Schweizer Käse Pass Passeport Fromage Suisse Passaporto Formaggio Svizzero Cheeses from Switzerland Passport
Schweizer Käse Pass Passeport Fromage Suisse Passaporto Formaggio Svizzero Cheeses from Switzerland Passport
Name Vorname • Nom Prénom • Surname First name • Nome e cognome
Geburtsdatum • Date de naissance • Date of birth • Data di nascita
C H
Adresse • Adresse • Address • Indirizzo
PLZ Ort • NPA Localité • Postcode City • NPA e località
Land • Pays • Country • Paese
Unterschrift • Signature • Signature • Firma
Ausgestellt am • Délivré le • Issued on • Data di emissione
Gültig bis • Valable jusqu’au • Valid until • Valido fino al
Autorisiert • Autorisé • Authorized • Autorizzato
Completed by the show dairy
Completed by the show dairy
Stamped by the show dairy
2026 edition
The Cheeses from Switzerland Passport: your travel document for Switzerland, the land of cheese We invite you to discover the diverse landscape of Swiss cheese while travelling through our beautiful Switzerland. The Cheeses from Switzerland Passport accompanies you on your journey and provides, ahead of your visit, an overview of the designated show cheese dairies as well as information about the Swiss cheese tradition. Collect a stamp at each of the five cheese dairies you visit and receive an exclusive surprise at the end. Switzerland, the land of cheese: The show cheese dairies are embedded in the typical regional landscapes of the famous Swiss cheese varieties that are just waiting to be explored by you. There is so much to discover! You’re sure to notice similarities, but also the unique features of each, be they of a scenic or cultural nature. Find out why the cheeses that are produced in the various regions using the same raw material all taste so different.
Did you know that the show dairies can all be reached via the Grand Tour of Switzerland? Thanks to these selected itineraries, the journey to and from the show dairies is already a highlight in itself. Including spectacular views of lush green meadows where cows graze contentedly!
Emmental
Einsiedeln
Appenzellerland
Visit all five cheese highlights within two years and treat yourself to an exclusive surprise – completely free! Gruyères
Bellelay
Switzerland’s most beautiful road trip
Basel Zürich
From palm-fringed lakes to magnificent glacial landscapes, from medieval villages to vibrant cities: the Grand Tour of Switzerland connects the country’s most beautiful corners into an unforgettable road trip. The tour offers an incredible variety of sights – and highlights that are otherwise unmatched in such density. The journey of discovery, stretching over 1,600 kilometres, takes you through four linguistic regions, over five Alpine passes, to 13 UNESCO World Heritage sites and two biosphere reserves, and past 22 lakes and five show dairies.
Good to know Length 1,643 km (1,970 km including access roads) Stages Eight stages (plus three scenic access roads) Recommended travel period April–October (Alpine passes may be closed in winter due to bad weather.)
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5 Neuchâtel
Lausanne
Bern
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Appenzell
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1 St. Moritz Bellinzona
Genève Zermatt Chiasso
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La Maison du Gruyère Pringy (FR)
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Emmentaler Schaukäserei Affoltern im Emmental (BE)
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Milchmanufaktur Einsiedeln Einsiedeln (SZ)
4
Appenzeller® Schaukäserei Stein (AR)
5
Maison de la Tête de Moine Bellelay (BE)
Photo spots
Bookable offers
The most beautiful views along the Grand Tour can be discovered at over 90 Grand Tour photo spots.
With Switzerland Travel Centre (STC) packages, you can explore the Grand Tour with or without a hire car and stay overnight in selected hotels.
Grand Tour Snack Box
Planning and navigation
At numerous outlets along the route, you can have your Grand Tour Snack Box filled with regional specialities and discover Switzerland’s culinary diversity.
Exploring, planning and navigating the route is particularly easy with the Grand Tour app. What’s more, 650 road signs point the way along the route.
E-Grand Tour Charging made easy – thanks to an extensive network of charging stations, you can enjoy the Grand Tour hassle-free in an electric car.
