Alfa Romeo Swiss Grand Tour: a Trip round the Canton of Fribourg, on the Gruyère Trail

Miles of countryside and rolling hills, in a particularly flat Swiss region. And a name that takes us through lakes and castles to discover some of the local gastronomic traditions

Words Alessandro Giudice

Photography Alessandro Barteletti

Video Andrea Ruggeri

Swiss Grand Tour is a project to discover itineraries driving classic Alfa Romeo cars, in partnership with Astara, the distributor and importer of the Brand in Switzerland.

Canton	Fribourg
Route	from Bulle to Murten
Distance	80 km
Travel time	1h 40min
Driving pleasure	4/5
Panorama	4/5

The Gruyère landscape in the Canton of Fribourg has two apparently contrasting features: on one hand, it invites travellers to cross it in one go along the broad, straight main roads, while on the other it offers so many interesting places to stop along the way, with a network of quiet yet smooth minor roads that offer driving pleasure through the fields and meadows to visit characteristic towns and villages with architectural wonders just waiting to be admired. With a name that was given to one of Switzerland’s most famous cheeses, the region is teeming with artisanal fromageries. One of the most representative cheese factories can be found in Pringy, a small village just a short drive from Bulle, the main town in the Gruyère district and the starting point of our itinerary. Pringy and its cheese factory lie at the foot of the mountain that hosts Gruyère castle, one of the most iconic in all of Switzerland. Built in the 13th century, its sophisticated halls furnished with original period pieces host modern exhibitions and collections of various kinds, as well as a considerable number of paintings by artists who have stayed there over the centuries, many inspired by the views of the surrounding landscape.

[click to watch the video]

(Map by Sansai Zappini)

But let’s go in order. We started in Bulle, where we met Jacques Perissét, an affable Alfa enthusiast who, having sold off his large sawmill, now spends much of his time on his collection of cars, many of which are “Biscione” models. He comes to meet us in a shiny 1971 Giulia 2000 GT Veloce that glitters as it passes the historical buildings with its very elegant pale-yellow bodywork. Taking the GTV's DNA to a more sporting level are the special Mille Miglia hubs painted glossy black, an aftermarket product that was very common at the time.

We met in the picturesque town centre, with its many original historical buildings standing next to others rebuilt in the same style after a devastating fire that razed the town to the ground in 1805. The atmosphere is buzzing, and we take a pleasant stroll to discover the gems the town has to offer. Starting from a visit to Bulle Castle, a very well-preserved rectangular construction with circular towers on the corners, we climb the steep stairs leading to one of the towers to enjoy the wonderful view of the whole town and the surrounding countryside. Then on to the Musée Gruérien, a modern building offering a spectacular interactive exhibition of settings, costumes and local popular arts, expressed in Bulle through a packed calendar of musical and gastronomic events.

While the castle in Bulle has a rectangular architecture with circular towers, the next castle we come across in Romont is a perfect example of the medieval Savoy style, with a large circular tower, sloping roofs and walls around which the whole village grew up. After a slight climb to the top of the hill at an altitude of 780 metres, you get an idea of how the place became a trading hub and meeting place, with a long line of period houses along the right side of the road. Inside, along with many trees and weeping willows and a huge water mill, you will find the Vitromusée Romont, housed in most of the castle. This is a unique glass museum in Switzerland, with 14,000 artistic works and crafts - stained glass, household objects and ornaments - which tell of the centuries-old glassmaking tradition, with themed exhibitions and workshops offering a taste of different processing techniques. Don’t miss it.

We got back on the road after a break in the castle café, lit by large artistic stained-glass windows looking over the garden. We followed the 2000 GTV in a very agile and silent Junior mild-hybrid, with a sporting passenger compartment that perfectly matches the excellent dynamics of the chassis and the general set-up. Without ever breaking the speed limits, Jacques put his foot down, and the roar of the engine marked every gear change and acceleration, offering a timeless image of this splendid gran turismo along the narrow strips of tarmac running through the deep green hills and surrounding fields.

