FRAMED WITH WONDER

Robin Kory

Aspiring Photographer, Traveler at Heart

Experience Switzerland: Rhine Falls, Charmey’s Désalpe Festival and Gruyère

Line of black-and-white cows walking through steady rain, each with a small green-and-white floral crown and a large steel bell.
A broad patchwork of meadows, farmhouses and mixed forest climbing gentle hills under a cloudy sky near Charmey, Switzerland.
Gruyères’ main street with ivy-clad Hôtel de Ville restaurant on the left and chapel at centre; visitors stroll the cobbles.
Black-and-white dairy cows graze on a steep alpine pasture with a snow-dusted peak and forested valley behind.
Box-hedge knot garden bursting with flowers outside a tiled-roof outbuilding of Gruyères Castle.
Trio of cows sporting fir-branch “bouquets” packed with fuchsia and purple pompoms, herdsman blurred in background.
Wide view of Lac de Montsalvens (reservoir) with green meadows, scattered trees and forested mountains under a bright sky.
Symmetrical limestone house with warm wooden windows and potted dahlias on a cobblestone street in Gruyères.
Enormous pale-orange pumpkin surrounded by smaller gourds on straw bales, Alpine peaks and a gondola line in the background.
Snow-capped peak rising above forested slopes and green meadows near Gruyères under a blue sky.
Two children in alpine dress shepherd a line of goats decorated with blue-and-white paper rosettes during the procession.
Church tower of Saint-Théodule framed by red vines, evergreens and distant mountains.

Late September, as Germany’s Black Forest began to smolder with autumn color, we left Stuttgart and drove south into Switzerland. A quick stop for the motorway vignette—Switzerland’s mandatory toll sticker—reminded us we’d crossed into a land known for its precision watches, chocolate, cheese, and stunning natural beauty. We were bound for Charmey (pronounced “Shar-MAY”)—a small mountain village in the Fribourg Pre-Alps where the herds would soon descend from their summer pastures—but first we wanted to stand in the mist of Europe’s mightiest waterfall.

A Morning at Rhine Falls

We arrived on the north bank of the Rhine Falls (Rheinfall), grabbed a parking ticket at one of the nearby parking lots, and followed the thundering sound of the falls down the path to the Rhine River. Before us roared Europe’s largest waterfall: 150 meters wide (492 feet) and 23 meters high (75 feet). At first those numbers feel abstract, but up close they begin to feel real: mist on your cheeks, a vibration in the boards underfoot, rainbows flickering above the churning white water. We couldn’t wait to get even closer!

Schloss Laufen and cliff-side walkway rising over the spray of Rhine Falls.
Wooden cow sculpture with red heart graphic and #iloverheinfall sign at visitor entrance.
Yellow tiger-striped sightseeing boat drifting in front of foaming lower cascades of Rhine Falls.

A Boat Ride to Remember

We boarded the blue 15-minute Round-Trip boat run by Rhyfall Mändli. The captain wrestled the current to edge us as close as he could to the falls; the rushing water shook the hull and misted our faces—an unforgettable way to feel the Rhine’s power up close.

Blue sightseeing boat skimming past the main cataract of Rhine Falls.
Dwarfed by the roaring curtain of Rhine Falls, the blue tour boat slices across frothy currents for a front-row adventure.
Swiss flag flying above a misty viewing platform at the base of Rhine Falls’ thundering water.
The south-bank viewing deck juts out into the rush of Rhine Falls, its lone Swiss flag braving the perpetual mist.

If you’d like a different vantage point, the same company offers several other tours—below are just a couple of highlights:

  • Rock Experience – land on the mid-river pillar and climb 100 steps to a viewing deck high above the whitewater.
  • Ferry Tour – shuttle between the north and south banks, handy if you plan to explore Schloss Laufen on the opposite shore.

Schloss Laufen, perched on the south bank for more than 1,100 years, offers a cozy castle restaurant, a panoramic glass elevator, the compact Historama exhibit, and the Belvedere Trail, which descends to spectacular viewing platforms right beside the falls. It’s already on our list for next time.

