Chocolate is arguably one of life’s ultimate indulgences, and no one is more passionate about this decadent treat than the chef chocolatiers of Masion Cailler. Switzerland’s oldest still existing chocolate brand, Maison Cailler has been producing exceptional chocolates since 1819 making it a treasured part of the Alpine nation’s heritage.

Guests on our Majestic Switzerland luxury small group journey will visit Maison Cailler when in Gruyère. We had the pleasure of speaking to award-winning chef chocolatier Géraldine Mueller-Maras, Manager of the Ateliers du Chocolat at Maison Cailler, to learn more about this experience.

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An exquisite mix of art and passion  

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“There is an immense art and passion that goes into making chocolate,” says Géraldine. “In Swiss German, we call it the ‘schoggi job’ (Chocolate job), the best job in the world, because everyone is happy when they encounter chocolate!

“My grandfather was a pastry chef, so I always say that I have this chocolate running in my veins. I’ve worked here at Maison Cailler for 11 years now as a chocolatier and it’s wonderful for your passion to also be your profession.”

After completing a post-school apprenticeship as a pastry chef-confectioner in Switzerland, Géraldine worked in London with Swiss chef Anton Mosimann at The Belfry. She then switched to teaching and spent three  years in Australia at the Sydney branch of the Parisian culinary school Le Cordon Bleu and four years in the Bangkok branch

. An exceptional artist, Géraldine was crowned Swiss Chocolate Master in 2015 and the highest-ranking woman at the 2015 World Chocolate Masters in Paris.

Visit Maison Cailler on: Majestic Switzerland

Maison Cailler, a piece of Swiss history

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Founded by François-Louis Cailler in 1819, Cailler is the oldest still existing Swiss chocolate brand and leads the country’s love affair with chocolate.

Cailler, a visionary entrepreneur, began selling this delectable treat in 1819. Inspired by the Industrial revolution and the emerging chocolate industry in Europe, he sought to create high-quality chocolates using innovative techniques. Maison Cailler quickly gained recognition for its exquisite chocolates, combining Swiss precision with a passion for craftsmanship. In 1929, the company merged with Chocolaterie Nestlé to form the Nestlé Company.

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Your chance to indulge

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Located in Gruyère, in the Swiss Alps, chocolate-lovers enjoy an immersive experience at the Maison Cailler factory. You’ll be taken through the history in a multi-sensory tour, and Géraldine’s team of in-house chocolatiers will introduce you to the art of tempering, conching and ganache-making. They’ll also help you create your own chocolate work of art to take home.

“We bring customers closer to the chocolate,” she explains. “You can touch it, taste it out of the bowl, and make your own personalized mixtures. You can also take what you learned and reproduce it at home. Its lots of fun, and lots of chocolate at the end as well.”

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200 years of Swiss heritage

The Maison Cailler factory 75 years ago. Photo credit: @cailler_suisse on Instagram

Founded in 1819, Maison Cailler is now over 200 years old. The Gruyère factory itself was built in 1898. “The walls I touch are 126 years old, and it’s all still working,” says Géraldine proudly. “It’s an incredible place to visit. As well as being a very beautiful setting, you can feel the history, the tradition, the emotions – that’s what is so special.”

It is here that the Cailler chocolate goes through all the stages of production, from the roasting of the beans to the filling of their chocolate creations. These are then packaged in-house, with over 300,000 chocolate temptations leaving the factory each day.

Cailler is also the only brand in Switzerland to use condensed milk instead of powdered milk, giving the product a very rich milky flavor and smooth texture. For this fresh, high quality milk is bought from the farms close to the factory.

Géraldine explains that since it first began making chocolate, Cailler has maintained a close relationship with local milk producers. “Everyone is proud to be a part. You can see that the farms in the region have a special panel saying the milk from our farm goes to Cailler chocolate,” she says.

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A warm welcome awaits

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“When I returned to Switzerland from traveling the world, I thought long and hard about where I wanted to work,” says Géraldine. “As well as their excellence in chocolate, Maison Cailler is Swiss history, past and present – the company has not only shaped the world of chocolate but contributed to the cultural fabric of Switzerland.

