Berne will amaze you

Beyond its status as capital, Berne is above all a city steeped in history, jealously preserved and a great place to live, summer and winter alike.

By Eric Vancleynenbreugel

Is the Swiss capital asleep? Not tonight at least: the whole of the old town is, as usual, bustling with student groups. Terraces spread out beneath the typically Bernese Renaissance arcades. The brass and percussion notes of a boisterous brass band echo across a square. Bern is a city that knows how to vibrate. Even more so during Carnival, which is celebrated here with dignity. A little later, a different kind of music resonates: on the Bundesplatz, a sound and light show is projected onto the facade of the Federal Palace in the early evening. Half an hour of free, breathtaking entertainment.

During the day, Berne's old town takes on a different look, as markets open and passers-by take their seats. Entirely laid out on a peninsula surrounded by the River Aare. Berne is quite a surprise: bell towers, medieval towers, over a hundred public fountains topped with colorful figures, not to mention vaulted cellars housing wine bars, restaurants and concept stores. A town whose inhabitants love to enjoy the pleasures of life and what nature has to offer: in summer (and even in winter for daredevil members of the Gförli-Club), the river serves as a life-size municipal swimming pool. Inhabitants come here to swim and let the current carry them from one end of the meandering Aare to the other, which surrounds the town. In the distance, the peaks of the Alps brighten up the background.

Founded on 12^e As the city grew, it was surrounded by three walls. However, it would not become the capital of the Swiss Confederation until 1848, when the railway was introduced to link the various cantons.

Zytglogge

What's sure to attract a Swiss watchmaker? A Swiss clock. And certainly a unique example such as the Zytglogge, a huge mechanism installed in a medieval tower, a vestige of the first rampart. Ursula, a local guide, recounts how clockmakers who visit the Zytglogge are often incredulous by such an achievement. And yet it's almost 500 years old! The clock and astrolabe have kept their mechanisms intact since 1530, and it's the only public clock in Europe that has to be wound every day. From the top of the tower, you can see the whole of the old town. Entirely rebuilt in stone after the fire that ravaged the city in 1405, it reveals a harmonious style unusual for its time. Another unique feature is the sidewalks, all covered with arcades under which shopkeepers open their stalls. Today, these spaces are home to boutiques of all kinds, food shops, craftsmen's workshops, restaurants and even a dolls' clinic... so many invitations to stroll around, even when it's raining or snowing. And beyond the arcades, the entire city of Berne, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is of interest.

But back to our clock: it was on his daily commute to work at the Swiss Patent Office that a certain Albert Einstein began to ponder the relativity of time. He went on to develop the essence of his theories in the apartment -which has remained virtually unchanged- just a few steps away. A visit to the Bernisches Historisches Museum, which contains a large section on the life and work of the scientist, some of whose descendants still live in Berne, is also worthwhile. Located just across the Aare, the Kirchenfeld district boasts a number of fascinating museums, including the interactive Museum of Communication. But the must-see is the Zentrum Paul Klee on the edge of town, firstly for its building by Renzo Piano, and secondly for its Klee collection, the largest in the world. Although German, the artist lived a large part of his life in Bern.

Real cheese with holes

A city in the countryside, Bern is surrounded by meadows and forests. Its gentle topography folds into the Emme valley, a few kilometers to the east. It's here that this famous cheese with holes (unlike Gruyère, which has none) is produced, and is almost as old as the Swiss Confederation, since the first recipes date back to the 16th century.^e century. For it to develop its holes, the dosage of its components must be respected to 100 %. «All-natural, strictly regulated ingredients, as Hans, Master Cheesemaker at the Fromagerie de démonstration de l'Emmental (www.emmentaler-schaukaeserei.ch). Its nutty flavor is the result of the minerals of this specific terroir, the action of proprionic and ascetic acids, and maturing in a cool cellar. Over time, the cheese wheels - the most practical form for transporting the cheese - will become larger and larger. Don't miss the old cellars, which have been transformed into a living museum of Emmental cheese, and then try your hand at making your own cheese in the Stöckli barn. Now a PDO, Emmental has often been imitated since the massive emigration of Swiss people at the end of the 19th century. Leaving for the four corners of the world, they took a little of their country with them, including their cheese-making techniques. Although competition has become fierce, this is perhaps one of the reasons for the original's excellent reputation.   

5 other discoveries 100 % from Bern :

1. Watch the bears, the city's emblems, in the park (Bärengraben) created for them on the slopes of the Aare.

2. Climb the 344 steps of Bern's Collegiate Church tower for a view of the Eiger and Jungfrau mountains.

3. Have a drink under the vaulted ceiling of the Kornhauskeller, listed as one of the world's most beautiful bars.

4. Attend an ice hockey match by local stars SC Bern.

5. Take the funicular to the Gurten heights.

Carnet de voyage:

Transport Berne is easily reached by train via Paris and Basel. The local transport network is extremely efficient. Think of the Bern Ticket (www.bern.com/fr/bern-ticket) free with one night's accommodation. Or take a PubliBike: Bern is ringed by magnificent cycle paths.

Good addresses :

Hotel Goldener Schlüssel, www.goldener-schluessel-bern.ch. Ideally located, close to transport and shops.

Moléson, Aarbergergasse 24, www.moleson-bern.ch. Close to the Federal Palace, the perfect address for a good Swiss specialty.

Barbière, www.barbiere-bern.ch. Originally, 6 friends brewed beer in a garage. Today, an eclectic menu of house beers that can only be tasted on the premises. These include a tasty pale ale (Tomahawk), a red ale (Roxanne), an IPA and a surprising cherry blossom rice ale (Yamagata). 

Altes Tramdepot Restaurant, ice-cream parlour and microbrewery: a resolutely gourmet address. But also a small hotel overlooking the park where the famous Bernese bears frolic. https://altestramdepot.ch.

News : www.bern.com, https://www.myswitzerland.com.