Panoramic view of Rhein Falls with Schloss Laufen perched above roaring white water under brooding clouds.
Schloss Laufen keeps watch over Europe’s biggest waterfall—Rhein Falls—just as the first hints of autumn color the forest.

Lunch in a Water Castle

Back on the north shore we crossed a short footbridge to Schlössli Wörth, a 14-century “water castle.” Built as a customs house on its own island—its moat was the Rhine itself—it now hosts fine dining with the best view of Rhine Falls. From our window table the powerful curtain of water filled the frame while plates of pan-seared local fish arrived at our table. It’s hard to imagine a finer lunch backdrop.

Stone-walled Schlössli Wörth with moss-topped roof and footbridge over the Rhine.
Once a medieval customs house, Schlössli Wörth now serves espresso with a waterfall view.
Riverside villa framed by mixed-season foliage beside a smaller cascade near Rhine Falls.
Calm corners exist even beside the torrent of Rhine Falls.

If You Have More Time at Rhine Falls

  • Night Illumination – after dusk, colored spotlights paint the water and cliffs; check the schedule if you plan to enjoy this colorful display.
  • Smilestones – an indoor miniature Switzerland, complete with moving trains and working funiculars. A perfect rainy-day add-on to your Rhine Falls visit.
  • Adventure Park Rhine Falls – high-ropes courses in a riverside forest; great for kids who need to burn energy after lunch.
  • Rhyfall Express – a tourist road-train that runs between the falls and Schaffhausen’s pedestrian old town, where pastel façades and Gothic bay windows reward an afternoon stroll.

For us, though, the road to Charmey was calling. We wiped the spray off the lens, took one last long look at those beautiful, thundering falls, and set off deeper into Switzerland.

First Evening in Charmey

By late afternoon the road delivered us to Charmey, the main village of Val-de-Charmey, a French-speaking pocket of the Jogne Valley. Once a stop on the old cheese route to France, it now balances mountain tourism—skiing, spas, hiking—with a lingering dairy heritage you can hear in the cowbells ringing above town.

We checked into Résidence Bellevue, an early-20th-century lodge that lives up to its name with large terraces and balconies providing gorgeous unobstructed ridge-line views. Our studio even came with a handy kitchenette—ideal for stashing our market-day cheese haul and brewing a quick morning coffee—which made it the perfect base for exploring everything Charmey has to offer. If you’re planning a visit, note that the hotel has undergone a full refresh and reopened in July 2025.

Yellow three-storey building marked “Résidence Bellevue” perched on a grassy hillside dotted with chalets.
Not a bad definition of “room with a view” at Résidence Bellevue, right above the gondola cables.
View from a hotel terrace in Charmey, Switzerland—village rooftops in the foreground, green pastures and mixed forest in the mid-ground, and a cloud-capped Pre-Alps peak rising behind.
Charmey’s tidy rooftops melt into pasture-dotted hills and a mist-wrapped alpine ridge—an ever-changing postcard just outside the window.

With bags stowed, we set out to explore this small corner of Fribourg. The streets were a mix of timber façades and stone farmhouses; colorful flower boxes brightening almost every building. We drifted along the quiet main street to Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens Church. Its stone tower has watched over Charmey since the 1800s; inside, colorful stained glass windows glowed softly in the late-day light. A steep path carried us down to a small mountain stream, winding past alpine chalets, wooden footbridges, and even a chatty village cat.

Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens church tower rising above pastel village roofs with forested hillside beyond.
Traditional wooden chalet in Charmey with carved balconies, shuttered windows, and a stone trough fountain in the foreground.
levated view over Charmey’s terracotta rooftops toward a jagged Pre-Alps ridge under shifting clouds.
Black-and-white cat walking toward the camera through lush grass.
Close-up of a timber façade with green shutters and a cascade of red geraniums on the balcony in Charmey.
Detail of Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens steeple and weather-worn wooden cross under a dramatic sky.
Row of village houses backed by green pastures and a misty conifer-covered peak.
Timber-shingled alpine cottage “Le Morget” with green shutters, stone steps, and wildflowers.

