What are the distances if we were to use our rental. We will be staying in Vevey.
Is there much to be lost in scenery if we drive versus taking the train into the mountains. Stress in driving, finding turnoffs and parking?? I figure we are only there once so if using the actual chocolate train is the easiest way to go I don't mind paying. Oh, and.. last question.. if we were to drive and do Gruyeres, Broc and Cailler how much time would do them justice?
Posted by
Santa Barbara, CA, USA
177 posts
It is an easy drive. No stress at all. Nowadays, you can get a very inexpensive GPS navigation unit with European maps also. It takes about 30 minutes to drive from Vevey to Gruyères (40km) now that there is a bypass around Bulle.
It leaves you plenty of time for Gruyères and Broc that you can see at your leisure Consider adding the Lavaux vineyards (St.Saphorin for example).
You can also return to Vevey via the Jaun pass, Zweissimmen, and col des Mosses for a very scenic drive (2h30mn drive). Or head straight to Diablerets and take the Glacier3000 cable car to the Diablerets Glacier (1 hour drive from Broc). Then les Diablerets to Vevey is 45 minutes.
Posted by
Henderson
48 posts
We stayed in Montreux and used our rental car to go on this drive. Very beautiful, but CH is a postcard picture from anywhere you go there. We did Gruyeres (not a whole lot to see, do, very little time spent there), Cailler was fantastic, take the tour and be ready for a room full of chocolates, as many as you want which is included in the tour price. We drove over to Gstaad - very quaint ski resort and back - good part of the day spent overall.
Posted by
Long Beach, California, USA
3391 posts
We also drove to Gruyeres last summer and it was very easy. Wide motorway the entire distance from Vevey...nothing terribly remarkable on the way, just lovely countryside, farms, and businesses along the side of the road. The way out to Gruyeres is well signposted - you can't get lost!
Parking at the cheese factory is great, it that is on your list, and the medieval village of Gruyeres also has a nice sized parking lot at the base of the hill that you walk up to get into the town.
Since we were headed back to where we were staying in Valais, we took the route out of town through Chateau-de-Oex and then back out of the mountains where the road passes the chateau at Aigle just off the E27. Stunning drive! Lots of hairpins but the views were something else.
I think a half day in Gruyeres is plenty - the village is quite small and fairly touristy. You can take time to tour the very nice, small chateau if you like which will take you an hour or so at most. An hour at the cheese factory is more than enough but I wouldn't make that a priority...it's really nothing out of the ordinary from other cheese factories I have visited.