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Tradition meets responsibility Swiss cheese has always stood for values such as naturalness, craftsmanship, tradition and flavour. Such values can only exist if they are founded on an eco-friendly, respon sible and socially compatible production that also respects animal welfare standards. Because only healthy cows kept in appropriate conditions produce quality milk. The fresh milk is then processed daily into cheese specialities using traditional production methods, for the most part in local village cheese dairies, which reduces
transport distances and conserves resources. The industry’s voluntary commitment not to use additives that are actually permitted underscores the quality and authenticity of Swiss cheese as a natural product. By choosing cheeses from Switzerland, consumers show solidarity with the farmers and cheesemakers and enjoy a natural product in return.
Extra-hard cheeses
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Swiss cheese is unique From mild and creamy to strong and bold flavours – there is something to suit every palate. And there is one thing that all Swiss cheeses have in common: character. This is true both of the well-known cheese var ieties and of the numerous regional specialities. Why? They are produced in line with old traditions, with locally sourced milk and great craftsmanship. Swiss cheese is categorised into different types of cheese We differentiate between extra-hard cheese, hard cheese, semi-hard cheese, soft cheese, cream cheese, as well as cheese spread and melted cheese. Each type of cheese has its own characteristics and differs in terms of its fat and water content, as well as the production methods, maturation and storage. As diverse as the regions in Switzerland!
are typically made from raw milk and have the longest ripening period compared to other types of cheese, to reach their intense and aromatic taste.
Hard cheeses are mostly made from raw milk. Due to their low water content, hard cheeses also need to spend several months in the ripening cellars to reach the perfect level of maturity.
Semi-hard cheeses are generally made from pasteurised or fully thermised milk, but sometimes from raw milk. Some varieties are ready to eat after three months.
Soft cheeses are divided into two types: mould-ripened soft cheeses (white-mould cheeses) and smear-ripened soft cheeses, where the rind is washed with brine during the ripening period, which gives it a brownish colour.
Cream cheeses are rindless, unripened cheeses that are ready for consumption immediately after production. They are made from pasteurised milk.
Cheese spreads and melted cheeses are made by further processing hard, semi-hard and soft cheese with the addition of emulsifying salts.
This is how Swiss cheese is made Cheesemaking is a craft and one that requires plenty of expertise, along with great dexterity and precision. It is a craft in which many things are still done exactly as they were many centuries ago. The following nine steps briefly explain how Swiss cheese is made. The basic ingredient: milk
Cheeses from Switzerland are produced from fresh milk, which is supplied by farmers to the cheese dairies twice a day. The properties of this milk are partly respon sible for the final character of the cheese.
2
Milk selection and milk handling
Upon delivery, the milk is first tested for its quality and then filtered. Raw-milk is tested rigorously – if no raw-milk cheese is to be produced, the milk is gently ther mised or pasteurised.
3
Curdling the milk
The milk is poured into the vat and stirred as it is gradually heated. The lactic acid bacteria and rennet are then added to begin the coagulation process. This curdling results in a gelatinous substance.
Curd processing
Now the cheese harp is introduced: it is used to cut the curd into small pieces. These pieces of curd determine the type of cheese they will become – the smaller the pieces, the harder the final cheese will be.
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Precurdling
The curds are stirred and heated up – the harder the cheese is to be, the higher the temperature. Thus, the cheese becomes increasingly solid.
Shaping and pressing
Once the desired solidity level has been reached, the cheese is poured into a mould. The holes in the base of the mould allow the whey to escape. In addition, the entire cheese is compressed to remove additional liquid.
Brine bath
The brine bath is the next step: the floating cheese absorbs the salt and releases whey. The rind forms gradually and the flavour of the cheese becomes more intense.
8
Maturation and affinage
The cheese undergoes several changes during maturation in the cellar: the rind develops, the inside of the cheese changes colour, holes are formed and the cheese solidifies. An affineur often refines the cheese by rubbing in herbs, cider or white wine.
