La Pointe Beach in Morlon: the big beach on Lake Gruyère

The liveliest beach on Lake Gruyère

Below the village of Morlon, a point of land reaches into the lake and forms the busiest beach in the region. Its nickname, Morlon Beach, says a great deal about the atmosphere on fine days. Here you find what is missing elsewhere on the lake: public toilets, outdoor showers, several fire pits laid out for barbecues, picnic tables and a volleyball court. Add a rental station set up on site for paddleboards and pedalos, a panorama over the Île d'Ogoz and the Fribourg Prealps, and you understand why families come back every summer. All of it stays free, parking included.

What your children will discover

They discover a beach where boredom never sets in. The water first, with easy access from the shore. Then the rest: a beach volleyball court to burn off energy, pedalos and paddleboards to rent to go and see the lake from the water, fire pits around which the sausages are grilled at the end of the day. From the point they spot the Île d'Ogoz out on the water with its medieval ruins, which often makes them want a second outing to go and see it up close.

What you do there and the atmosphere on site

You spend the whole day here. The morning is calm, the afternoon rustles with laughter, and the evening smells of wood smoke. Families settle near the fire pits, teenagers take over the volleyball court, paddlers put their boards in the water. The outdoor showers and the toilets change everything when you come with children: you rinse off the sand, you get changed, you leave clean. The atmosphere is friendly and down to earth, with a fine mix of families from across the Gruyère region.

One thing to know about this lake: it is artificial, held back by the Rossens dam since 1948, and its level varies through the year. The Morlon point therefore changes width with the season, and regulars watch for the low-water periods, when the Île d'Ogoz can be reached on foot. It also explains why the water warms up a little later here than in the lowland lakes: the full swimming season settles in around the end of June.

Before you go

• Recommended age: all ages
• Duration: a full day
• Price: beach and parking free; paddle and pedalo rentals charged on site
• Pushchair accessibility: five minutes' walk from the car park, on a natural path
• Transport: by car, free official car park at the edge of the forest
• What to bring: barbecue supplies, sun cream, a towel for the showers
• Best season: July and August

Tips from parents

• Arrive early on hot weekends: this is the most popular beach on the lake and the car park fills up.
• Allow five minutes' walk between the car park and the beach: a beach trolley helps with little ones.
• Camping and overnight stays in vans are forbidden on the site, so do not plan to sleep there.
• The outdoor showers let you rinse off the sand before the drive home, bring an extra towel.
• Put the fires out completely and take your rubbish home: the site is free and maintained.

Useful information

• Address: Pointe de Morlon, 1638 Morlon
• Official website: https://www.morlon.ch/
• Opening hours: open access; water rentals during the summer season
• Access (transport): by car from Bulle, free official car park at the edge of the forest then five minutes on foot; public transport connections to be checked on cff.ch

Why we recommend it

Because it is the only beach on Lake Gruyère to bring together so many facilities without charging for entry: toilets, showers, fire pits, tables, volleyball and rentals on site. With the view of the Île d'Ogoz on top, it is the most complete summer outing in the region for a family.

In a nutshell

The big free beach on Lake Gruyère, in Morlon: showers, fire pits, beach volleyball and paddle, with the Île d'Ogoz on the horizon.