Archaeology handicrafts and science and technology sites to visit Switzerland

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.

Looking for a thrill? Discover four activities offered in Grindelwald. The First Glider propels its four passengers at 72 km/h over the mountains, while the First Flyer offers unforgettable sensations during an 800 m crossing between the First and Schreckfeld at a maximum speed of 84 km/h. Other activities are possible on site such as the mountain cart, a cross between a go-kart and a sledge which allows you to race down the unpaved road linking Schreckfeld to Bort over 3 km. To be tried with the family!

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.

In the heart of the city of Zurich, in a small covered alleyway, the remains of a Roman thermal bath discovered in 1983 are on display. They have been left in situ and can be viewed as they are. Archaeologists estimate that the baths date from 160 AD and must have covered an area of 500 m². They were even enlarged at the beginning of the 3rd century. The baths were of great importance in the social life of the Romans and it is not surprising to have discovered them in the heart of the city. The visit is free and well worth the detour.

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!

On the banks of the Rhine, and thus on the Swiss-German border, there's a turn-off for Augusta Raurica, a major archaeological site in the region, which corresponds to the first existence of the city of Basel in Roman times. The site has been occupied since 15 BC, as an extension of Colonia Raurica, the oldest Roman colony on the Rhine, with up to 15,000 inhabitants during its golden age in the ^2nd century. The town was then a prosperous center, both economically and culturally. It was the barbaric Alamanni who, a century later, brought the city to its knees. The town was reborn in the military form of a castrum, a little further on at Kaiseraugst.

The archaeological site. Today, the site is rich enough to delight all lovers of Roman antiquity: an imposing theater, the remains of the temple on the Schönbühl hill from which you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view, and the mosaic exhibition in the basement. The area is dotted with maps and signposts to help you find your way around.

The museum. Numerous objects from the excavations are on display in the museum, notably in the "Roman house", a reconstruction of a house to give you an idea of how life was organized in those days. This is also where the magnificent treasure trove of silverware unearthed at Kaiseraugst rests: over 270 dishes, bowls, tableware and coins in 58 kg of pure silver.

Swiss-German author Johanna Spyri's little mountain girl Heidi reminds us of our childhood. This lively, mischievous little girl embodies freedom, nature, family values and friendship. At the top of the village of Maienfield in the pastures, you'll wander through Heidi's grandfather's cottage, the school and the farm. Cheese-making and herbal discovery workshops punctuate the visit in summer.

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.

The Urania Observatory built in 1907 is open to the public. Everyone can therefore have the chance to observe the stars and planets thanks to the telescope that grows 600 times. Seeing this beautiful object is already worth the trip, but the evening becomes truly magical evenings without clouds. For those who want to have the head in the stars, for real!

The Reichenbach Falls can be visited from early May to early October. They owe part of their fame to the writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his mythical character Sherlock Holmes. It was here that the famous detective staged his own death by jumping from the 120 m high waterfall. To get up there, a historic train rises to the top and leads to a platform. From this upper station, which is also accessible on foot, you have a spectacular view of the waterfall and the Hasli Valley.

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.