  We travelled quickly on to the next stop at the Rossens dam, which blocking the River Sarina created Gruyère Lake, Switzerland's longest artificial lake, measuring 13.5 kilometres running from Fribourg to Bulle. Worth remembering: at the end of the road crossing the dam, it is important to follow the left-hand tunnel, which leads to Fribourg, while the other follows a narrow road that runs along the eastern side of the lake.

Approaching the Canton capital and the Sarine district, the traffic became a little busier, also animating the centre of Fribourg, a bustling town particularly on week days. The town is divided into two parts, the lower of which was the original settlement, with its medieval buildings and narrow cobbled streets. It is certainly worth parking the car and enjoying a stroll through the charming historical neighbourhoods, and the panoramic view from the tower of St. Nicholas’ Cathedral, with its unmistakeable Gothic architecture dominating the city (bear in mind the 365 steps to the top…). The tour could also include a trip round the walls or a walk across the many bridges crossing the River Sarine, from the oldest to the futuristic Pont de Poya, the longest cable-stayed bridge in Switzerland, as well as a visit to the Espace, with its permanent exhibition of the extravagant works of the Fribourg-born artist Jean Tinguerly and his wife Niki de Saint Phalle: take a dive into some amazingly fun art.

Heading north from Fribourg, we drove through Courtepin and on to Murten, the point of arrival of our itinerary on the banks of the lake of the same name, the smallest in the Three-Lakes Region. A magical yet almost miniature place: due to the small size of the lake, which seems like a warm swimming pool animated by windsurfs, canoes and sailing boats.

Murten itself is a pretty village with narrow alleys packed with bars and restaurants; the lakeside promenade is dotted with sandy beaches, while the “Riviera Friburgeoise” opposite, is dominated by Mount Vully, and the small wine-producing region renowned for its fresh, aromatic white wines. The ideal spot for saying goodbye to Jacques and his Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV with an aperitif and a Moitié-Moitié fondue, a local excellence made with two DOP cheeses, Gruyère and Vacherin Friburgeois.

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THE COLLECTOR: Jacques Pèrisset

The "2000 GTV" (1971)

The last model of the legendary dynasty, the Giulia 2000 GT Veloce is the best expression of all those features that have made the coupé designed by Bertone a Biscione icon. Powerful, with its 131 HP developed by a 2-litre, 4-cylinder engine with a speed of up to 200 km/h, it is the emblem of sports driving combined with the elegance of a sophisticated, welcoming passenger compartment, with newly designed, large and comfortable seats. A total of 37,459 2000 GT Veloces were manufactured from 1971 to 1976, 5,171 of which were sent to the US market equipped with Spica indirect injection instead of the two Weber dual-body carburettors. 

The Modern Alfas

I have loved Alfa Romeos since I was a child, when every trip out was a great adventure. My father drove only Alfa Romeos. The first, a Giulietta Sprint, was followed by a 1750, a 2000 GTV, an Alfetta GTV6, a 75 Turbo, and lastly, a 75 3.0. They were all family cars, and travelling in them I came to love them. The 2000 GT Veloce belonged to a friend of mine, who didn’t want to sell it to me. He said, “It’s my wife’s favourite”, but then the very same day they separated, and he asked me to take it away immediately, he didn't want to see it around. It replaced the 1750 GT I had, which unfortunately had been stolen. I have several Alfa Romeos, a Montreal, a Giulietta Sprint, an SZ, a 4C and an 8C and others besides, but I am particularly fond of the GT Veloce, it’s the one I like to drive the most, it makes me relax. This car perfectly represents my idea of Alfa Romeo, it feels like a tailor-made suit. Considering it’s over fifty years old, its dynamics, set-up and road hold are still exceptional. I like that unmistakeable personality and style of modern Alfas, and of course the roar of their engines. Like the Giulia Quadrifoglio, whose sound reminds me of the past. I’d rather not express any opinion about electric cars as I still haven't made up my mind. Certainly, if one day we have to relinquish the noise of the engine, at least they should keep that unmistakeable Alfa Romeo style.