Keeping the water in earshot, we meandered until an unassuming timber barn came into view: Le Baron, a five-century-old farm building reborn as a restaurant. The chef prepares whatever the valley offers that week—hand-chopped steak tartare, spinach-ricotta ravioli, slow-braised game—paired with local Gruyère wines and the gentle creak of old beams overhead. It was a warm, delicious welcome to a village we’d soon learn could throw quite a party for its cows.

A rain-soaked, three-storey timber chalet with a red-tiled roof and the sign “Café Restaurant Le Baron” on its weathered façade in Charmey, Switzerland.
Warm wood-panelled and stone-walled dining room with simple wooden tables and chairs, alpine décor and a vintage Gruyère ski poster.
Close-up of an artfully plated beef tartare topped with a black lattice tuile, surrounded by pickled mustard seeds, sprouts and sauces; a glass of beer sits behind.

Cowbells in the Rain: A Day at the Désalpe de Charmey

We woke to rain tapping a steady rhythm on the roof and the distant clang of cowbells. Down in the village, market stalls were already unfolding—setting out hand-carved spoons, crisp autumn apples, and, of course, wheels of Gruyère. Everyone was gearing up for the Désalpe de Charmey, the annual home-coming parade that marks the end of summer grazing in the high pastures—a ritual echoed all across the Alps under different local names.

By half past nine the procession was underway. A brass band led the way, followed by a line of vintage tractors that cleared a path for the day’s true stars. What followed felt like a river of color and sound. About every fifteen minutes or so, a new herd emerged from the mist—cows crowned with evergreen boughs and fresh flowers, herders in indigo work jackets and women in bright dirndls gently guiding the animals with long wooden staffs, and children leading goats whose paper garlands dripped blue dye in the rain.

Umbrellas snapped open and shut with each shower, bells rang against embroidered leather collars, and quiet anticipation filled the gaps between herds. The rain never really let up, yet no one drifted away—we were watching centuries of alpine tradition unfold before our eyes, humbled to be among the lucky few who could say we were there.

A young girl in a red dirndl gently guides a bell-wearing cow adorned with a multicolored flower wreath.
Wet brown cow photographed head-on, wearing a tall cascade of peach and cream blossoms.
Pink rain-soaked roses against a dark wooden shutter and window.
Grey cow with bright pink wreath passes a white farmhouse; two young goats and another cow trot beside her in the rain.
Chestnut cow with giant bell and multi-coloured flower wreath looks toward the camera as rain falls.
Four girls in traditional dresses sit on straw bales, playing small button accordions and chatting.
Autumn storefront display of potted flowers, miniature pumpkins, lanterns and two decorative black cowbells hanging from a crate.
Close-up of a parade cow wearing a red-and-white paper-flower headdress and an ornate leather bell strap; a second cow is half visible behind.
A determined boy in denim traditional wear walks in front of cows whose horns carry red and pink carnations.
Close-up of black-and-white goats wearing blue and white floral headpieces and small bells.
A traditional Fribourg farmhouse with a deep, curved roof overhang, weathered timber walls and pale-green shutters.
Close view of a cow in a sparkling tiara beside a young herdsman; rain darkens the animal’s coat.
Sturdy red-and-white cow strides down the slick village street with a simple evergreen crown.
Three brown cows in straw hats and large bells walk together in the drizzle, umbrellas lining the route.
Middle-aged herdsman in navy traditional jacket and hat with yellow flower leads a black-and-white cow past a house in heavy rain.
Middle-aged craftsperson wearing red and black glasses and a suede apron uses a small torch to braze metal on a tiny anvil.

