Cheese Train: an adventure between delicacies and traditions

What if you were to embark on a timeless journey, combining elegance and authentic flavours? Imagine yourself aboard a Belle Époque train, travelling through the breathtaking scenery between Montreux and Château-d'Œx. On arrival, immerse yourself in the secrets of alpine cheese making and savour a fondue in a typically Swiss setting. To complete this escapade, let yourself be surprised by the treasures of the Musée du Pays-d'Enhaut and Swiss Center for paper cut-outs, famous for its unique collection of paper cut-outs. Ready for an unforgettable experience?

✎︎ Alpes Vaudoises, ©︎ Alpes Vaudoises, ※︎ August 2024

What we loved ❤️‍🔥

• Picturing ourselves in an Agatha Christie novel in a carriage worthy of the Orient Express 🚞

• Stirring 200 litres of milk in a copper cauldron over a wood fire🔥

• Enjoy a delicious 100% organic fondue🫕

• Admire the carved furniture at the Musée du Pays-d'Enhaut🖼️

Belle Époque train: romance and old-world charm

It was an overcast Wednesday morning in August when we arrived in Montreux. We board the MOB train bound for Château-d'Œx and take our seats in one of the Belle Époque carriages that run daily from Montreux. As we enter, we quickly forget the gloomy weather and marvel at the beauty of the carriage: upholstered armchairs, wooden shelves, finely carved wooden ceiling... No doubt about it, we're in the world of the famous Orient Express!

The MOB's Belle Époque carriages revive the tradition of luxury trains, in particular the Golden Mountain Pullman Express, which entered service in Montreux in 1931 and was designed for wealthy British customers. Today, during the journey between Montreux and Zweisimmen, you can immerse yourself in this world of comfort, old-world charm and an atmosphere worthy of an Agatha Christie novel.

From the shores of Lake Geneva to the Pays-d'Enhaut

It takes just over an hour to reach Château-d'Œx from Montreux, and we take full advantage of the scenery that unfolds before our eyes. From the shores of Lake Geneva to the vineyards on the hillsides, the train then heads towards Les Avants and then Gruyère, through hills, forests and pastures. We then cross the landscapes of the Pays-d'Enhaut via Rossinière before reaching our destination. At Château-d'Œx, we reluctantly leave our comfortable car and stand on the platform to watch it continue on its journey to Zweisimmen.

Le Chalet: a genuine alpine chalet

The day's gourmet stop is at Le Chalet restaurant and cheese dairy, just a few minutes' walk from the station. On the first floor of the restaurant, we'll discover the cheese dairy and a selection of products and souvenirs typical of the destination. As the cheese dairy is a Pays-d'Enhaut Produits Authentiques brand ambassador, a whole range of labelled products from local producers is also on offer. So you can fill up on delicious specialities before heading home!

At the back of the shop, we take time to observe the MOB's model trains, in which every detail has been carefully imagined. Built in 1978 by MOB employees and members of the Modellbahngruppe Obsersimmental-Saanenland (MOS) club, the model is fully automated and allows you to follow the trains between different stations, from Montreux to the Bernese Oberland.

Making "Le Chalet Bio" alpine cheese

Now it's time for a demonstration of how alpine cheese is made! We head up to the first floor of the chalet, where the restaurant and cheese-making area are located. A roaring fire crackles in the hearth, the imposing copper cauldron is already emitting a recognisable aroma and the cheesemaker, dressed in traditional costume, welcomes us for this educational and highly entertaining moment.

The cauldron holds 200 litres of milk, which at the end of the process will be transformed into a 20-kilo cheese loaf. After a minimum of six months maturing in the cellar, the cheese is ready to be enjoyed. "Le Chalet Bio" will then be sold in the cheese dairy shop and used in the cheese dishes served in the restaurant.

For an hour and a half, we watch all the stages in the cheese-making process, comfortably seated at our table while enjoying a delicious fondue. From time to time, the cheesemaker invites the public to take part in the preparation: producing the curds, slowly stirring the mixture heated to 52 degrees over the fire, taking out the granules at the end of the cooking process, giving rise to moments of sharing and laughter between visitors.

The granules are then moulded and pressed: the demonstration is now over. Before leaving Le Chalet, we receive a small souvenir bag, the contents of which we won't reveal to future visitors!

Visit to the Musée du Pays-d'Enhaut

We then head to the centre of the village to discover the Museum, which also houses the Swiss Center for paper cut-out. The history of the valley unfolds before our eyes as we wander from room to room. We admire delicately painted or sculpted furniture, tools, crockery, watercolours, photographs...

These objects are displayed in fifteen rooms, several of which are reconstructions of cottage rooms, recreating the atmosphere of homes in days gone by. Throughout the visit, we can also admire some magnificent cut-outs, an emblematic art of the Pays-d'Enhaut. The museum houses nearly 600 works of paper-cut and also offers temporary exhibitions by contemporary artists.

Back to Montreux on the GoldenPass Panoramic train

The fine weather had returned by the time we finished our visit, and we enjoyed admiring Château-d'Œx bathed in sunshine. For the return journey to Montreux, this time we boarded the GoldenPass Panoramic, which offered a breathtaking view of the landscapes along the way. A magnificent way to round off this escapade, perfect to enjoy with family or friends.