Maison Cailler chocolate factory

• Attraction type: Culinary tour, Chocolate;
  Culture, Museum
• Escort: independent (no guide)
• Region: Lake Geneva East (South-West Switzerland)
• Duration: 1 day or less

What is Maison Cailler?

Maison Cailler means 'Cailler house' or 'Cailler home'. Cailler is one of Switzerland’s main chocolate brands. The combined factory and museum is located in an area that has a strong connection with Swiss chocolate.

What to expect when visiting Maison Cailler

You’ll enter the museum in small groups and enjoy a multi-media tour (available in different languages) in which you’ll learn about chocolate. The history of chocolate, the growing of cocoa beans and Cailler’s approach are explained.

You’ll also get to see parts of the actual factory, and get a live glimpse of how the chocolate is made. Your tour ends with some free sample tasting.

There's more besides the museum tour:

• You can enjoy drinks, snacks and desserts in the café, and spoil yourself with Cailler products from the shop. Exquisite chocolate products can be bought at the confectionery.
• You can book several chocolate workshops.
• There's an escape game. Reservation is required.
• Families can enjoy a 1-hour outdoor discovery game, guided by smartphone. There's a chocolate reward for all participants.

The museum is wheelchair friendly. You can store your luggage in lockers, and there’s a children’s playground.

Combine your museum visit with other activities

Maison Cailler is located next to the railway station Broc-Fabrique. It’s close to the beautiful medieval village Gruyères. The cheese-making factory La Maison du Gruyère and a beautiful castle can be found here.

Your trip to Gruyères and/or Broc can be combined with a nice train ride, such as the GoldenPass or the Chocolate Train from Montreux.

A brief history of Maison Cailler

In the the early 19th century there were several chocolate factories in Vevey along Lake Geneva. Francois-Louis Cailler opened a grocery store there, selling chocolates too. He gradually expanded his business, buying new factories in the region.

Cailler's heirs continued his work, introducing milk chocolates and pralines. In 1898, a Cailler factory in Broc was opened. The range of chocolate products was further expanded. The invention of a new way to create milk chocolate, using condensed milk from the Gruyère region instead of milk powder, resulted in a creamier substance.

The current museum in Broc was opened in 2006. Cailler, which is part of the umbrella food company Nestlé, is still inventing and creating new flavors and products.