During a midday lull we ducked into Le Pâtissier de l’Hôtel Cailler, the hotel’s wood-paneled tea room and a welcome refuge from the rain. Lunch wrapped up with dark hot chocolate so thick it clung to the spoon, warming us from the inside out. Back at the market we picked up a board of Gruyère and pickles for later and paused to watch an artisan hand-finish small cowbells over a torch flame—one was too perfect to pass up and came home with me as a treasured keepsake.

As daylight faded and rain clouds settled over the valley, we headed to L’Enclume (“The Anvil”), a onetime 18th-century forge turned village inn, now known for its silky moitié-moitié fondue. The gentle patter on the windows and the aroma of of bubbling Gruyère and Vacherin made it the coziest refuge in Charmey.

Traditional inn with red shutters and painted sign reading “Hôtel du Maréchal-Ferrant” beside a wet street.
L’Enclume—now better known for fondue than horseshoes.
Brick-walled dining space with blacksmith tools mounted on the wall, a long wooden table set with multicolored napkins and hanging filament bulbs.
Downstairs, the restaurant tips its hat to Charmey’s iron-working heritage.

Brunch Above the Clouds: Gondola to Vounetz

The morning after the parade dawned rain-free and brilliant—perfect weather for a ride on the Télécabine Rapido Sky. We joined a handful of hikers at the station, stepped into a gondola, and drifted upward through thin veils of morning mist. Fifteen minutes later we were standing on Vounetz (1,610 m / 5,282 ft), Charmey’s rooftops far below and the entire Gruyère basin fanning out to snow-brushed peaks on the horizon.

With time to spare before brunch was served, we set off along a stretch of the Panorama de Vounetz loop. Slippery frost still glazed the shaded bends of the trail, so we clung to the sun-lit portions, sharing the path with a few late-season cows whose bells chimed in the crisp air. Hot-air balloons drifted beyond the valley and paragliders traced lazy spirals below; it felt as though the whole region was celebrating the return of blue skies.

hree black-and-white dairy cows on a grassy ridge; overhead, Charmey’s blue gondola and snow-covered peaks.
Close-up of a white cow with black spots wearing a large brass bell and looking toward the camera.
Patchwork of rolling, forested hills with a wisp of valley fog viewed from high above.
Bearded man in outdoor clothing stands on a grassy ridge with a freshly snowed mountain backdrop.
Early-morning mist rising above a small Swiss village nestled between wooded mountains.
Steel gondola tower reflected in a rain puddle, with a sea of clouds below and blue sky above.
Close-up profile of a dairy cow wearing a decorated bell, soft morning light on its face.
Jagged limestone summit rises above wooded slopes; two hot-air balloons drift in the distance.

Before long the doors of Les Dents-Vertes opened for their Sunday brunch. Counters were filled with flaky pastries, local cold cuts, aromatic coffee, and generous wedges of Gruyère alongside other cheeses from the valley. After making a respectable dent in the buffet, we stepped back outside and listened as a pair of alphorn players sent mellow echoes drifting across the valley.

Dozens of cows grazing and resting on an alpine slope with a pyramid-shaped snowy mountain beyond.
Two musicians play long wooden alphorns decorated with Swiss-flag balloons outside the Charmey mountain gondola building.
Aerial view of green valleys, villages and river bends partly hidden by a layer of white clouds.
Woman in grey fleece poses on a ridge; behind her a freshly snow-dusted peak rises above forested slopes.
Rustic farm wall with milk pails, cheesecloths drying, and a wooden-shuttered window box of flowers.
Wooden mountain restaurant with a glass-railed terrace cantilevered over a slope, diners in colorful jackets inside.
Modern timber-clad gondola terminal with solar panels; layers of rolling green mountains behind.
Rolling green ridge, forested cliffs and distant white peaks under a blue sky; two empty wooden benches on the hill.

If you’re planning your own trip, the gondola sells handy combo tickets—pair the lift with a soak at Bains de la Gruyère (more on that below), a via ferrata course, or even a visit to the Maison Cailler chocolate factory in nearby Broc. Whatever mix you choose, aim for the first gondola of the day; early light and empty trails make the ascent feel even more special.

