Gruyères

I did a day-trip to Gruyères on 27 June 2021 to see the old town, castle, cheese factory, chocolate factory, and the HR Giger Museum.

 

Inside La Maison du Gruyère, the cheese factory in Gruyère that produces the famous cheese with the same name as the town; in the tank in the far right corner, the milk is coagulating (i.e. curdling) and being stirred and cut; afterwards, the cut-up curds and whey will be pumped out and fed into the moulds on the left.
Pouring the curds into the moulds; the whey is drained out, which is collected for other uses.
Filling the moulds with curds and allowing them to settle.
After the curds have settled into the moulds, the plastic cylinders are taken off.
The date is put on top of what will become the cheese wheel.
Pressing the curds into a solid wheel.
Salted bath that the formed curds are placed into.
Racks where the cheese wheels are ripened and aged.
Samples of Gruyère cheese, aged to 6, 8, and 10 months, respectively – as the cheese ages, lactose breaks down to lactic acid, giving the cheese a more pronounced sour (i.e. sharper) taste over time.
Cow wearing an iconic Swiss cowbell around its neck.
Town center of Gruyères.
Medieval town of Gruyères, facing toward the castle, Château de Gruyères.
Looking southwest in the town center.
Church of Saint Théodule.
Looking north toward the village of Broc.
Château de Gruyères, the resident castle that was built in the 13th-century AD.
Inside the chapel at Château de Gruyères.
Eastern rampart of the Château.
French garden at the castle.
View of the Château and garden.
Kitchen with fireplace, stove, and wood-fired oven.
Suit of armour.
A living room inside the castle.
Tapestry found in the castle.
Another tapestry in the castle.
Music room in the castle.
Dining room inside Château de Gruyères.
Inner bailey of Château de Gruyères.
Chalet de Gruyères.
Dining area inside Chalet de Gruyères.
Eating fondue inside Chalet de Gruyères.
View of the town center from inside Chalet de Gruyères.
‘Birthmachine Baby’, a sculpture by HR Giger outside of his museum – Gruyères was his hometown.
‘Female Torso’ by HR Giger.
Another alien female torso created by HR Giger.
Sculpture known as ‘Birth Machine’ and seats outside of the HR Giger Museum.
Inside the HR Giger Bar, designed by the artist himself.
Fountain in the center of the medieval town of Gruyères.
Exterior of the Cailler chocolate factory.
Model of the Cailler chocolate factory, created entirely out of chocolate.
Conveyor belt creating chocolate-covered bars.
Moulds for Cailler chocolate.
Small chocolate waterfall with the Cailler logo.
Conching machine (made in the 70s) used to refine the chocolate and create finesse and creaminess in preparation for placing the chocolate in moulds; inside the machine, the chocolate is kneaded for several hours or days; during this operation, the chocolate also loses acidity and gains its flavors.
Wonka-looking machine used to mix cocoa.
Tasting room in the Cailler chocolate factory.

An open journal or an exercise in narcissism.