Swiss cheese and chocolate factory - Gruyere vs Appenzell, Nestle vs Lindt
 

We want to visit chocolate and cheese factories while in Switzerland. I have read that both Nestle and Lindt offer factory tours. Also Gruyere and Appenzell were mentioned as places to visit cheese factories. I want to get input on which of these places are worth the visit.

Good evening. Greg <BR>checkout <BR>www.swissinfo.ch/inhalt.html <BR>www.search.ch/ (swiss search machine) <BR>206.139.242.25/about/about.html. <BR>www.swissworld.ch/ <BR>www.schweizferien.ch/ <BR>Good surfing. Richard of Hickory Hills, Il.....

All are worth a visit. <BR>Gruyere is a walled in town with flowered covered fountains in the center, and a castle at the top of the hill. The cheese factory tour is given in three languages and a cafe is just outside it's doors. Broc is nearby and is the home of Callier chocolate factory which is part of Nestle. Visited the Lindt bakery and coffee shop in Zurich, don't know about the tours there. Visited Appenzel as an excursion north from Lucerne. It is very picturesque with brightly painted pictures and designs on the fronts of the buildings. Had to make way for the cows coming down the street. It was a charming town, logistics will probably determine your decision. I stayed a week in Montreux and made side trips to the French towns, then spent a week in Lucerne and made side trips to the German towns and the Italian lakes region. So much to select from, it is hard to eliminate any of the towns.

Greg, <BR>I have relatives in Switzerland who can see the Appenzell Cheese Factory on a mountainside across a valley from their house. It is located in the village of Stein, just north of the town of Appenzell. The tours are given in English, German and French. If time is limited, get a copy of a pamphlet (again in English, German or French) about the making of Appenzeller cheese. It also has recipes on it. The factory is very small. There is a movie, restaurant, cheese shop, gift shop and an Appenzell Folkart Museum which I found very interesting. The cheese factory has a web site where you can get hours, etc. <BR> <BR>www.appenzeller.ch/_english/default.stm <BR> <BR>Ask at your hotel about an ice cream shop near Stein. I can't remember the name, but the ice cream is raved about by the locals. With all the dairy cattle in that area, the Swiss know good dairy products! Have fun on your trip!