Inside History

Switzerland 18-19th century

A cheese-making chalet

Switzerland is renowned for its love of cheese. Archaeological evidence suggests that cheese has been made in the Swiss Alps since the Iron Age, during the first millennium BCE. Traditional Swiss cheeses include Emmental and Appenzeller, but it is Gruyère that is by far Switzerland’s most widely produced and consumed cheese.

Existing sources tell us that Gruyère has been made in Switzerland since at least 1115, originating in the town of Gruyère, which is located in the canton of Fribourg. Cheesemaking was an ideal way to preserve the excess milk produced by the cows in the Alpine pastures, with cheese becoming a staple food for those living in the remote Alps.

By the 15th century, cheesemakers were selling their surplus cheese at markets. As demand for hard cheeses grew from the 17th century onwards, the cheese was officially named Gruyère and it was subsequently exported around Europe. Emigration from Fribourg between the 18th and 19th centuries led to the production of Gruyère also spreading to the areas of Bern, Vaud, Jura and Neuchâtel – all five regions continue to produce the cheese today.

However, the increasing number of imitations of Gruyère being produced outside of these regions – and with the town of Gruyère being so close to the Franco-swiss border – led to a debate between Switzerland and France over who created the cheese. The argument lasted for over a century between 1890 to 2001, with Switzerland receiving the Appellation of Controlled Origin certification.

In 2011, Swiss Gruyère was also given the AOP ‘protected designation of origin’ label from the European Union, which ensures that the cheese is produced in the same region using traditional methods. An essential part of Swiss culture and cuisine, knowledge of Gruyère production has been passed down for generations. Today, 30,000 tons are produced annually and every authentic wheel has ‘Le Gruyère AOP’ inscribed on it.