Gruyère: A Medieval Village Above the Valley

Leaving Vounetz behind, we drove twenty minutes southwest to Gruyères, a storybook village in the canton of Fribourg that lends its name to Switzerland’s most celebrated cheese. Perched on an emerald ridge, the village still flies the red-and-white crane banner of its medieval counts over valley pastures that supply milk for its nutty, cellar-aged wheels of Gruyère AOP.

We parked near La Maison du Gruyère—the working dairy, restaurant and visitor center at the foot of the hill—then followed the sign-posted path up to Gruyères and its car-free village center (there are plenty of lots closer if you’d rather skip the climb). The lane opened onto a picture-perfect scene: window boxes overflowing with geraniums, a historic fountain murmuring in the square, café terraces alive with conversation, and shopfronts selling everything from woolly toy sheep to polished cow-bells.

Cobblestoned main square of Gruyères lined with flower-decked chalets, fountain and chapel.
Stone archway with tiled watchtower and timber galleries—part of Gruyères’ fortified ramparts.
Pastel façades in Gruyères lined with overflowing pink geranium boxes and a tiny café terrace shaded by a white umbrella.
Cobblestoned square with a small chapel topped by a terracotta roof; medieval castle walls and turrets rise behind.
Close-up of a copper dragon rain-spout crowned with gold, set against a clear blue-grey sky.
Quiet corner where a timber building and stone houses frame a narrow cobbled lane in Gruyères.
Mossy walled path leading to a covered wooden gatehouse; rolling hills and forest in the background.
Timber-balcony Café des Remparts with griffin crests, pink geraniums and patrons on a cobbled patio.
Le Chalet restaurant and red-tiled clock tower on an uphill lane in Gruyères, Switzerland.
Autumn forest in the Fribourg Pre-Alps with fresh snow dusting jagged mountain peaks beyond.
Gruyères’ main street with ivy-clad Hôtel de Ville restaurant on the left and chapel at centre; visitors stroll the cobbles.
Church of Saint-Théodule in Gruyères—white nave and tall slate spire—overlooking a wide green valley with snow-dusted Pre-Alps behind.
Market display of handmade wooden sheep and rams covered in brightly colored wool.
Weathered steel double-bass sculpture with the French inscription “La musique adoucit les mœurs,” standing outside a low stucco building in the Swiss hill-town of Gruyères.
Rust-patinated metal crane emblem mounted on weather-worn wooden planks.
Pink façade of Hôtel de la Fleur de Lys with geranium boxes and diners chatting beneath cream umbrellas on a cobbled terrace.
Quiet curve of Gruyères’ main street: pale stone inns, wrought-iron signs and fresh flower boxes catching soft light.
Front view of a traditional Fribourg farmhouse with a high arched roof, stone façade, small wooden bench and autumn leaves in foreground.
Tiny field chapel with mossy roof tiles, stone bell gable and wooden doors under leafy trees.
Traditional Swiss chalet with green shutters, flower boxes of geraniums and a wooden bench on a cobblestone path.
Saint-Théodule church tower in Gruyères with a young linden tree in front and forested hills behind.

At the far end of the square rises Château de Gruyères, the 13th-century stronghold of the Counts of Gruyère. Inside, we marveled at the medieval stained-glass and frescoed walls in the Knights’ Hall; outside, a formal French garden framed sweeping views of the Saane valley and snow-dusted peaks.

