If, when travelling, you like to visit not only historic towns and museums but also places connected with local cuisine, Maison du Fromage (House of Cheese) in Gunsbach (Alsace) should be on your list. This is where you can learn about the history of one of the region’s most characteristic products – Munster cheese – and at the same time discover what life was once like for Alsatian shepherds and how cheese was made on mountain farms.

Munster is a cheese that is difficult to confuse with any other. It has an intense aroma, a distinctive orange rind and a creamy interior. For some, it will be a culinary discovery; for others, a first encounter with a cheese that smells considerably stronger than it tastes.

Maison du Fromage – or House of Cheese – is not, however, simply a museum dedicated to a single product. It is a centre bringing together the traditions of the Munster Valley, a place showcasing the work of marcaires, or mountain farmers and cheesemakers, as well as a space where you can watch a cheese-making demonstration and finish your visit with a tasting.

If you are planning a trip around Alsace and wondering what to see in the Munster Valley, it is worth setting aside around an hour and a half for a visit to Maison du Fromage.

Where is the Munster House of Cheese located?

Maison du Fromage is located in the village of Gunsbach, in the heart of the Munster Valley, in the Haut-Rhin department of the Grand Est region. The exact address is:

23 Rue de Munster, 68140 Gunsbach, France.

Gunsbach is located just a few kilometres from the town of Munster. It is a very good place to stop when travelling through the valley. The museum is less than 20 kilometres from Colmar, making it an excellent destination for a day trip as well. The route from Colmar is beautiful – vineyards at first, followed by increasingly higher slopes of the Vosges Mountains – and the drive is very enjoyable.

The surrounding area is, in fact, a major part of what makes this place so appealing. The Munster Valley is surrounded by mountains, while the landscape consists of forests, meadows, farms and high-altitude pastures characteristic of the region. It is no coincidence that the tradition of cheese production developed here.

How to Get to Maison du Fromage?

The easiest way to get here is by car. From Colmar, head towards Munster and then Gunsbach. The drive from Colmar takes roughly half an hour, depending on traffic. Maison du Fromage is also accessible by public transport. There is a railway station in nearby Gunsbach, served by trains running on the Colmar–Gunsbach–Munster route. You can also reach Gunsbach by bus. This is good news for those travelling around Alsace without a car.

It is also worth knowing that the area is bicycle-friendly. There is cycling infrastructure at Maison du Fromage, including facilities for charging electric bicycles.

Maison du Fromage – opening hours and ticket prices

During our visit, the centre was open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm from Monday to Sunday, and on Tuesdays during the summer holidays from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm. It is recommended to book a ticket on the website. We did not do this ourselves and were lucky enough to find an English-language guided tour, but if you want to be sure that you are not making the journey for nothing, I recommend booking in advance.

The visit to the House of Cheese, including the demonstration and tasting, takes around 1.5 hours. During the season, entry to the ticketed exhibition takes place at 9:15, 10:15, 11:15 am, 2:00, 3:00 and 4:00 pm. It is worth knowing that there is also a free section available, which you can explore on your own and which is dedicated to the general topic of French cheeses.

As for ticket prices, they are as follows:

• adults – €9,
• children aged 4–14 – €5,
• children under 4 – free,
• family ticket 2+2/3 children – €27.50,
• reduced ticket (students, people with disabilities) – €8.

Munster – the cheese that smells more than you might expect

Before going inside, it is worth saying a few words about the star of the entire exhibition. Munster AOP is a soft cheese with a washed rind. Its characteristic colour can range from light, creamy-orange to orange-red. During the ageing process, the cheeses are regularly washed, which affects both the appearance of the rind and the development of its distinctive aroma.

And it is precisely the smell that is one of the things most likely to stay in your memory. Munster can smell very intensely, sometimes with a slightly ammonia-like aroma. Its taste, however, is considerably milder. The inside of the cheese is soft, delicate and melts in your mouth. You can find milky, vegetal, nutty, woody and slightly yeasty notes. It is an interesting example of a product where the smell and taste can create completely different first impressions.

I say that it smells intensely, but let’s call a spade a spade – for many people, it simply stinks horribly! As our guide put it: “There are stinkier ones in France.” You can learn about the different types of cheese in France in the aforementioned freely accessible section of the exhibition, where you will also find a huge collection of cheese labels and a large plastic cow on which you can practise your milking skills.

Where Did Munster Cheese Come From?

The history of the cheese is closely linked to the Vosges Mountains and the Munster Valley. The tradition of producing it developed in a region where cattle farming made it possible to take advantage of the natural resources of mountain pastures. Grazing cows on mountain meadows provided the milk that was then used to produce cheese.

The geographical conditions played a huge role here. The humid mountain climate was conducive to the cheese maturing in unique conditions, while regularly washing the surface of the cheese allows the bacteria responsible for its characteristic rind colour and aroma to develop.

Interestingly, the same cheese is also known as Munster-Géromé. The name Géromé comes from part of Lorraine, where the tradition of cheese production also developed. Today, the name Munster or Munster-Géromé refers to a product protected under AOP, the French designation of origin system. The production area covers parts of as many as seven departments, including Haut-Rhin, Bas-Rhin and Vosges.

Marcaires – the people without whom there would be no Munster

One of the more interesting elements of a visit to Maison du Fromage is learning about the history of the marcaires. These traditional Alsatian shepherds and cattle farmers spent centuries grazing cows in the mountains. In summer, they moved higher up with their animals, to the mountain pastures. In these places, farms known as fermes-auberges were established – characteristic mountain farms that often still combine animal husbandry, food production and gastronomy to this day.

The marcaires were therefore not just livestock farmers. They were also cheese producers. And this is precisely why the history of Munster is also the history of people, the landscape and the way the mountains were farmed. Maison du Fromage demonstrates this connection very well. Both the exhibition and the guide’s later presentation focus on the traditions of the marcaires, their tools, way of life and work.

