Parc naturel régional Gruyère Pays-d'Enhaut - The architecture of Grandvillard, which dates predominately from the 17th to 19th century, bears witness to the major contribution that cheesemaking made to the local alpine economy. Today, this remarkable stone and timber architectural ensemble is now classified as a heritage site of national importance. It is also the last remaining vestige of a now-extinct alpine civilisation that owed its existence to the production and sale of cheese.
The village, however, continues to uphold this age-old tradition. The current dairy was built in the 1930s and has since undergone renovation work, first in 2001 and later in 2010. Master cheesemaker Laurent Python uses milk from cows which graze on pastures perched at an altitude of between 750 and 1,500 metres to make his Gruyère AOP. The village’s 12 dairy farmers deliver a daily supply of milk that meets the most exacting quality standards. The annual milk yield of 1,800,000 kg is transformed into some 4,500 wheels of Gruyère AOP, as well as do
uble cream and sérac (whey cheese). Laurent Python also makes Vacherin fribourgeois AOP; it took gold at the 2018 Swiss Cheese Award.
As well as cheesemaking facilities and ripening cellars, Grandvillard boasts a cheese shop and restaurant, le Pic Vert.