Geology Meets the Cultural Landscape – Rustic and Authentic
since 2012
Limestone, flysch, folds—the Alps up close.
The Gruyère Pays-d’Enhaut region is a geological feature in the Pre-Alps consisting of several thrust sheets that have been displaced northward. All of this occurred during the formation of the Alps. The area consists of limestone massifs interspersed with younger, less erosion-resistant formations (flysch or sandstone). Various forms of erosion—glacial, gravitational, and karst—are clearly visible in the park. The park is characterized by alpine agriculture, which has shaped the landscape into a mosaic of meadows, forests, cliffs, and traditionally integrated settlements.
Offers
- 7 Geotopes of National Significance
- More than 50 geotopes of cantonal significance
- Enhancement of geosites (Gastlosen Geological Trail, educational panels)
- Field Trips and Guided Tours
- Enhancement of the traditional cultural landscape (restoration of dry stone walls and mule trails; integrated management of forested areas)
- Publications on the park's geotopes and minerals
International Significance
In addition to its unique transnational UNESCO World Heritage Site, the region boasts a fascinating geodiversity with great potential, including:
- Studied by geologists for over a century—an area that has contributed significantly to our understanding of Alpine orogenesis (the "blanket" theory)
- It boasts a very rich geological and geomorphological heritage with a wide variety of geotypes
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