Activities for children in Rossens
Rossens is the village that gave the dam its name, and the dam is what gave birth to Lake Gruyère. Completed in 1948, this 83-metre concrete wall blocked the Sarine and flooded a whole valley.
People come here to see the structure up close, walk beside the water and understand how a lake is made. The suspended footbridge nearby rounds off the outing with a spectacular crossing.
Here is our selection of activities for children in Rossens.
Our selection of family activities in Rossens
Outdoor activities
Rossens dam: the 83-metre wall that created Lake Gruyère
How do you make a lake? In 1948, an 83-metre concrete wall blocked the Sarine and flooded a whole valley: Lake Gruyère was born. The Rossens dam is discovered from its surroundings, with an easy 2.3-kilometre walk along the water.
Around Rossens
Rossens dam footbridge: 105 metres suspended above the lake
Fancy a short walk that leaves a long memory? Between the Rossens dam and Pont-la-Ville, a 105-metre metal footbridge runs ten metres above Lake Gruyère. Free, spectacular, and walked as a loop in less than an hour with the children.
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Aventure Gruyère in Corbières: licence-free boats, kayaks and paddle
What if the whole family boarded the same boat, with no licence and no experience? In Corbières, Aventure Gruyère rents licence-free boats, kayaks from CHF 15 and paddleboards, including giant models. There are even treasure hunts on the water.
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Kayak Aventure in La Roche: kayak, canoe and paddle on Lake Gruyère
Fancy seeing Lake Gruyère from the water rather than from the beach? In La Roche, Kayak Aventure rents kayaks, canoes and stand up paddleboards on the lakeside, with a half-price rate for 8 to 16 year olds. Guided outings lead all the way to the Île d'Ogoz.
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Île d'Ogoz: the solar boat crossing to the ruins on the lake
Do your children dream of an island with a real castle? In the middle of Lake Gruyère, the Île d'Ogoz keeps two towers from the 13th century and a small white chapel. You reach it by solar-powered boat from the Port du Bry, and on a few days each year, on foot.
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La Pointe Beach in Morlon: the big beach on Lake Gruyère
Looking for the beach on Lake Gruyère that has everything? It is La Pointe, in Morlon, which everyone calls Morlon Beach: toilets, outdoor showers, fire pits, beach volleyball and paddle rental, with the Île d'Ogoz and the Prealps as scenery. Free access.
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Botterens Beach: natural swimming at the end of the lake
What if the swim had to be earned at the end of a path? At Botterens, right at the southern end of Lake Gruyère, the shore is reached on foot from the lakeside trail, level with Villarbeney. A natural, free and discreet spot for a family swim far from the big beaches.
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La Roche Beach: the natural shore of Lake Gruyère
Fancy a beach where you can still hear the birds? The one at La Roche is among the least busy on Lake Gruyère: generous vegetation, calm water and a refreshment stand in summer. It is also from this shore that kayak and paddle outings set off.
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Pont-la-Ville Beach: the quiet little beach on the lake
Escaping the crowded beaches? The one at Pont-la-Ville is smaller and more intimate, with clear water and welcoming banks on the shore of Lake Gruyère. A quiet corner with open access, two steps from the Golf de la Gruyère and the Rossens dam footbridge.
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Rossens dam: the 83-metre wall that created Lake Gruyère
How do you make a lake? In 1948, an 83-metre concrete wall blocked the Sarine and flooded a whole valley: Lake Gruyère was born. The Rossens dam is discovered from its surroundings, with an easy 2.3-kilometre walk along the water.
View listingWhy choose Rossens for a family outing?
Because this is where Lake Gruyère explains itself. The Rossens dam, at 83 metres high, impresses children before you even tell them its story: you block a river, the water rises, and its fall produces electricity. The operator, Groupe E, runs free guided tours on request, from a group of ten people.
From the dam, a path follows the lake along the left bank through the forest: allow 2.3 kilometres there and back to a picnic table, a format perfectly calibrated for young walkers.
Two steps away, the dam footbridge crosses the lake over 105 metres, about ten metres above the water. With Pont-la-Ville Beach close by, you have a full day here: the walk, the thrill and the swim.
