Freiburg CantonA Medieval TreasureBy Caroline M. Jackson
Feeling rather saturated with all this rich culture, it was time to have a lunch break and where best to go but to one of the oldest buildings in Rue de Zaehringen.
http://www.pays-de-fribourg.ch Where we stayed: Gruyeres: Hostellerie des Chevaliers http://www.gruyeres-hotels.ch/chevaliers - ask for a room overlooking the valley. Where we ate in Freiburg: Contact information: All images by Hamish M. Jackson Email: crestlyn@axionet.com |
|
TM
As the intercity train zipped between Zurich and Geneva, I caught a glimpse of the medieval town of Freiburg nestled in a deep wooded valley spanned by an enormous bridge. At that moment I resolved my next Swiss itinerary would include this historic town. A year later, I was not to be disappointed.
On arrival at the tourist office which is near the train station, I discovered that the city of Freiburg is capital of the canton of the same name and sits on the border between Switzerland’s French and German-speaking regions. After studying my free map, I decided this historic town begged to be visited a pied. As I strolled down the steep cobbled streets I walked deeper into history spanning nearly one thousand years. Winding narrow streets lined with Gothic houses opened up onto squares boasting Medieval fountains. Religion is deeply woven into Freiburg’s history with representation from the Franciscan, Capuchin and Jesuit Catholic Orders. Top of my list was the Franciscan Church with its wooden triptych and the Cathedral of St. Nicholas with a spectacular view from its 74m high tower.
Like a protective ribbon, the Sarine River enfolds Freiburg’s medieval Old Town which is located on a forested peninsula. The river also creates a linguistic divide with most inhabitants on the west bank speaking French and across the river on the east bank, German. It was therefore no surprise to learn that the town boasts a well-known bilingual university. Many street signs are in both French and German and the friendly locals slipped quickly from speaking one language to the other without missing a heartbeat. One distinguished gentleman on hearing our Canadian accents, invited my husband and I into his home to see his million dollar view. As soon as the heavy wood door closed behind us, I felt as though we had walked into a time warp. A narrow arched hallway led into a library which opened onto a private terrace. The view from this precipitous lookout was indeed spectacular.
Later, while walking alongside the meandering Sarine River, six bridges afforded stunning views and perfect subjects for picture taking. My favorite was the Bern Bridge, a covered bridge made of wood and the expansive Zaehringen span bridge which I had originally spotted from the train on my previous trip.
The restaurant was so busy at street level that I was escorted upstairs to a quieter table next to a window. Over lunch I was able to spread out my map. With steep winding streets and a dose of Trans-Atlantic jetlag, I had lost my bearings. The map showed a funicular which would transport me from the medieval part of town up to the more modern upper part of the city. Inaugurated in 1899, this fascinating little cable railway runs on water, with the two green cars counterbalancing each other in ascending and descending movements. Later, despite the strange odor from the water cylinder, my knees thanked me for the ride up the steep incline. 
No one should visit the canton of Freiburg without a trip to the charming Medieval city of Gruyeres a short jaunt to the south. In bygone days, Gruyeres belonged to the counts and its heraldic representation of the crane (in French grue), inspired the name Gruyeres. Enclosed by 12thcentury ramparts, its fairytale castle is picture postcard perfect. The pedestrian-only village does not deter the hundreds of tourists from parking below and pouring into the village above. We sallied along the cobbled street then visited the fortified castle to admire its treasures and Flemish tapestries. By dinner time, the tourists had vanished so we practically had the town to ourselves. That evening we stayed in an atmospheric hotel a few minutes walk from Gruyeres.
Just a ten-minute walk downhill from Gruyeres, in Prigny, is a demonstration cheese dairy where the master cheese-maker daily produces up to 48 wheels of tangy yellow Gruyere cheese. Every ten days, each 35 kg round is turned over and brushed with a mixture of water and salt. Upon arrival, I was given a head set which enlightened me on the intricacies of cheese making and everything I didn’t know about cows. For example, a cow daily drinks 85L of water, 25L of milk and eats 100 kilos of fresh grass. From now on, I will not complain about the cost of cheese. 
With the clouds clearing from the mountain tops, we decided to work off all the cheese sampling by taking a hike in the surrounding Pre-Alp countryside. The area is a paradise for hikers with its well-marked trails zigzagging through rolling mountains, forests, vineyards and skirting ribbon lakes. On one such sojourn, we stopped to have a bite to eat at an Alp Hut called ‘Chez Budgi’. The meal consisted of home cured ham, potatoes
covered in double cream and the most delicious Gruyere cheese fondue. We were the only foreigners in the restaurant and I don’t think the owner had ever seen a credit card. To mark our departure, our host dashed out to his balcony and rang all the cowbells above his door. We positively waddled down the hill and resolved to eat nothing but salads for the next week.