“It is always such a great pleasure to share this heritage and passion with guests of Luxury Gold, and all our visitors from around the world.”

Experience the glory of Switzerland over 10 days, with 5 star hotels and exceptional dining, and meet the chocolatiers of Maison Cailler on our Majestic Switzerland luxury small-group journey.

For Dubliner Trevor White, accomplished author and founder and curator of Dublin’s award-winning Little Museum, there’s no place quite like this effervescent and welcoming city. From the generosity of its people to the richness of its history, a visit to Dublin will leave a fond memory etched on your soul. And, just ahead of St Patrick’s Day, this is the perfect reason to throw a spotlight on the Emerald Isle.

Travel with us on our Ultimate Ireland small group journey and enjoy an exclusive VIP invitation to meet with Trevor in Dublin, for a personal after-hours tour of Little Museum, which he founded. Here you will find history, humor and a warm Irish welcome as you learn about the city, his work and what it means to be a Dubliner.

We had the privilege to speak with Trevor to ask him more about The Little Museum, his life as a Dubliner and to get some expert Dublin local tips.

The Little Museum

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Known as the “people’s museum of the capital”, the Little Museum is housed in an 18^th century townhouse in the beautiful setting of Dublin’s St Stephens Green. “The Little Museum is Dublin, bottled,” explains Trevor. “Our work is about building civic pride; documenting the past; making guests feel welcome; kindling memories, tears and laughter; and, ultimately, bringing people to a closer understanding of who they really are.“

When asked what makes the Little Museum so special, he tells us, “Ordinary citizens are responsible for the success of the institution, because our collection was created by public donation. Philanthropists, patrons and the Irish government have also been generous supporters. There are over 5,000 artefacts which have been donated by Dubliners at home and overseas, and together they allow us to tell the stories of the city.”

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Small things tell big stories

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Trevor tells us “In the Little Museum we use small things to tell big stories, such as the shutter with a bullethole from the Easter Rising, or the letter from 20-year-old James Joyce, asking Lady Gregory for money. Some of the highlights are more commonplace. My favorite artefact at the moment is a collection of tennis balls discarded by the dogs of Dún Laoghaire.” It was a rite of passage for many Dublin kids growing up to head to this coastal suburb for a “Teddy’s 99 ice cream (cone with a flake) and a walk on the pier.”

A charming item in the collection is a letter that John F Kennedy wrote in 1963, rather poignantly in the year that he was assassinated. Donated to the Little Museum by its owner, the letter was sent in reply to a little boy who wrote to ask the US President whether fairies only appear to Irish people. President Kennedy took the trouble to write quite a long response to this child to say that fairies appear to all those who believe in them.

“This artefact is a really sweet thing that speaks to political history and also has a very human flavor to it. It shows an intimate side of this very public figure’s personality.” Trevor explains.

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A Dublin welcome for everyone

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We asked Trevor how the idea for the Museum initially came about. “I spent my career writing about Dublin and have a deep love for the city,” he says. “I published a magazine called The Dubliner for many years and sold it in 2008. I spent some time traveling but needed a new challenge.”

“I was in a Dublin pub one night with a friend we fell into conversation with an Australian. We bought him a pint which is a very Irish thing to do, shared stories and told him the best things to do in Dublin. At the end of the evening my friend and I reflected that it was a really positive and rewarding experience.

“That night I bounded home to my wife, woke her up and enthusiastically told her that I was going to set up a greeter programme and open a museum of Dublin and we were going to welcome people from all over the world,” he recounts, “and she simply asked me if I had remembered to put the bins out!””

From that small seed the Little Museum was born. In its first year it had 25,000 visitors and in 2019 it had 120,000. The Museum has grown and has built an extraordinary collection, which Trevor tells us “Is a true reflection of the generosity of the people of this city. Dubliners have a big heart. There’s a huge warmth and generosity and hospitality in this city and we try to embody that in the museum.”

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For the love of entertainment

“It is such a privilege to be able to extend hospitality to Luxury Gold guests,” he continues, “to join over a glass of wine or bubbles and have the opportunity to tell people about our work. Guests look forward to a warm welcome when they come to Ireland. The museums home was designed in the 18th century to enable its owner to host and entertain guests. We are very proud to have brought our townhouse back to its original purpose. These magnificent drawing rooms are not designed for intimate conversations, they are designed for entertaining on a grand scale and as such it is such a pleasure to be able to share such a building with visitors from all over the world.”

