Local products from the Vaud Alps
Local flavours, craftsmanship, discover local products from the Vaud Alps
The assortment of local products produced in the Vaud Alps is as diverse, rich and exhilarating as its landscapes.
The local heritage in terms of tastes and flavours is based on traditions of which only the master craftsmen have the knowledge. Rustic raw materials, know-how passed down from generation to generation and artisanal manufacturing methods contribute to giving the products an authentic local flavour.
The region’s products draw from the meadows of the mountain pastures, from the subsoil, from tradition as well as from innovation, the secret ingredients that give them so much character.
Cheese, salt, charcuterie, herbal preparations, chocolate, bread or beer, meet the craftsmen committed to maintaining a gastronomic tradition and taste the delicacies made with passion.
Awaken all of your senses, a combination between know-how and the unique terroir, your palates will be seduced... Follow us, we will taste!
Cheese
Tomme cheese, quark, hard cheese, soft cheese, fresh or matured, alpine or dairy cheese is to the Vaud Alps what watches are to Switzerland! Discover the authentic way of making cheese in the mountain pastures. During the summer, many mountain farms invite you to watch cheese being made. Some farms also offer a breakfast with a thousand flavours based on local products, made on the farm or in the village by other craftsmen.
All year round, you can visit the cheese maturing cellars of L'Etivaz AOP and in summer, the cheese makers of the mountain farms welcome you to discover their know-how.
Delicatessen
Charcuterie specialties are linked to the culinary traditions of the Vaud Alps. From mountain pigs to beef, smoked or fresh, in preparation or salted and dried, the range of charcuterie and cured meats to be tasted is vast. Several craftsmen keep the know-how of the old ones alive and the young generations of pork butchers bring new products contributing to the development of new associations and products with a unique taste. Dried meat, dry-cured bacon and raw ham are inseparable, along with cheese, aperitifs with friends and impromptu agape. The butchers of the Vaud Alps develop their own specialties like the Boucherie Artisanale de l'Etivaz which elaborates the Chantzet or the Armailli. Similarly, the butcher's shop in Ollon offers grilled bacon, a home-made preparation to be eaten cold.
Chocolate
A Swiss specialty par excellence, chocolate is a must during your stay. The artisans of the region sublimate the cocoa beans chosen with care to create sweets that can be enjoyed endlessly. With cream, flakes of caramel, fruit, dark or cow's or sheep's milk, the creativity of the confectioners is unlimited and their creations are true works of art for both the palate and the eyes. Discovery or tasting workshops, a stopover with our passionate chocolate makers is highly recommended.
The sel des Alpes
Exploited for several centuries, more than 30,000 tons of salt are harvested each year at the Mines de Sel de Bex. Since 2018, the mines also house the Fleur des Alpes workshop to produce gourmet salt. Fleur des Alpes is free of any impurity. This salt, trapped in rock for thousands of years, is 100% natural, additive-free, and rich in minerals and micronutrients. The harvest of Fleur des Alpes is entirely artisanal. The salty water ("saumur") is extracted by the miners every day. The salt is then produced by evaporation and packaged for shipping, eventually adding flavour to your foods in the kitchen or at the table. Treat yourself to a fascinating and flavoursome visit to the Bex Salt Mines.
Bitter des Diablerets
Bitter des Diablerets made from alpine herbs, issued from the Vaud Alps. It was created in Aigle in 1876. Freshness of natural Alpine plants, sweet touches and bitter flavours, enjoy the digestive and curative virtues of Bitter des Diablerets. Particularly appreciated in ski resorts, the Bitter des Diablerets is served dry, "on the rocks" or with mineral water. It can be combined with a variety of sodas. Original taste blends are the result.
Le Venin des Ormonts
In the wake of Bitter des Diablerets, another mountain spirit gives pep to those who drink it, Venin des Ormonts. Based on organic pasteurised skimmed milk, sugar, alcohol and a macerate of plants from the Alps, this tasty and invigorating spirit has energising properties. Its production is ensured by local siblings. The spirit can be purchased in local shops, including the Laiterie du Petit Diable in Les Diablerets.
Craft breweries
In recent years, the fashion for the brewing activity has led to the creation of many craft breweries in the Vaud Alps.
Developed by enthusiasts, these beers come in different types and colours: brown, blond, white or amber. Manufacturing methods vary from brewery to brewery and innovation is evident; beer matured in oak barrels, cultivation of their own cereals, addition of unexpected aromatic ingredients, the brewers show endless enthusiasm in their quest for their consumers’ pleasure.
Spring water from the Vaud Alps is of major importance in the production of this drink. Drink and enjoy in moderation these beers brewed by enthusiasts!
Beer is also used in the local cuisine: you can find it in restaurant specialities, in the bread called Le Barbol from the Charlet-Ançay bakery in Gryon, and even the traditional cheese fondue can be prepared with beer instead of wine!
Culinary recipes from the Vaud Alps
Local products are the DNA of a territory. The culture and traditions of a region emerge through the dishes we eat, the recipes that are passed down from generation to generation. The discovery of local dishes is often in itself a source of change of scenery. Flavours, spices, rich and varied products are a source of travel. Cooking can be seen as an art, as a know-how that we share. We then propose to travel through recipes with flavours from the Vaud terroir and its products created with love by those who make the Vaud Alps so unique.
If you don't feel like cooking yourself, find places to awaken your taste buds!
The diversity of restaurants in the Vaud Alps enchant gourmets; Gourmet restaurants, mountain refreshment bars, traditional cuisine, old-fashioned dishes, starred establishments or mountain specialities, all the facets of the cuisine are represented for the pleasure of gourmets.