an iconic symbol for the entire region.
Vertical north faces and sculpted south-facing slopes
Built by Jean-Louis Dufour between 1873 and 1874 in Les Avants, the Grand Hôtel opened its doors to clients in 1877. Several famous guests have been known to stay here, notably Ernest Hemingway, who references Les Avants in his book Farewell to Arms. The 1930s economic crisis, forced the hotel to close its doors in 1936.
In about 1927, Dorothy Braginton opened a boarding school for young girls in Montreux, close to Chatelard Castle. She called it the Ecole du Chatelard. Soon the building was too small for growing student population. So when the Grand Hotel des Avants closed, the girls moved in.
Oak International bought the building in 1992 and founded "Le Chatelard Academy", a girls boarding school where students from around the world study human values and French.
The Grand Tour des Vanils is divided into 11 stages around the Park. The tour can be done in its entirety, in stages or by combining them over several days.
Located on the right bank of the Sarine, a strong pastoral economy and highly developed cheese market contributed to the wealth of Grandvillard. The result is a strongly urbanized village of narrow streets, with many opulent-looking buildings, stone facades, and late gothic style window frames. Follow the marked walking path, to explore this remarkable group of historic homes and farms of national interest ( such as the exquisite 1666 Bannaret home) .
Well known in the region, Bounavaux cabin is a popular spot amongst nature lovers. Located at the west entrance of the Vanil-Noir Nature Reserve, it allows for easy access to the pre-alps and majestic beauty of the reserve. Managed by Pro Natura, the reserve is home to many interesting geologic elements, botanical wonders and diverse mountain fauna.
The trail leads out of Grandvillard , then over the stream of Les Marais to below the waterfall and to the grotto, which is a place of Gruyère pilgrimage . In the village centre there is a well with its imposing cupola.
The architecture of Grandvillard, which dates predominately from the 17th to 19th century, bears witness to the major contribution that cheesemaking made to the local alpine economy. Today, this remarkable stone and timber architectural ensemble is now classified as a heritage site of national importance. It is also the last remaining vestige of a now-extinct alpine civilisation that owed its existence to the production and sale of cheese.
The village, however, continues to uphold this age-old tradition. The current dairy was built in the 1930s and has since undergone renovation work, first in 2001 and later in 2010. Master cheesemaker Laurent Python uses milk from cows which graze on pastures perched at an altitude of between 750 and 1,500 metres to make his Gruyère AOP. The village’s 12 dairy farmers deliver a daily supply of milk that meets the most exacting quality standards. The annual milk yield of 1,800,000 kg is transformed into some 4,500 wheels of Gruyère AOP, as well as double cream and sérac (whey cheese). Laurent Python also makes Vacherin fribourgeois AOP; it took gold at the 2018 Swiss Cheese Award.
As well as cheesemaking facilities and ripening cellars, Grandvillard boasts a cheese shop and restaurant, le Pic Vert.
From one side of the Gastlosen to the other, via the Col du Loup
Via Col du Loup and Grubenberghütte
From Gros Mont to Pays-d'Enhaut
Also called the Pettolaz home for François Pettolaz its owner from 1731-1806. François Pettolaz was one of the most important cheese merchants of his time. In 1787, the home was adopted into the Fribourg patrimony.
The history of the town of Gruyères is intimately tied to that of the family of counts of the same name. Mentioned for the first time in the 12th century, they distinguish themselves by their title (very few held this title amongst the counts of Savoie) and by their chronic money troubles which brought bankruptcy in 1555.
Paradoxically, the poverty of this area is what preserved it through the centuries. The different landlords did not have disposal income to modernize their buildings. The first homes were built inside the castle walls, and the village then spread along one main street.
The trail leads from the little town of Gruyère past the Maison du Gruyère and then further in the direction of the Saane valley. Then it ascends again between forest and meadows to the village of Estavannens.
Nesting in the Fribourg Pre-alps, the medieval city of Gruyères is the ideal jump off point for hikers. The castle dominates a green hill at the foot of the Moléson and at the junction of the Jogne and Intyamon Valleys. Its walls swim in legends, its garden and its rich collections bare witness to a life and culture that has continuously inhabited the region for the last eight centuries. Continuing its tradition as an artistic crossroads, the castle plays host to art exhibits and big cultural meetings at the heart of a grandiose natural panorama.
The trail leads from the little town of Gruyère past the Maison du Gruyère and then further in the direction of the Saane valley. Then it ascends again over meadows to the village of Neirivue.
