Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
Rossinière
Fires have ravaged Rossinière three times in its history. Despite the fires, the village is still home to magnificent 17th and 18th century wooden buildings. The most well-known is the Grand Chalet, classified as a monument of national importance. This imposing 1754 log chalet was the home of the famous painter Balthus from 1976-2001. Don’t miss the the church and vicarage.
With its dozens of agricultural operations centered around dairy production, particularly L’Etivaz AOC cheese, as well as sheep and goat cheese, Rossinière is a idyllic rural community. Another highlight, is the organic farm that operates year round from the Mont alpages (alpine farms), producing goat cheese and aromatic plant cultures.
Site
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
Rossinière - La Tine
From Rossinière the trail follows the old historical road on the left bank of the River Saane; it is shady and wooded. From 1840, stagecoaches travelled along the route to La Tine.
Theme trailHiking trailOther routes
Time required: 1 hourLength: 3.50km
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
Rossinière – Allières
This stage of the trail runs from Rossinière to the Auberge de la Croix de Fer in Allières, criss-crossing forests and the Alps along the way. There are also several opportunities to visit mountain cheese dairies.
Hiking trail
Time required: 4 hours 45 minutesLength: 12.60km
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
Rossinière – Rougemont
From the Grand Chalet to the alluvial zone of the Sarine.
Hiking trail
Time required: 5 hours 30 minutesLength: 17.30km
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
Rougemont
Rougemont gets its name from the red rocks on its northern slopes. The town was founded at the beginning of the 11th century by Cluny monks who built their priory here. Until the end of the 19th century, livestock and milk production made up most of the local economy. With the arrival of the railroad in 1905, the area opened progressively to tourism. Rougement and Flendruz are home to large groups of farms and barns with sculpted facades and religiously inspired painted inscriptions.
Tourism has become the main economy of the area. The Golden Pass takes skiers who take to the new Videmanette ski-lift, a skiable area connected to Saanen and Gstaad.
Site
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
Rougemont - Les Combes
In Rougemont, formerly a Cluniac location, a church built at the end of the 11th century can be admired with its wooden façade and magnificent paintings. The trail leads along the banks of the River Saane to the hamlet of Les Combes.
Theme trailHiking trailOther routes
Time required: 1 hourLength: 3.90km
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
Rougemont – Château-d’Œx par les Ciernes Picat
From the village of Rougemont the trail ascend to the hamlet of Ciernes Picat. The walk leads past several alpine farms that produce Etivaz AOP up to the saddle, and then it descends again to Château-d'Oex.
Theme trailHiking trailOther routes
Time required: 3 hours 45 minutesLength: 11.90km
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
Sägerei Blum
1200m3 Holz werden jedes Jahr gesägt, das verwendete Holz ist 100% Schweizer Holz und 80% Holz aus dem Park.
Artisanry
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
Sägerei Chalet Schuwey AG
1500m3 Holz werden jedes Jahr gesägt. Das verwendete Holz ist zu 100% Schweizer Holz und zu 35% Holz aus dem Park.
Artisanry
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
Scierie des Avants
La scierie communale des Avants fournit différents produits sciés nécessaires aux besoins communaux, principalement les alpages, et le service de la voirie et des espaces verts. La scierie offre également ses services aux communes avoisinantes.
Artisanry
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
Tâna Waterfall and Cave
Just above the village of Grandvillard, the Tâna stream traverses layers of vertical limestone rock before falling dozens of meters. This spectacular waterfall continues to wear away at the rock, which sometimes causes rock slides. A portion of the Tâna’s water is caught and sent through turbines to produce electricity. During periods of high water levels, as in August 2005, the river can overflow its banks.This area, with its small cave dedicated to Notre-Dame of Lourdes, converted in 1958, is also a pilgrimage site. Numerous visitors come here to pray in the fresh air.
Historical building
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
Temple de Château-d’Œx
Majestueusement perché sur un rocher (la Motte) à l’entrée du village depuis le 15e siècle, le temple de Château-d’Œx est aujourd’hui un lieu emblématique de la région. A l’intérieur, on observe également de beaux vitraux du milieu du 20e siècle.
Historical building
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
The cheese trails
This dual route – the Via Le Gruyère AOP and the Via L’Etivaz AOP – closely follows the ancient communication routes, which were notably used for cheese transport over the Col de Jaman in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Theme trailHiking trail
Time required: 33 hours 50 minutesLength: 108.00km
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
The Moléson botanical trail
At an altitude of 1,500 metres, the Moléson botanical trail delves into the rich vegetation of the subalpine limestone environment. From June to September, nearly 250 plants are labelled by volunteers from the Amicale Botanique.