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History, hospitality and humor

“There are three themes to our work in the museum” Trevor elaborates. “History, that is our subject, the history of Dublin and Dubliners. Hospitality, which is such a hugely important part of what we are doing on the museum and why it is such an honor to welcome guests from over the world. And thirdly, humor. When you ask what is it that makes the Irish Irish, conversation is a big part of our character and way of life. We try to embody that within the museum which is why all of our visitors are able capture the salty humor of Dublin itself,” he explains with a laugh.

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In the footsteps of literary greats

 

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Trevor is a former restaurant critic, publisher of The Dubliner, and author of five books, including The Dubliner Diaries. Of being a Dublin writer, he tells us “I am certainly conscious of the great literary tradition of the city.” Dublin boasts James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, Bram Stoker and W B Yeats amongst its esteemed stable of authors. “Anyone who writes anything in this town feels the weight of history on their shoulders,” Trevor admits. “In one sense it is a burden, but it is also a privilege to have grown up in a society where literature is taken seriously.”

“I am just finishing a concise history of Dublin to be published in the spring of 2023, hopefully to be ready in time to share with Luxury Gold guests,” he shares with us. “The whole purpose of this book is to provide a very lithe overview of the history of Dublin for visitors. So somebody coming to Dublin who knows nothing about it, a curious visitor, could sit down for a couple of hours and ingest the whole story.”

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Europe’s biggest village

Renowned for its vibrant, friendly atmosphere and rich history, Dublin is a city with much to offer every traveler. Described by Dubliner Trevor as “Europe’s biggest village,” we asked him to elaborate on this.  He tells us “What I am really talking about is the intimacy of this city.”

“Dublin is a small, easily navigable city. You can explore Dublin in a couple of hours, and that intimacy is part of its charm. The phrase Europe’s biggest village also references the gift for conversation that Irish people, an intimacy that visitors will experience first-hand.”

“When people come to Dublin, the first thing I tell them to do is go to a local pub. You will meet Irish people, and what will inevitably happen is that you will find yourself in conversation with a really good storyteller. That is one of the most distinctive and likable aspects of life in this city. And the city is full of gorgeous pubs.”

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A cultural haven

Photo credit: @nationalgalleryofireland on Instagram

As well as a visit to the pub, Trevor advises any visitor to Dublin to spend time at the city’s national cultural institutions, of which there are many. “The National Gallery of Ireland, recently refurbished, in the center of the city, offers treasures galore, with everyone from W.B. Yeats to Pablo Picasso represented in their extraordinary collection” he says. A visit to the National Library is also one of the memorable things to do in Dublin.”

“Dublin is big on theatre and is blessed with two world class institutions,” Trevor enthuses. “Our national theatre, the Abbey Theatre was set up by William B Yeats, the great Nobel prize winning poet and you are guaranteed to see a memorable production. And the Gate Theatre, where Orson Wells started his career as an actor before he went on to make Citizen Kane. It has a very storied history and offers world class theater for a fraction of the price of Broadway and the West End.”

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Delicious cuisine

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As a former restaurant critic, we just had to ask Trevor for his best places to eat in Dublin and he suggested four great ways to taste the city:

Etto – an excellent Italian European restaurant which serves wonderful food with a great, fun atmosphere.

Glovers Alley – fine dining in a spectacular setting overlooking St Stephens Green.

Chapter One – Michelin starred dining offering real Irish hospitality and an extremely accomplished chef.

Roly’s Bistro – very buzzy with a delicious menu.

To experience this exclusive VIP after-hours meeting with Dubliner Trevor White at The Little Museum, book onto our Ultimate Ireland luxury guided tour.

As Shakespeare had it, “that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” ‒ but this flower and its name are inextricably bound up in ideas of Englishness, beauty and love.

Throughout history it has been a symbol of royal clans, goddesses of love, passion, purity and even socialism. Meanwhile, with literary appearances from Lewis Carroll’s Queen of Hearts to Anne Brontë’s poetic warnings about its thorns, England’s storytellers have been inspired by this classic British flower for generations.

