From Geneva
Gruyères and the Maison Cailler
A castle at the end of a pedestrian street, and chocolate five kilometres further on.
Loop
245 km
Driving time only
3 h 24
Suggested hire
8 h
From
879 CHF
The medieval town of Gruyères and the Cailler chocolate factory at Broc fit into the same day: they sit a few kilometres apart. That is what makes this loop a full day with no dead time, rather than a long drive for a single visit.
It is also the longest of our days out of Geneva: 245 kilometres and nearly three and a half hours of driving out of eight. The rate includes 200 kilometres, so this loop is the only one on the list that carries a supplement.
We drive and we wait. We sell neither tickets nor guided tours, and we have no link with the castle or the factory.
The itinerary
La montée par la Gruyère
Motorway to Bulle, then the Fribourg Prealp countryside: meadows, forests and villages clinging to the slopes. It is the longest of our days out of Geneva, and the landscape is part of the reason.
Le bourg de Gruyères et son château
The town is pedestrian. The chauffeur drops at the car park below and waits: the climb to the main street is on foot, a few minutes, and it is the only moment of the day when the car is no use.
La Maison Cailler, à Broc
A few kilometres further on, Rue Jules Bellet 7. The factory has been there since 1898. It is the stop that makes the day work with children, and the reason not to head back straight after the castle.
Le déjeuner, à décider avant
Tables in the town fill quickly in season and do not always take walk-ins. Tell us if you want to eat there: better to fix the time beforehand than to wander for half an hour once you arrive.
Retour sur Genève
About two hours via Bulle and the motorway. It is the only one of our days where the loop exceeds the kilometre allowance: 245 km against 200 included, so a mileage supplement, quoted beforehand and never after.
km included : 200 km · +45 km, beyond that, extra kilometres are charged
The kilometres below are measured from the airport. Starting from a hotel in town, or from another town, changes the loop and therefore the count: the quote is adjusted to your actual pickup point.
The town is pedestrian
You do not drive up the main street of Gruyères. The chauffeur drops at the car park below and collects from the same spot: a few minutes on foot, and no hunting for a space on a summer Sunday.
The day that works with children
A castle then a chocolate factory is the combination that holds for eight hours without negotiation. The vehicle stays at your disposal in between, with your things on board, which changes everything when the day stretches.
The only itinerary with a supplement
The rate covers 200 kilometres across eight hours. This loop runs 245, so the excess is charged per kilometre. It appears on the quote before the journey: from 879 CHF in an E-Class, all in.
Drivable all year
No pass on the route, no mountain road: the loop works in January as in July. That sets it apart from the alpine days, which depend on weather and on lifts.
Frequently asked questions
From 879 CHF in an E-Class for eight hours of hire, 1221 CHF in an S-Class and 1141 CHF in a V-Class. That figure already includes the mileage supplement: the loop runs 245 km against 200 included.
Because it is the only one on the list whose loop exceeds the allowance: 245 kilometres against 200 included in the eight hours. The excess is charged per kilometre and shown on the quote before the journey, never discovered after.
No, the town is pedestrian. The chauffeur drops at the car park below and picks you up there. The walk up to the main street takes a few minutes.
At Broc, Rue Jules Bellet 7, a few kilometres from Gruyères. The factory has been there since 1898. Both fit into the same day without rushing.
No. The castle, the factory and meals are settled on site; we do not resell them and we have no affiliation with either. Our rate covers the vehicle, the chauffeur and the kilometres.
It is one of the few on the list where the programme holds without negotiation: a castle, then chocolate. The vehicle stays available in between, with your things on board, which helps when the day runs long.
Yes. No pass, no mountain road: motorway to Bulle then maintained country roads. The loop runs all year, unlike the alpine days.