The outdoor Cailler chocolate game
A pioneer in the fields
Fourth stop: Rue du Moléson
Narrator:
Here you are in quite an interesting neighborhood. These are the houses that Alexandre Cailler built at the beginning of 1900 to accommodate the families who had come from abroad to work in the factory. You have to understand that, at the time, the demand for chocolate was so great that the employees often worked late into the night, but even that was not enough. Alexandre Cailler remembers that in his youth he had worked in Turin in Italy to improve his chocolate-making knowledge, and it was there that he would recruit the employers, who needed housing.
Alexandre Cailler:
Do you see these houses, Sir Federal Councilor? There are 20 of this side of the street, all the same!
During those years we also built a hostel in the village hold by nuns, reserved for young ladies working in the factory.
And it’s important for me that these people have good social conditions: free medical service, allowances and relief found in the event of illness or death.
I also support the Church by funding the additional prior to ensure a necessary presence for believers.
At the time, everyone worked a lot, I recall. Which reminds me of an anecdote! At around 8 in the evening, the female workers took a tea break and the male workers a beer, and everyone had bread and cheese. I liked to spend time with them during this break. We would chat and sometimes I would talk about my trip to the United States, which was quite eventful, I can tell you that! Then we would all return to work for another two hours.
