Val-de-Travers
Val-de-Travers is one of the most popular destinations in the Swiss Jura, located in the canton of Neuchâtel in western Switzerland. This rural valley is a land of forests, gorges and high Jura ridges rather than high Alpine peaks, and it is crossed by the Areuse river and its spectacular gorges. The region is famous as the birthplace of absinthe, the 'Green Fairy', which earned it the status of a Grand Site du Goût in Switzerland. It is a family-oriented destination with a strong cultural life, home to numerous museums and cultural institutions, including the village of Môtiers, which counts among the Swiss villages with the most museums per inhabitant. The valley is dominated by nature, with the dramatic rock cirque of the Creux du Van, the 'Swiss Grand Canyon', as its emblem. Villages such as Noiraigue, Couvet, Môtiers, Fleurier and Buttes are strung along the valley and serve as hubs for exploring the surrounding countryside.
Summer activities
Summer in Val-de-Travers is all about nature and outdoor adventure. The emblematic Creux du Van rock cirque, the 'Swiss Grand Canyon', offers a spectacular 360° panorama and is reached by hiking, bike or car. The gorges of the Areuse and Poëta-Raisse rivers invite family walks along waterfalls, footbridges and rock formations. The La Robella leisure park at Buttes offers a summer toboggan run, pumptrack, minigolf, all-terrain scooters and mountain biking, while the espaceVAL sports centre in Couvet adds an indoor pool, climbing wall and fitness. Cycling and e-biking routes run along the Areuse and up to the Creux du Van, and outdoor pools at Boveresse and Couvet provide refreshment on hot days.
Winter activities
Winter in Val-de-Travers centres on the small family ski resort of La Robella at Buttes, with nine marked ski and snowboard runs over 20 kilometres served by a chairlift, two drag lifts and a beginner lift, plus a ski school. The resort also offers marked snowshoe and winter hiking trails, including a route up to the Chasseron summit with views over Lake Neuchâtel and the Alps, three marked ski-touring itineraries, and a luge and XL scooter run. Cross-country skiing trails and a snow bus service connect the valley's nordic stations, and the Fleurier ice rink adds further winter fun.
Culture and entertainment
Val-de-Travers has a remarkably dense cultural life for a rural valley, with more than twenty cultural institutions including museums, unusual spaces, festivals, cinema and theatre. The village of Môtiers is one of the Swiss villages with the most museums per inhabitant, and the region is home to the Maison de l'Absinthe, the birthplace of the 'Green Fairy', as well as museums devoted to Jean-Jacques Rousseau, masks, Aboriginal art and vintage Volkswagen cars. Festivals and events such as Absinthe en Fête, the AR Mood Festival and the open-doors culture weekend punctuate the year, alongside a lively programme of theatre and cinema.