Row of hillside villas in Gruyères framed by autumn trees and moody clouds.
Formal flower beds bordered by boxwood with a stone watch-tower and jagged Pre-Alpine peaks dusted in snow behind.
Snow-dusted Pre-Alps ridge rises above rolling green pastures near Gruyères, Switzerland, under a moody autumn sky.
Stone walls and conical tower of Gruyères Castle seen from the grassy slope below.
Inner court of Gruyères Castle showing a tall square tower, a tiny shingled well house and a chapel bell gable.
View through a stone archway into the cobbled castle courtyard of Château de Gruyères with a bright red arched door as an entrance into the castle.
Covered wooden gallery lined with geranium boxes, framing trees and a turret beyond.
Bird’s-eye view of Château de Gruyères’ lower rampart with two corner towers and a geometric knot garden of clipped box hedges and flowers.
Weathered stone wall with mossy roof tiles and half-open red wooden gates in a narrow castle passage.
Tiny round stone outbuilding with steep shingled roof and chevron-patterned door, trees in autumn behind.
Cylindrical tower and walls of Gruyères Castle rising above a formal knot garden of box hedges and flowers.
Stone watch-tower with red shutters on Gruyères castle wall; Dent de Broc mountain rises forest-green behind, alpine pastures and farm lanes below.
The view south toward Dent de Broc shows why medieval lords chose this hilltop—to see danger coming and enjoy the scenery.

Inside Château de Gruyères

Ornate four-poster bed with pale blue curtains and rich medieval tapestries in a castle bedroom.
Sun-lit salon painted green, crystal chandelier above a grand piano and Persian rug.
Wood-beam dining room with long oak table, red damask chairs and brass chandelier.
Vaulted brick kitchen at Château de Gruyères with a massive hearth, iron cauldrons and cobbled floor.
Elegant drawing room in Château de Gruyères with crystal chandelier, floral chairs, painted wall panels and a small wooden game table.
Stone alcove with twin window seats, small wall fountain and view over the Gruyères hills.
Grand hall with a long carved oak table, painted battle murals and a blue coffered ceiling.
Close-up of stained-glass pane (1568) showing Gruyères’ crowned crane emblem with alpine scenery visible through the window.

If you have extra time, stop by the H. R. Giger Museum & Bar—a gallery devoted to the Swiss surrealist who won an Oscar for Alien, filled with his biomechanical paintings, sculptures, and a bar whose chairs look like vertebrae—and the small but serene Tibet Museum just down the lane. We, however, settled for one last stroll through the town square before winding our way back to Charmey.

Weathered bronze biomechanical female torso sculpture by Swiss artist H. R. Giger on a pedestal beside a wrought-iron stair outside a stone building in Gruyères.
A haunting biomechanical figure by H. R. Giger stands sentry near the artist’s museum-bar.
Carved stone stupa outside Gruyères’ Tibet Museum, with red vine creeping up a townhouse wall.
Autumn reds and Himalayan grey–a small stupa guards the doorway of Gruyères’ serene Tibet Museum.

Bains de la Gruyère: Charmey’s Thermal Escape

Back in Charmey we traded hiking boots for swimsuits and walked over to Les Bains de la Gruyère, the village’s mineral-rich thermal spa offering front-row views of the Fribourg Pre-Alps. We drifted between the light-filled indoor pool, two steaming outdoor basins, and a small circuit of saunas and hammams—letting the warm water and quick cold plunges loosen every trail-tired muscle. After a relaxed three hours we felt reset and ready for dinner.

Curving glass building with patterned cladding set in a wide lawn; a lone mountain peak rises in the hazy distance.
Wellness with a view—the spa in Charmey mirrors the hills it was built to celebrate.

Location & Getting There

Charmey (Val-de-Charmey) lies in western Switzerland, in the French-speaking canton of Fribourg. The village is tucked high in the Jogne Valley—the first gentle folds of the Pre-Alps—ringed by pastures, forested slopes, and Lake Montsalvens. Despite the mountain setting, bigger hubs are close: Bern and Lausanne sit about an hour away, and—traffic and weather permitting—you can reach either Geneva or Zürich Airport in under 2½ hours by car.

By Car from Stuttgart

The drive from Stuttgart is a relaxed half-day trip of about 4½ hours.

