Archaeology handicrafts and science and technology sites to visit Romandy

The Cailler chocolate factory, founded in 1898, welcomes you to its newly reorganized house for a journey into the fantastic world of chocolate. This well thought-out gourmet tour is fun, educational and even magical. The opportunity to discover, through an interactive and guided audiovisual tour, the Swiss black gold from the cultivation of cocoa to its tasting. Smells, sounds, images and tasting combine for a unique sensory experience.

Behind the scenes of chocolate. The Favarger factory opens its doors and reveals some of its secrets. Let yourself be guided and discover the beautiful adventure of the Favarger family. No staging here! We show you the real process of artisanal manufacturing. Dressed in your charlotte and protective clothing, you will discover each step of production: from the selection of raw materials, the roasting of the beans and the creation of the chocolate.

It's a funny name for a funny cheese. Yet this hand-held mini-meule is one of Switzerland's finest cheeses. The flavors of Monk's Head's semi-hard paste are revealed by the caressing cut of the girolle. The tool transforms the slices into small, creamy shavings that are deliciously savored. The history and originality of this cheese, a Jura speciality and PDO, from its manufacture to its tasting, can be discovered at the cheese dairy.

For a tasting with a panoramic view of the lake! The estate is managed by Maude and Simon Vogel, brother and sister, heirs to a great wine-growing family. These passionate winegrowers go to great lengths to find the right nectars for you. You may even leave with a few good bottles to bring the taste of Lavaux back home with you. The estate also offers alcohol-free tasting packages. Ideal for children and drivers, with fruit juices produced by a local 100% natural artisan. A delightful treat!

In the heart of Lavaux, Vinorama is a unique wine discovery center, featuring wines from all 290 vineyards in the region. Several hundred wines are available for tasting and sale. An audiovisual show explains the rhythm of the vine, oenology and the characteristics of the vineyard.

Cultural and sensory walks: on foot with a guide, for groups of 15 or more.

Various tour options, including wine tour, jewel of Lavaux, balcony of Lavaux, "de luxe", "marcheur", tuk-tuk tour.

At the heart of the Station station, we can make a very pleasant stop. The Alpine Cheese factory is first a museum which presents the different stages in the manufacture of live cheeses: the landscape cheese, the sérac that is made with the milk recovered from the Gruyère cheese, cheese cheese. In the fireplace, which is called the point, we smoke sausages, hams and meats. Outside you will see the large fireplace that recalls that of the comtoises farms. There are also numerous instruments necessary for the manufacture of cheese. In the restaurant, you can enjoy the traditional and rich cuisine of Alpine pastures: fondue, crusts, Moutarde mustard, taking advantage of the terrace and its unique perspective on the mountain.

Gilles Wannaz, from the biodynamic estate of the same name, is a winemaker and oenologist, a poet and culinary director, as well as a creator of products made from the vines. A man of the soil and the land, he invites you to share an extraordinary moment. Here, there's a country and its history to discover, to drink and to eat (depending on the package chosen), much more than a simple visit to the cellar. As a new feature, the domaine's team now invites gourmets to share their table every Monday evening and Friday lunchtime.

Why not step back in time at the archaeological site of Lousonna, near the lake, where you can experience - almost - the daily life of a citizen in Antiquity, as you discover the remains of the basilica, the political center, or the temple, thanks to a new signposted trail. You can see the foundations of the houses of the Roman village, dating back to 15 BC. In the ^4th century, its inhabitants left the site for the better-protected Cité hill.

This islet off the coast of Villeneuve would have emerged from the sands brought by the Rhone. Its history is perhaps romanticized: in the middle of the 19th century, two English fiancés go to swim in the lake; the stay turns into a drama because the young man drowns. At the place where his body is found, the fiancée builds the Isle of Peace. The Federal Council offers it to Queen Victoria during a stay in Montreux, but as she does not wish to pay the taxes, she returns the island to Switzerland! Today, only one of the three large plane trees planted in 1851 remains.

