Swiss Castle Day 2026

Travel

Voyages, voyages

Fighting, trading, creating

On the occasion of the 11th Swiss Castle Day, Gruyères Castle presents a programme of activities centred on the theme of travel.
Gruyères Castle invites you to spend a fascinating Sunday exploring the many facets of travel throughout history. Whether for military campaigns, trade routes or artistic journeys in search of inspiration, women and men of the past were constantly on the move, exchanging ideas and discovering the world. From the Middle Ages to the 19th century, let yourself be swept along on an adventure and meet the travellers of bygone days, the true globetrotters of their age.

Hours

Opening hours: 9am – 6pm
Activities from 10am

Join the castle by public transport!
The Gruyères-Ville bus stop is located at the entrance to the town (5–7 minutes’ walk from the castle).
From the Gruyères SBB railway station, allow approximately 20 minutes on foot.
Plan your journey.

Prices

Activities included with castle admission

Programme

Ongoing activities from 10 a.m.

Fighting
How did people travel to wage war in the Middle Ages? Discover life in a 15th-century military camp through displays of weapons and armour, firing demonstrations and a variety of activities with Les Quatre Lunes theater company.

Trading
Join Marco Schnyder (University of Fribourg), for his lecture and discover the links that connected Gruyère and France in the 17th and 18th centuries. From the pastures of this lush region to international markets, cheese lay at the heart of these exchanges, which blended trade and cultural interaction.

Creating
In the 19th century, travel became a powerful source of artistic inspiration. Captivated by the beauty of the countryside and the picturesque charm of the town, numerous artists flocked to Gruyères and helped to shape its image. Visit after visit, they found fertile ground for their imagination there, leaving behind a lasting mark of their time in the town. Alongside the artist Marinka Limat, contribute to a participatory outdoor artwork and leave your own mark at Gruyères Castle.

Exhibition
Presented throughout the castle’s rooms, Vidya Gastaldon’s exhibition Les passe-murailles extends this exploration of travel. Moving between visible and invisible worlds, the artist reveals a rich and vibrant universe inhabited by forces and spirits.

Catering
During your visit to the castle, enjoy light refreshments in the unique and welcoming setting of its courtyard.