Val-De-Ruz: Winter landscapes, slopes and cultural heritage

The winter offering in Val-de-Ruz includes the Bugnenets-Savagnières ski area, with 30 kilometres of slopes ranging from blue to black and a snowpark. There are also opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, skiing and snowshoeing through cultural landscapes, forests and pastures.

Val-de-Ruz lies between the lake and the mountains, approximately halfway between Neuchâtel and La Chaux-de-Fonds.

An overview of other local destinations: Boudevilliers, La Vue Des Alpes, Le Pâquier, Dombresson, Fontainemelon, Savagnier and Villiers Ne. Another destination in the regional overview is Val-De-Travers.

Winter

The «Toboggan géant» can be reached by bus route 370 to the Vue-des-Alpes stop.

Landscape

Val-de-Ruz is one of the three municipalities in the canton of Neuchâtel that are members of the Chasseral Regional Nature Park. Since 2014, Parc régional Chasseral and the municipality of Val-de-Ruz have been leading the restoration of dry-stone walls between Les Vieux-Prés and La Vue-des-Alpes.

The tree-lined paths connecting the villages of Val-de-Ruz were named «Landscape of the Year 2022». Every spring, thousands of daffodils bloom in the meadows between La Vue des Alpes and Tête de Ran. From La Vue des Alpes and Tête de Ran, the view extends from the Bernese Alps to the Valais Alps; in the foreground are Lake Neuchâtel and the Swiss Plateau.

The «Le paysage dans tous ses états» exhibition depicts Val-de-Ruz at a scale of 1:100 across an area of 18,000 m².

Trails

The «Chemins chouettes» network offers signposted hiking trails connecting cafés-restaurants, métairies, hotels and information points on natural and cultural heritage. The «Autour du Seyon» circular route, also known as Chemin chouette No. 1, is 15 kilometres long, passes through Val-de-Ruz’s diverse landscapes and can be divided into sections. Along this varied route, it also provides access to aspects of the history and cultural heritage of the Val-de-Ruz region.

Nature

Evologia is an approximately 20-hectare site presenting various aspects of the cultural, agricultural and landscape heritage of the canton of Neuchâtel, while offering walks through the local flora and fauna. In summer, Evologia offers four free orientation games suitable for all age groups.

The «Jardins Extraordinaires» at Evologia are freely accessible year-round and combine imaginative, artistic and educational garden areas. The «Espace Abeilles» is an educational apiary where visitors can learn about the world of bees, honey harvesting and wax processing. It features observation hives and an observation centre; depending on the season, visitors can watch the work of the beekeepers. The «Espace Abeilles» can be reached by bus routes 421 and 422 to the Crêt Debély stop.

Culture and history

For more than 20 years, the «Jardins Musicaux» have been a cultural meeting place for music lovers from Val-de-Ruz, the canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland and abroad. The «Fête la Terre» event takes place in the heart of Val-de-Ruz and focuses on interaction with regional producers. The «Marché des produits du terroir» is a gastronomic weekend event with 25 exhibitors at Mycorama in Cernier.

The centre of Valangin, at the entrance to Val-de-Ruz, is a site of national importance. The regional museum in Valangin Castle displays an extensive collection of objects relating to the history of the canton of Neuchâtel.

The Temple d’Engollon, the Saint-Pierre d’Engollon church, was first mentioned in 1228. The temple preserves 14th-century wall paintings depicting episodes from the life of Christ; it also features stained-glass windows by Jules Courvoisier.

Tractorama at Evologia displays Patrick Zbinden’s collection of old tractors. The exhibition presents the result of more than 30 years of passion, meticulous work and the search for spare parts of various types and origins.

To the higher-level travel overview: Canton of Neuchâtel.