Have many of you been to these places?
We are going next summer for mountains and cheese. Etivaz looks to have amazing cheese/farming culture.
https://etivaz-aop.ch/
Are there places like this is the German region? Would Emmantaler be like this?
Thanks
Posted by
Arctophilia, Northamptonshire, England
35814 posts
Emmentaler is the name of the cheese made in the valley (tal) of the Emme river. The main town is Langnau im Emmental.
The construction of the word is similar to that of Neandertal in the German Ruhr where the bones of early Neandertal people were found.
Langnau i. Emmental has a station on the BLS line between Luzern and Bern, about midway. You will see lots of cows. I have been there many times.
Posted by
Belgium
113 posts
The Linthal region in the canton of Glarus has several alpine pastures (Alp) too.
https://glarneralpkaeseaop.ch/
You might be interested in the Glarner Käsepass 2025 https://glarnerland.ch/de/map/detail/glarner-kaesepass-2025-bd557977-bde9-4fed-9c37-28e6bacc8758.html
Posted by
Arctophilia, Northamptonshire, England
35814 posts
Just to mention that Langnau and the Emmental are lowlands, lots of low land grazing but certainly not in the Alps.
Posted by
Belgium
113 posts
Alpkäse (fromage d'alpage) is made only in the summer – using milk from cows, goats, or sheep grazing on the mountain pastures. Their summertime mountain habitat provides them with a culinary highlight; after all, they can choose from hundreds of different herbs here – compared to about a dozen varieties in the valley meadows. This healthy variety of food, the ample freedom of movement, and the crystal-clear mountain water result in delicious raw milk, which is processed into cheese while still warm from the cow and without the need for major transport routes. Only when the milk production and cheesemaking take place on the mountain pastures can the cheese be called Alpkäse.
The cheese produced year-round in the valley is called Bergkäse (fromage de montagne) – to distinguish it from Alpkäse.
Emmenthal is a Bergkäse.
Posted by
Alsenborn, Germany
2312 posts
There are a lot of regional cheeses that never see export. I was just in Colmar yesterday and picked up a kilo of cheese and half a kilo of smoked duck. It's going to be a great meal tomorrow.
Almost every city of any size will have shops with regional specialties. Hunt them down, it's worth it.
And if you visit Nancy (which I highly recommend) here's the place to go: Fromagerie de la Vieille Ville - Les Frères Marchand
Posted by
Switzerland
334 posts
Yes, certainly there are farms like this in the German speaking part of Switzerland. Here are some in the Berner Oberland:
Products they make are: Berner Alpkäse AOP, Berner Hobelkäse AOP. Hobelkäse is one of my favourites. It is aged for at least two years - definitely worth a try!
Here is more information on that farm in English:
https://www.diemtigtal.ch/en/poi/rinderalp-alpine-farm?utm_source=chatgpt.com
This one is near Meiringen:
Aeschi, near Spiez:
https://www.thunersee.ch/erlebnisse/poi/alpkaesereibesichtigung-aeschi?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Experience farm work on an alp in Lenk:
For something different, but also fun, you can try the Emmental Cheese bike route using e-bikes. This website also shows great photos of what the area looks like (with the alps in the distance).
Posted by
Bern, Switzerland
1080 posts
Well I live not far from the Emme valley and this my go to for a few days break every autumn.... there are lots of paces like this around, there are just not normally on the tourist trail and some may not speak English.
https://www.solothurn-city.ch/en/discover-solothurn/excursions/weissenstein