9
Quality control
The final step sees the cheese undergo various tests. They include inspections of the hole formation, the texture quality, the taste and the external appearance. Then the cheese is ready to be sold.
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More information
Fascinating facts about cheeses from Switzerland Where does cheese get its flavour from? There are over 700 different cheese specialities in Switzerland and their flavour and aromas are as diverse as those found in a colourful floral meadow. It is the flavour components in the milk that produce the basic flavour. Microorganisms (e.g. bacteria, mould, yeast) then change and develop this flavour. Increasing the fat content and the amount of salt, as well as extending the maturation period, results in a more intense flavour.
How do the holes form in the cheese? In the case of Emmentaler AOP, the holes are caused by propionic acid bacteria. First of all, lactic acid bacteria ferment the milk sugar into lactic acid (amongst other things), as is the case in other cheeses too. The propionic acid bacteria typical of Emmentaler AOP then ferment the
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newly formed lactic acid into propionic acid, acetic acid and carbon dioxide (CO₂), which in turn forms the holes.
of Swiss cheeses are produced in total per year
23.71 kg
cheese dairies in Switzerland
of cheese are consumed per capita annually in Switzerland
Cheese and lactose? A large proportion of the lactose is separated with the whey during cheese production. The remaining lactose is almost entirely broken down by lactic acid bacteria during the maturation process. Hard and extra-hard cheeses qualify as lactose-free. Semi-hard cheeses and soft cheeses contain traces of lactose. But with the lactose content often less than 0.1 g per 100 g, these cheeses are tolerated by most people and are permitted to be labelled as lactose-free by law. Cream cheese, quark and melted cheese have higher lactose contents.
More information
4,919 cheesemakers in Switzerland
SWISS CHEESE IN NUMBERS
450 apprentices
Approx. 40 %
Over 700
of cheese produced in Switzerland is exported
Swiss cheese varieties exist
More information
2025 figures. For the latest figures, please scan the QR code.
Your Swiss show cheese dairies For several decades now, Switzerland’s show cheese dairies have offered national and international consumers a look behind the scenes of the traditional craft of artisan cheesemaking.
La Maison du Gruyère
Maison de la Tête de Moine
Before your visit, check the websites of the show cheese dairies and find out more about the various offers and options to make your visit even more exciting, eventful and tasty.
Find out how the excellent Swiss milk is turned into cheese, which is famous throughout the world for its unique quality and natural production methods. The show cheese dairies do more than offer insights into production – they are also very entertaining and informative for all age groups. The in-house restaur ants, where regional specialities with and without cheese are served, and the cheese shops are also open every day.
Appenzeller® Schaukäserei
Emmentaler Schaukäserei
Milchmanufaktur Einsiedeln
As a thank you …
Appenzeller® Schaukäserei
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Appenzeller® – on the trail of the best-kept secret! Set in the midst of the idyllic Appenzell countryside is the shop window for the world-famous Appenzeller® cheese. The interactive exhibition of the Appenzeller® Schaukäserei in Stein (AR) tells you virtually everything about Switzerland’s tangiest cheese as you immerse yourself in the traditional world of Appenzeller®. Trace the vibrant traditions of the region, take a mesmerising look into the huge cheese vat, marvel at the massive cheese cellar with as many as 12,500 wheels of Appenzeller® and get very close to the secret. Tasty memories are guaranteed – thanks to the cheese sampling and your personal herbal souvenir. The deliciously indulgent experience is best rounded off in the restaurant with regional specialities and at the wellstocked cheese counter of the show dairy. Welcome!
Appenzeller® Schaukäserei AG Dorf 711, 9063 Stein +41 71 368 50 70 info@schaukaeserei.ch schaukaeserei.ch Opening hours Daily from 9:00 a.m.
… for visiting us, we are pleased to offer you a 10% discount in our on-site shop on the purchase of Appenzeller®, Emmentaler AOP, Le Gruyère AOP, cheese from the Milchmanufaktur Einsiedeln, and Tête de Moine AOP.
Confirmation stamp Get your stamp now, and an exclusive surprise will be waiting for you at the end of your road trip through the Alps.
