Located on a high hill and steeped in history, the Molière Tower offers a breathtaking panorama of lakes and the Swiss plateau. The landscaped picnic area and the bucolic setting are some of the site's assets.
The tower of la Molière is the only preserved vestige of an imposing castle and a medieval village built at the end of the 12th century on a hill near the village of Murist. Seats of the Molière family, from Font, castle and village will pass by inheritance and transfer to many owners, including the house of Savoy and the counts of Gruyère. During the wars of Burgundy in 1475, the tower was taken by the Bernese and the Fribourger. From 1536, it was placed under the protection of Fribourg, which acquired it definitively in 1625. The monument served as a communication network with the Gourze and St-Triphon towers. This network lasted for centuries until the end of the Bernese regime in 1798. Abandoned then destroyed little by little, the castle and the village around the de la Molière tower end up being exploited as a quarry from the 19th century.
From the top of the tower, one enjoys an unobstructed view of the lakes of Neuchâtel, Murten and Biel as well as, on all sides, the Swiss Plateau. It is certainly for this reason that it is nicknamed the "Eye of Switzerland". This tower offers an extraordinary analogy with its neighbour of St-Martin du Chêne. These buildings dominated the little villages during the whole middle age.
Visits
Without guide | Free |
With guide (per person) | 5.- CHF |
Aperitif
Per person | 17.- CHF |
Access :
You must ask for the code to dial on the box next to the door to access the key. Tel : +41 (0)79 316 62 13 between 10am and 6pm
Guided tours :
On reservation with a guide (minimum 10 people). Possibility to complete the visit with an aperitif (Vully cake, mini ham croissants, white and red wine, orange juice, mineral water) at the tower.
Reservation via the booking form in link
Picnic place :
Tables with benches and grill are next to the tower under the trees.
Parking: Parking spaces available
Accessible by public transport: yes
Accessible by car: yes