Valentine’s Day may have passed, but that doesn’t mean the appreciation of this most lovely of flowers has to end, too. Immerse yourself in its distinctive scent on a stroll through one of England’s most abundant rose gardens, often attached to storied stately homes. Here are just a few of them.

Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire

 

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This Jacobean manor house, 20 minutes’ drive from Cambridge, is most famous for having a still-working watermill, its parts dating back to the 18th century. But Anglesey’s most fragrant nook is its rose garden, with an impressive 40 varieties of bloom on display. Lord Fairhaven bought the estate in the 1920s, and the Rose Garden was one of his first labours of love; today you’ll see plump candy-pink, sunshine yellow and true scarlet booms filling its walls. Flowering from early June to October, there’s a generous chunk of the year you can visit, too.

Alnwick Castle, Northumberland

 

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Not only is there an Alnwick Castle, there’s an Alnwick Rose, one of 200 species bred by one of Britain’s most famous horticulturalists, David Austin. You’ll see its dense, blush-pink petals on display at Northumberland’s Alnwick rose garden, part of the Alnwick Castle estate, which is home to a staggering 3,000 roses ‒ making it one of the biggest of its kind in the world. Count up to 300 different varieties, then move on to the Ornamental Variety which has around 30 more. Luxury Gold clients will enjoy a leisurely visit to Alnwick on our 10-day British Royale tour, one of our luxury holidays in England.

Mottisfont Abbey, Hampshire

 

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Bursting with blooms trained around genteel old trail walls, pergolas and arches, the walled garden at this lovely 18th-century Hampshire pile is a romantic setting. The older, pre-1900 species of rose grown there tend to flower just once a year, unlike modern varieties, so most people visit in the peak flowering month of June. The garden was the brainchild of Graham Stuart Thomas, a collector or rare and historic roses in the 1960s and 70s; at its peak you’ll see 500 varieties in bloom, including the damask “Quatre Saisons” rose, first grown by the Romans, and clouds of the thornless, white Lykkefund rambling rose.

Cliveden, Buckinghamshire

 

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Among 376 acres of gardens at this 400-year-old aristocratic estate, the tucked-away rose garden is a highlight. Sitting alongside a zig-zagging Parterre garden, an Asian-influenced Water Garden and a war memorial garden, the rose garden’s flowers are climbers trained over romantic arches and shrubs nestled beneath pensive statues. Over 900 roses in total adorn the garden, in shades from buttercup to coral and deep lipstick pinks; they’re encircled by tall trees giving a sense of hushed privacy. Stop by the gardens’ gift shop to pick up your own David Austin rose variety to take home.

Castle Howard Walled Garden, Yorkshire

 

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On the outskirts of the handsome, historic city of York, to the south of North York Moors National Park, is this grade-I-listed stately home with 1,000 acres of gardens. One of the loveliest patches is the rose garden, made up of three enclosures swathed in low shrubs, with trailing boughs of rambling roses and tree roses to admire. The end of June to the beginning of July is when you’ll see and smell them in all their splendour. Guests on Luxury Gold’s lavish British Royale tour enjoy a stop at Castle Howard while visiting York.

Chartwell, Kent

 

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Winston Churchill’s home from the 1920s to the 1960s has long had an association with roses. The former British prime minister and his wife Clementine were said to have first courted in the rose garden at Blenheim Palace, and dedicated plenty of space in Chartwell’s gardens to her favourite flower. You can still visit Golden Rose Avenue (built in honour of their golden wedding anniversary) and Lady Clementine’s Rose Garden, where the roses are at their most impressive from mid-June and through the summer.

The Savill Garden, Berkshire

 

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Deep in Windsor Great Park, this colourful ornamental garden contains its own circular rose garden with a sculptural viewing platform in the middle. Opened by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2010, it has low beds of different-hued rose shrubs, ranging from bright white to pale pinks and deep reds, plus sunlit benches for a pause among the scented flowers. Take a guided tour of the wider gardens (Monday-Friday, year round), where a volunteer will point out seasonal highlights; the best months for roses are June and July.