Stamp of Appenzeller® Schaukäserei Closed 24 December from 14:00 25 December Offer Daily production of Appenzeller®. Groups can book sessions to make their own cream cheese. Visit our website for the latest information on what’s on offer.
For other offers and accommodation options, visist: appenzellerland.ch/de
ff your 10% o hase e purc chees
As a thank you …
La Maison du Gruyère
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La Maison du Gruyère is a village cheese dairy that lets you in on all the secrets of Le Gruyère AOP cheese. The interactive exhibition “Le Gruyère AOP, an experience for all the senses” is a journey of discovery into the world of this internationally renowned cheese, showcasing expertise cultivated since the 15th century. From the sound of the cowbells going up to the mountain pastures to the scent of hay and alpine flowers, it’s an experience that appeals to all the senses. The artisanal cheesemaking process can be watched every morning. The Restaurant and the Marché gruérien round off the experience with dishes and products from the region. Cheese dairy educational trail The two trails with their information panels on Le Gruyère AOP and Le Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP take about two hours each. Follow in the footsteps of the alpine cheesemakers through lush green pastures, past alpine chalets and an authentic brine bath cellar. La Maison du Gruyère Pl. de la Gare 3, 1663 Pringy-Gruyères +41 26 921 84 00 office@lamaisondugruyere.ch lamaisondugruyere.ch Opening hours Daily, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Offer Daily production of Le Gruyère AOP. Information updates are posted on the website.
… for visiting us, we are pleased to offer you a 10% discount in our on-site shop on the purchase of Le Gruyère AOP, Appenzeller®, Emmentaler AOP, cheeses from Milchmanufaktur Einsiedeln and Tête de Moine AOP.
Confirmation stamp Get your stamp now, and an exclusive surprise will be waiting for you at the end of your road trip through the Alps.
Stamp La Maison du Gruyère
For other offers and accommodation options, visit: la-gruyere.ch
ff your 10% o hase e purc chees
As a thank you …
Milchmanufaktur More n atio inform Einsiedeln A visit to the Milchmanufaktur Einsiedeln show dairy is a treat for all the senses and the perfect stop-off if you’re travelling through the heart of Central Switzerland.
... for visiting us, we are pleased to offer you a 10% discount in our on-site shop on the purchase of cheese from Milchmanufaktur Einsiedeln, Appenzeller®, Emmentaler AOP, Le Gruyère AOP or Tête de Moine AOP.
Confirmation stamp Get your stamp now, and an exclusive surprise will be waiting for you at the end of your road trip through the Alps.
The modern show cheese dairy blends traditional craftsmanship with genuine hospitality, inviting you to discover the world of Swiss cheeses from right up close. From the visitor gallery, you can look straight into the production area and watch fresh Einsiedeln mountain milk being transformed into exquisite cheese specialities with great care and expertise. In the restaurant, you can enjoy regional specialities in a cosy atmosphere – ideal for an indulgent break from your outing or as a destination to mark a special occasion. The Regio-Shop has much to tempt you with: alongside the cheese specialities from the in-house production, you’ll find selected products from the region – perfect as a gift or a delicious memento of your visit to Einsiedeln.
Milchmanufaktur Einsiedeln AG Alpstrasse 6, 8840 Einsiedeln +41 55 412 68 83 info@milchmanufaktur.ch milchmanufaktur.ch Opening hours Daily from 8:00 a.m.
Stamp Milchmanufaktur Einsiedeln
Closed 25 December Offer Daily production of Einsiedeln dairy products. Regular cream-cheese cheesemaking sessions and cheesemaking at the ‘Alphüttli’ by appointment. Up-to-date information on the offers can be found on our website.
For other offers and accommodation options, visit: eyz.swiss
ff your 10% o hase e purc chees
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Emmentaler Schaukäserei
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Visit what is probably the most famous cheese in the world – «The one with the holes!» – in its home region, get closer acquainted and enjoy it.
