It’s heaven… in a little Swiss bar
IAM looking at the conveyor belt of my dreams. Bite-size cylinders of chocolate whirr past, bound for a colourful casing and, a few hours later, a shop shelf. Such is the growl in my stomach, if one of these delicious confections doesn’t come my way soon, I could throw a strop worthy of Veruca Salt herself.
Maison Cailler, Switzerland’s first chocolate factory, lies in the tiny village of Broc, in the Fribourg region. It was founded by Francois-Louis Cailler in the early 19th Century.
Chocolate lovers are prepared to put in the effort to find a decent bar, with many taking the Chocolate Train, a Belle Époque Pullman that funnels them to the factory of their dreams.
During the tour there are demonstrations of how chocolate goes from bean to bar. The best exhibits? A statue sculptured from 90 lb of dark chocolate and finished with gold leaf, and an early 20th Century grinding machine that might have made even Augustus Gloop think twice.
When the invitation to taste everything from embossed truffles to ganache-filled cups finally comes, there are no Oompa-Loompas keeping an eye out for gluttony and I fall foul of temptation. I’m in chocolate heaven.
A tour of Maison Cailler costs about €12 (cailler.ch) with special offers for groups and children. Swissair offers flights to Switzerland from €90 return.