Theme trail
Time required: 19 minutes
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
The Old Smithy, Charmey
With its furnace, anvil and rows of hammers all still intact, the Old Smithy in Charmey bears witness to the generations of craftsmen who once faithfully served the local farming community. Frédy Roos, son of the village’s last farrier, has lovingly preserved the workshop, which looks exactly as it would have done in the early 1900s (1919–1930).A single motor, with leather transmission belts tied around a tree, drives the drill press, threader, mechanical saw, emery wheel and sledgehammer. These and all the other essential tools of the trade contained within the forge’s four walls, now blackened by decades of soot from the furnace and the smoke from the hooves of the freshly shod horses, wait for the blacksmith to pick up his work where he left off the day before.The mission of the “Friends of the Old Smithy Charmey” is to preserve, use and enhance the value of this forge. The association organises guided tours of the workshop and demonstrations, on request.
Living tradition
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
The painted or carved facades of Rougemont
These buildings all share a common characteristic: their façades are either carved or painted. At the summit of each home, you will see its date of construction, a text which is often biblical, as well as the name of the owners and the carpenter. These carpenters inherited a beautiful trade leaving behind masterpieces to be enjoyed for centuries. The facade of the Auberge du Cheval blanc, constructed in 1810 by the carpenter Moïse Henchoz, is especially remarkable.
Historical building
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
The Three Parks Hike, Stage 5
The Three Parks Hike, Stage 5, Schwarzsee-Jaun
Hiking trail
Time required: 4 hoursLength: 12.00km
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
The Three Parks Hike, Stage 6
The Three Parks Hike, Stage 6, Jaun-Gruyères
Hiking trail
Time required: 6 hoursLength: 22.00km
Hint
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
Tour of the old county of Gruyère
Cycling, particularly on an eBike, is a relaxing and pleasant way to explore the Park in the summer months.
Bicycle tourE-bike itinerary
Time required: 8 hoursLength: 81.40km
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
Tourist Office, Gruyères
The city, preserved throughout time in its sumptuous setting, offers a walk through history. Each year, almost 1.2 million visitors explore the pedestrian city with its fortified, hilltop castle dominating majestically over the region. Artist and creator of Alien, H.R. Giger's museum and bar decked out with biomechanic paintings and sculptures are only steps from the castle. The Tibet Museum is located nearby, as well. At the foot of the hill, across from the train station, the Maison du Gruyère, cheese factory invites you to observe master cheese-makers at work each day.
Information center
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
Traces et empreintes
En détectives, les enfants retracent les habitudes des animaux passés par là.
Offer for classes
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
Une journée à l'alpage de Pâquier-Mottier
Dans le vallon de la Torneresse, une journée à l’alpage Pâquier-Mottier mêle dégustation de produits du terroir, découverte d’une exploitation bio et participation aux activités quotidiennes, jusqu’à la traite des vaches en fin d’après-midi.
Offer for groups
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
Via L'Etivaz AOP
Walks through the park - between villages and valleys on a tour of discovery to the pearls of its historical heir, on the trail of cheese. The new app, the cheese trails, is your companion!
Theme trailHiking trailOther routes
Time required: 17 hours 30 minutesLength: 57.00km
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
Via Le Gruyère AOP
Walks through the park - between villages and valleys on a tour of discovery to the pearls of its historical heir, on the trail of cheese. The new app, the cheese trails, is your companion!
Theme trailHiking trailOther routes
Time required: 16 hoursLength: 51.00km
Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut
Votre Cercle de Vie organic farm
The family-run farm Votre Cercle de Vie is a veritable alpine Noah’s Ark. The animals spend the summer in the farm’s mountain pastures in Le Pâquier-Mottier, part of La Torneresse valley in L’Etivaz, and the rest of the year at the farm in Château-d’Œx. The Mottier family are committed to working the land and raising their animals in a humane and environmentally friendly way. The farm has been organic certified since 2011 and rears several ProspecieRara breeds – proof positive of the family’s commitment to safeguarding endangered indigenous breeds of farm and working animals.
All products are homemade and available to buy directly on the farm or in their organic shop in the Les Bossons quarter of Château-d’Œx. You can also order platters of cold cuts from the farm as well as 5kg to 10kg fresh meat boxes. The farm is also home to Esther’s Feng Shui and naturopathy practice
Producer
