Train Travel

Doing What The Swiss Do Best

Dark, milky or white? The dilemma of which to try first. Sitting snugly aboard the "Chocolate Train", after studying a selection that would make Willy Wonka's eyes glaze over, I settle on a discrete nibble of Cailler blanc. The cheese will have to wait.

The Swiss Alps drift by as we climb up from Montreux heading into the mountains towards the medieval town of Gruyeres. We will be visiting the cheese dairy there to find out the secrets behind the production of the world famous wheels of Gruyere. Then a short ride onward to visit the sleepy town of Broc and the Nestle chocolate factory. If you're a lover of both vices, how can you be sure which stop to was looking forward to the most.

The elegance of the old Pullman Express carriages provides the perfect setting for a gentle meander through Switzerland's scenery. Wood panelling, old brass lamps and faded jade velvet demand an Agatha Christie novel or two.

In the middle ages the town came to be known as Gruyeres. Noblemen used a white crane (a "grue") as an emblem on their red flags, hence the christening of the region. The production of cheese made several fortunes and the lucky ones became known as cheese barons. Since the 12th century, the cheese with its subtle and sophisticated taste has been produced in the region.

The guide meets you off the train and as soon as you step foot onto the platform, the sweet smell of Gruyeres welcomes you like a long lost friend. Even though the train station is a good 10 minute walk way from the dairy, there is no chance of getting lost as long as you follow your nose.

Before long, you are in front of what can only be described as a library of cheese wheels. A huge vault with towering shelves and shiny robotic arms lift and file away life-belt size circles of cheese. This is where the cheese comes to mature, anywhere from 5 to 10 months.

Watch transfixed as the cheesemaker stirrs huge copper kettles and then begin cutting the curd from a solid mass into smaller particles. The grains and the whey separate and the contents of the vat minus the whey are then poured into the ready made moulds. Casein marks are added identifying the day and month of production and then the wheels go through a 16 hour pressing period, followed by a 20-hour salt bath. After this, the robots go to work in the maturing vault.

Two hours later, back on the Chocolate Train for a short ride to the neighbouring village of Broc. At the beginning of the 20th century, Switzerland's share of the world chocolate export market was 55 per cent. The F-L Cailler factory in Broc, now Nestle, was one of the largest producers of chocolate. The whole factory used to be open to the public, but now only a very small section can be viewed by visitors.

After a short introductory film, you are free to stroll around displays such as old Cailler posters and chocolate boxes before you are allowed to view the "conching" process. Peering through a small window, you can see white coats glide around supervising the conches which are basically machines designed to liquify the chocolate. Fans of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory would be disappointed as there wasn't a chocolate waterfall in sight, but after a few minutes of watching the swirling chocolate flanked by pink bubblegum pipes, thoughts of Oompa Lumpas did begin to surface.

The highlight of the visit was in the form of the tasting room. Row upon row upon row of chocolate in every different shape and texture one could dream of, are laid out on little silver plates for all to sample.

Need to know

La Maison Du Gruyere, tel. +41 26 921 8 00Nestle Factory, tel. +41 26 921 5151Julie Eagleton was a guest of the Lake Geneva Region Tourist Office