Bulle
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27km/17mi south of Fribourg, on the left bank of the Trême, is Bulle (alt. 769 m/2,523ft; pop.7,700), chief town and commercial and cultural heart of the Gruyères district and one of the most important traffic junctions in the canton of Fribourg. From 1196 to 1537 this small market town belonged to the bishops of Lausanne, who built a massive castle here in the 13th C. The town was rebuilt after fires in 1447 and 1805. It has preserved a number of fine old buildings - the parish church (Protestant), rebuilt in 1751, the Capuchin friary and the Town Hall.
Related Attractions
Bulle Castle
The 13th C. Schloss Bulle, altered in the 16th C., is a typical example of the "carré-savoyard" design.
Musée Gruérien
In the Bulle castle is the Musée Gruérien, with a fine collection of local material; associated with it are the Tissot Collection (works by Corot, Courbet, Poussin, etc.) and a public library (closed Mondays). In the public park is a monument to AbbG Bovet (1879-1952), a composer of lieder.
Bulle Festival
This annual two-day festival takes place in early September.
Surroundings
Chateau-d'Oex
Château-d'Oex is the capital of the Enhaut District. It is known for its numerous water sports facilities.
Château d'Oex - Local Museum
From Bulle there are roads over the Jaun pass into the Simmental and through the Sarine valley to Château-d'Oex (1,000 m/3,282ft) in the Pays d'Enhaut. The local museum contains exhibits of the region's arts and crafts as well as local history.
Old Enhaut Museum
Decorative arts, furniture and household artifacts can be viewed in this restored interior.
Wrestling Festival
This annual festival takes place in late July.
Charmey
Charmey is a popular tourist destination in summer or winter. There are activities for families and sports lovers such as walking, mountain biking, skiing, skating and snow-shoeing.
Charmey Festival
This annual day-long festival takes place in late September and celebrates the cattle's return from the alpine pastures.
Folkloric Festival
This annual two-day festival takes place in early October and includes hayload races.
Benichon Festival, Chatel-St-Denis
The day-long Benichon Festival takes place in mid-October with numerous culinary specialties.
Recrotzon Festival
This day-long festival takes place in late October.