Any excuse to look or taste bread and I am there, so when  my sister found a bread museum on the internet we could go and to visit in the Vaud region, I was psyched! The Vaud is what Kansas is to America, sort of the bread basket of Switzerland! The day was hot and we made our way through the mittelland (flat region)  to the rolling rolling wheat field and pastureland known as the Vaud, a canton dotted with castles and  villages  that had a Swiss look but with French sounding names. Echallens is a quiet looking town, especially in august on a sunday! We had a little picnic in the main square across from the museum, what else bread and sausages!

The Museum is housed in a renovated farmhouse and was opened in 1981, Outside there is a large millstone and a outdoor cafe! I couldn’t wait to get in!

There are rooms that are numbered that you follow through with different exhibits, a movie in French, English and German about the history of bread and the region itself. The different rooms are filled with old grain machines, photo’s of grain production and bread making. Besides the interesting informative  exhibits,wafting from below was the smell of bread and the heat from the oven downstairs. Without a doubt it  made me follow the scent, as we hurried through the final rooms. There is a small shop to buy books and even some great linen lined bannetons, unfortunately the dollar was so bad I hesitated and didn’t buy even one! My sister and I made our way  to the cafe where we each ordered a taste of afternoon goodies! I admired the ovens, but the bakers had left several hours ago as it was Sunday and they had a shorter shift! I picked a pain aux raisin and she had a tarte aux creme, a sugary creme confection that had my dentists number on it, ouch so sweet!

If your in the Vaud and you want to some bread do visit the museum, I had to get a loaf of bread too, it was spelt with some grains, stayed fresh for 3 days and delicious!

Pain au raisin

Cream tarte

Bread Museum