Here's a very unusual discovery made in this town. In 1984, during the construction of the car park, twenty-three menhirs, lined up side by side over twenty meters and arranged in two rows, were discovered. They would date from 4500 to 4000 years BC and the largest would weigh 13 tons. An exceptional discovery and a unique alignment in the world, the significance of which is still being sought. The visit is quick but really worth a look!

Space Gutenberg allows to discover the techniques of typography and printing in old, lithograph, the manufacture of paper to the tank, etc. The machines, which it is possible to manipulate, date mainly from the th. You will also be able to acquire a printed text in the old, on homemade paper!

The Domaine de la Vigne Blanche overlooks the harbour of Geneva. The Domaine offers a wide range (19 in total!) of high quality Swiss wines: whites, rosés and reds. Among the famous wines of the domain, La Vigne Blanche, La Réserve de la Commune de Cologny and La Cardamone, are in their image, close to nature and the soil. Solid, generous, fine and authentic, they all have an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée and carry the Vinatura label.

Plage de Crottaz, or Plage de la Grotte, is a small open-air relaxation area, a gravel beach in a picturesque location, with a 3-meter diving board as well as changing rooms, toilets and showers. Access is via a tarmac path between two properties (be sure to mark the path). It's sheltered from the wind and shaded in places, which is good to know on hot summer days. Gonelles beach is nearby.

Below the vineyards, the little beach at Les Gonelles in Corseaux is a great place to take a dip in the lake! To get there, follow the signs for the campsite, and the little beach is right next door ! There's no shade, and the sun beats down hard in summer, so always plan to go early in the morning or at the end of the day. As these beaches are often crowded during the day in summer, you'll appreciate a little peace and quiet all the more.

Some Genevans have forgotten about it, but it is still there! Every day since 1962, this clock marks the hours by evoking a traditional Genevan tune. To accompany it, a procession of 13 floats and 42 bronze figures re-enact the events of December 12, 1602, a key date in the history of Geneva, when the Genevans repelled the assaults of the Duke of Savoy's troops. A creation of Edouard Wirth, watchmaker, with painted decorations and bronze sculptures of Geneva artists. An unusual visit to see a work of local craftsmanship.

Nature lovers, this is your territory. This nature reserve is managed by the Pro Natura center for nature protection. The setting is magnificent. The 2-hectare estate is home to some forty species of birds, which you can try to observe from the top of the observation tower overlooking a natural lakeshore. There are many activities on offer: guided tours, birdwatching, workshops for children and adults, and night-time explorations.

An escape to the farm from the Rhone Valley is a must! If you are passing through the Val d'Hérens, this is a good address to discover the backstage of the famous Hérens cow (the one that fights the queens before going up to the mountain pasture!), the internationally known Evolène carnival and everything related to the culture of the region. A visit that will delight young and old alike. The farm offers a rural stay with very well appointed rooms at low prices, especially the collective dormitories. Don't miss the opportunity to book a country brunch with local products.

The mines of La Presta were exploited from 1711 to extract asphalt, initially for the medical sector. It was not until 1812 that the industrial exploitation, with more than 100 km of galleries, allowed the ore to be exported for the construction of roads all over the world. The mines closed in 1986. The deposit was the largest in Europe. The visit shows how the water was evacuated from the depths and the asphalt brought to the surface by horses, replaced in the 20th century by electric locomotives.

It is the true sap descendant of the ancient lime tree associated with the Battle of Murten. Associated with an historic event, the "Morat lime tree" is actually located 17 kilometers from Morat. It commemorates the Battle of Murten (1476), which saw Swiss troops inflict a severe defeat on Charles the Bold's Burgundian army. According to legend, a messenger ran to Fribourg with the good news, waving a branch as a sign of victory. Exhausted, he collapsed on arrival. The branch is said to have taken root at this very spot...