  • Vignette – As soon as you enter Switzerland, buy the mandatory CHF 40 motorway vignette (cash at the border or online beforehand).
  • Scenic Mid-Way Stop – Roughly two hours in, the route passes Rhine Falls—ideal for a leg-stretch, lunch, and the 15-minute boat ride before you press on.
  • Final Stretch – From the falls it’s another 2–2½ hours of motorway driving, ending with a short climb up the Jogne Valley into Charmey.

More Things to Do Near Charmey

  • Jaunbach Gorge (Gorges de la Jogne) – A dramatic trail threading limestone cliffs, footbridges, tunnels and rock galleries between the Montsalvens dam and Broc. IMPORTANT: the gorge is closed for the 2025 season for safety work—check the official site before you go (≈10 min by car from Charmey).
  • Le Moléson (2,002 m / 6,568 ft) – Funicular + cable car whisk you up to a 360° summit viewing platform. Summer brings a via ferrata, alpine coaster and panoramic restaurant; winter offers a compact ski area (≈35 min by car).
  • Maison Cailler, Broc – Interactive chocolate museum, generous tastings, hands-on workshops and a café run by Switzerland’s oldest chocolate brand (≈15 min by car).
  • Vounetz Summit (Rapido Sky gondola) – Once you’re up top: paragliding, hiking, a mini zip-line park, via ferrata, summer toboggan trail, ropes course, and even cheese-making. Check the website for additional activities and combo tickets that bundle the gondola with the spa, via ferrata, or Maison Cailler—handy for saving a few francs (≈15 min by gondola from Charmey).

Last Thoughts

We’ll never forget those three days in Switzerland—mist in our hair at Rhine Falls, rain-glossed cowbells echoing through Charmey, castle ramparts above Gruyères, and a summit brunch high on Vounetz. Everywhere we turned, tradition blended with 21-st century life: villagers guiding flower-crowned cows one moment, a glass gondola whisking us above the clouds the next. We drove away with Gruyère in the cooler, a handmade cowbell in the backpack, and a growing list of Swiss valleys still to explore. Until the next mountain road calls—à bientôt, Switzerland.

If you love alpine traditions like this, don’t miss our visit to the Austrian Almabtrieb in Reith im Alpbachtal—a different take on the same homecoming celebration, complete with music, market stalls, and plenty of cows in floral headdresses. Read more about our Austria Almabtrieb experience here.

Wide view of Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens church and farm buildings on a ridge, framed by forested mountains.
Across the river, Charmey appears as steeples, barns, and a thousand shades of green.

Have you visited this corner of Switzerland—or are you planning to? Drop your questions or stories in the comments below; I’d love to hear from you!

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5 responses to “Experience Switzerland: Rhine Falls, Charmey’s Désalpe Festival and Gruyère”

  1. cowboystarstruck6ba0a08bae Avatar
    cowboystarstruck6ba0a08bae

    I am enjoying going through your travels with you via your beautiful photography. I loved looking at your photos on Instagram and Facebook these past months and I always wondered about the story behind the pictures…. Now I know the stories! Not only are you a great photographer, you also have a beautiful way of describing your travels. Your words are so descriptive, I feel like I’m there. And what a great resource for people who visit these places, your tips would be really, really helpful for those travelers. Maybe you should put these in a book? “Robin’s Rendezvous!??”

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    1. Robin Avatar
      Robin

      I am so glad you are enjoying them and I truly appreciate your comments! I am hoping that they do help people and give them inspiration for their own adventures. Thank you so much!

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  2. cowboystarstruck6ba0a08bae Avatar
    cowboystarstruck6ba0a08bae

    Also….. I think I need some of that dark hot chocolate that’s so thick it coats the spoon 🥄 ☕️😋

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    1. Robin Avatar
      Robin

      Yes, it was soooo good! I wish I had some right now!

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  3. FRAMED WITH WONDER Avatar
    FRAMED WITH WONDER

    […] recently shared our rain-soaked day at Switzerland’s Désalpe de Charmey—muddy boots and all. This trip was the sunny contrast: a fun, easy overnight with the Stuttgart […]

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