Chocolate factories in the Bern area – experience the world of chocolate

Bern is the birthplace of Switzerland's famous chocolate: In 1879, Rodolphe Lindt, the son of a Bernese chemist, invented the conching process in an old factory building on Wasserwerkgasse.

He then refined it to create the creamy smooth, melt-in-the mouth texture of chocolate which, up until then, had had a crumblier consistency and a bitter taste. Inspired by Rodolphe Lindt's work, a large number of other chocolatiers such as Camille Bloch and Toblerone moved to the Swiss capital to produce the delicious confectionery.

Ask the Hotel Savoy staff which chocolate factories to visit around Bern to gain exciting insights into the history and production of Swiss chocolate.

 

Maison Cailler – a sweet day out in Fribourg

 

Maison Cailler in Broc in the canton of Fribourg is one of the most famous chocolate factories in the Bern area and the whole of Switzerland. The impressive factory is set in a delightful hilly landscape and offers a varied choice of chocolate-themed activities.

Follow an interactive audiovisual tour to find out more about the different phases of chocolate production and watch the main ingredients being processed live on camera. At the museum, you can take a journey through the history of the factory from its foundation in 1898 through to the 1960s. A large collection of photos bring the exhibition to life: You can almost smell the lovely scent of roasted cocoa beans just looking at the pictures.

If all that chocolate is simply too tempting to resist, Maison Cailler has what you're looking for: In the special factory shop for visitors, you can browse the whole range of delicious Cailler chocolate.

Have you thought about making your own chocolate? Book a workshop at Maison Cailler and create exquisite chocolates under the supervision of experts. You can experiment with different flavours and even try your hand at tempering or conching.

Maison Cailler is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. all year round except on 1 January and 25 December.

Camille Bloch chocolate factory in the Bernese Jura region

 

From Ragusa to Torino, Camille Bloch's premium chocolate bars are famous all over the world. Founded by Camille Bloch in 1929, the well-known chocolate factory in the Bern area is still run by the Bloch family today.

The chocolate factory visitor centre is located in Courtelary, between La Chaux-de-Fonds and Biel (Bienne). Try the interactive experiments to find out everything you want to know about the company's history and its heavenly creations of chocolate and nuts. And visit the studio to create a chocolate bar of your own or play an escape game to find out the secret of the golden hazelnut. Camille Bloch also offers its entire range of chocolate creations for you to purchase – so why not pay a visit to the Bernese Jura?

The Camille Bloch chocolate factory is open daily from 9.30 a.m. to 6 p.m. except on Mondays.