It is worth mentioning that these shepherds had to take care not only of their cows high in the mountains, but also of all their cheesemaking equipment. They did not leave the production equipment in the mountains, but carried it down to the valleys with them for the winter. In the exhibition, you can watch films in which the cows – the producers of Munster cheese – “jump” along mountain paths like slightly overweight chamois.

What can we see at the House of Cheese in Gunsbach?

The visit to Maison du Fromage has been designed as a story. At the beginning, visitors watch a nature film presenting the Munster Valley. It is a good introduction to the subject, as it helps explain why this particular landscape is so important to local production.

We then walk through a historic barn, where objects connected with the former lives of the valley’s inhabitants have been collected. We can see tools, farm equipment and objects used in their daily work. We can also take a look at the modern production rooms. So this is not a typical museum where we simply look at labelled exhibits.

The main idea is to show the entire process – from the landscape and cattle farming all the way to the finished cheese.

How Is Munster Made?

The most interesting part of the visit is the section dedicated to cheese production. Maison du Fromage features a reconstruction of a traditional mountain dairy farm. This is where a demonstration of the traditional method of producing Munster takes place. At Maison du Fromage, you can also discover the secrets of modern production in several rooms separated from the exhibition by glass.

In my opinion, this is one of the biggest advantages of the place, because we buy cheese in its finished form in a shop, and younger visitors may have no idea how it is made. Here, we can see how much work and knowledge goes into a product that eventually ends up on our table.

Tasting – the best part of the visit?

Of course, a visit to the House of Cheese could not end any other way than with a tasting. After the section dedicated to history and production, it is time to try some local products. During the visit, you can taste, among other things, the traditional dessert cheese Siaskaas (it tastes excellent with a little schnapps), Barikaas cheese and the real, traditional Munster.

For someone trying Munster for the first time, this is a great opportunity to confront their expectations with reality. The smell may be strong, but the taste is definitely milder, which is precisely why it is worth giving it a try. The tasting also allows you to better understand the differences between the individual products and the ways in which they are aged.

Munster and Caraway

If you have already had the chance to try Munster, you may also have come across its version with caraway. This is not a random addition. In traditional Munster production, caraway seeds can be used. This is connected, among other things, with their availability in the region and old culinary traditions.

Caraway goes very well with this intense cheese. It adds a distinctive aroma and makes the flavour of Munster even more interesting. So if you see Munster with caraway in a shop, it is definitely worth giving it a try.

The Shop – Don’t Leave Without Buying Something

After the visit comes the moment that lovers of local products usually do not skip, and we could not miss it either – the Maison du Fromage shop.

This is where you can buy products associated with the Munster Valley and its local culinary heritage. Naturally, cheese is the main attraction. You can also find other regional products and souvenirs. The shop operates independently of the museum visit, so you can also enter it if you are not planning to buy an admission ticket.

If you are only spending a few days in Alsace, places like this are perfect for buying products that you will not necessarily find in an ordinary supermarket. Munster cheese bought in the valley where it is produced is, after all, a much more interesting souvenir than yet another fridge magnet (although, of course, you can buy both!).

The Restaurant – You Can Also Eat Munster Here

Maison du Fromage is not just an exhibition and a shop. There is also a restaurant on site where you can try regional dishes. The restaurant is located within the complex and uses local products, while during the season there is also an outdoor seating area.

If you have more time, it is therefore worth planning your visit so that you can have lunch here after your tour. This allows you to treat Maison du Fromage as a longer stop during your journey rather than just a short visit. Another advantage is the family-friendly infrastructure. There is, among other things, a playground on site, and the facility is accessible to people with limited mobility.

What Else Happens at Maison du Fromage?

If you are visiting the Munster Valley in summer, it is worth checking the events calendar. In July and August, Mardis Folkloriques, or Folklore Tuesdays, are organised. These are events where you can see traditional dances, listen to Alsatian music and experience the atmosphere of the region. In 2026, they took place on Tuesday evenings from the beginning of July until the end of August.

This is an interesting alternative to classic sightseeing. You can combine a museum visit with music, dancing, local food and an encounter with Alsatian culture.

What Else Is There to See in the Area?

Maison du Fromage is worth combining with other attractions in the Munster Valley. The first obvious stop is Munster itself – the town from which the cheese takes its name.

It is also worth heading further towards the mountains to see the characteristic landscapes of the Vosges. The area is home to numerous hiking trails, agritourism farms and fermes-auberges, where you can try regional cuisine.

The Munster Valley is also a good destination for those who prefer slower-paced tourism. Here, you can combine gastronomy, history and nature. And if you are coming from Colmar, Maison du Fromage can be a very good stop during a day trip into the mountains.

Maison du Fromage in Gunsbach – Summary

The House of Munster Cheese in the Munster Valley is one of the more interesting attractions for those who want to discover Alsace from a culinary perspective as well. The place presents the history of the cheese, the lives of the marcaires, traditional farms and the process of producing Munster. The most interesting part of the visit is the demonstration in an authentic marcairie, and the whole experience ends with a tasting of local cheeses.

On top of that, there is a shop selling regional products, a restaurant, folklore events and attractions for children. The greatest advantage, however, is the connection between the product and the place where it is made, because Munster is not just cheese. It is mountains, meadows, cows, shepherds, damp cellars, traditional farms and hundreds of years of local experience. That is why, if you have already visited Colmar, Eguisheim or Riquewihr during your trip around Alsace and are looking for something less obvious, it is worth turning towards the Munster Valley.

Just one piece of advice: do not try to open the Munster you have bought in the car afterwards. The smell may mean that all the passengers very quickly discover the full character of this local product. 😉