… for visiting us, we are pleased to offer you a 10% discount in our on-site shop on the purchase of Emmentaler AOP, Appenzeller®, Le Gruyère AOP, cheese from Milchmanufaktur Einsiedeln or Tête de Moine AOP.
Confirmation stamp Get your stamp now, and an exclusive surprise will be waiting for you at the end of your road trip through the Alps.
The Emmentaler Schaukäserei is nestled among the green hills and lush meadows of the Emmental valley. Enjoy typical dishes in the restaurant while your eye feasts on the captivating views, and discover around 100 different Swiss cheese specialities at the cheese counter. The King’s Way tour is an entertaining and informative experience for the whole family. It is packed with interesting facts about the history of the Emmentaler AOP brand and how the famous cheese is made. After the tour, which lasts around 30 minutes, you can explore the cheese cellar, walk through the former production facility and sample cheeses at various stages of maturity. In the Stöckli, dating from 1741, you can book your own special cheesemaking experience – and make your own cheese with the help of a cheesemaker. Stamp Emmentaler Schaukäserei Emmentaler Schaukäserei AG Schaukäsereistr. 6, 3416 Affoltern im Emmental +41 34 435 16 11 info@e-sk.ch e-sk.ch Opening hours Daily, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., restaurant open on Friday and Saturday until 10:00 p.m.
Offer Regular production of cream cheese and ‘Mutschli’ . Stöckli DIY cheesemaking bookable for groups. Please see the website for all the latest offers.
For other offers and accommodation options, visit: emmental.ch
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Maison de la Tête de Moine
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Follow in the monks’ footsteps and explore the history of Tête de Moine AOP. Tête de Moine AOP is a cheese that reflects the flavour of a region, over 830 years of expert tradition and a unique method of enjoying it. Immerse yourself in the history of Tête de Moine AOP at the Maison de la Tête de Moine in Bellelay (BE). Look forward to the discovery trail with an iPad guide, a cheese dairy where cheese is made over a wood fire, a cheese cellar and a chance to sample various regional specialities or a Tête de Moine fondue in the bistro or, weather permitting, on the beautiful sunny terrace.
… for visiting us, we are pleased to offer you a 10% discount in our on-site shop on the purchase of Tête de Moine AOP, Appenzeller®, Emmentaler AOP, Le Gruyère AOP, and cheese from the Milchmanufaktur Einsiedeln.
Confirmation stamp Get your stamp now, and an exclusive surprise will be waiting for you at the end of your road trip through the Alps.
Stamp Maison de la Tête de Moine Maison de la Tête de Moine Le Domaine 1, 2713 Bellelay +41 32 484 03 16 maison@tetedemoine.ch maisondelatetedemoine.ch Opening hours February to December: Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closed 25 and 26 December Annual break: 1–31 January Offer Regular production of Tête de Moine AOP over a wood fire. Cheesemaking sessions bookable for groups. Please see the website for all the latest offers.
Other attractions and accommodation options in the region: j3l.ch/en
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Cheese Master by Victorinox
The pocket knife for true cheese lovers The Cheese Master by Victorinox brings together two things deeply rooted in Switzerland: a love of cheese and a passion for precision craftsmanship. Developed in collaboration with Swiss cheese experts, it reflects the connection between tradition and everyday life. Its features are designed around the enjoyment of cheese. The locking blade with a two-thirds serrated edge and the specialized cheese blade are suited for a variety of cheeses – from mild, soft varieties to firm, aged cheeses like Emmentaler AOP or Gruyère AOP. The integrated fondue
Victorinox AG Schmiedgasse 57, 6438 Ibach +41 41 818 12 11 | victorinox.com
fork adds another dimension, evoking shared moments around the table. With eight functions, the Cheese Master is a reliable companion on the go. It combines iconic design with Swiss craftsmanship and invites you to experience cheese more consciously – as part of a living Swiss tradition. Functions Locking blade with two-thirds serrated edge, cheese blade, fondue fork, – with bottle opener, corkscrew, toothpick, tweezers, key ring
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