Neuchatel

Destination Neuchatel

Neuchatel is not only a city but also the capital of the canton of Neuchatel. The pleasant city is situated in the middle of vineyards and has a medieval heart. Alexander Dumas once said that the pale ochre houses were caved out of a pat of butter. Neuchatel has even its own lake, the largest lake located entirely in Switzerland. 15 km (9.3 miles) of accessible shores invite all kind of water activities. The canals join with Lake Biel and Lake Murten.

The name Neuchatel is derived from a structure built as a stronghold in the second period of Burgundian rule. The town then became the property of the French Orleans-Longueville family by inheritance. Again by inheritance, Neuchatel became the personal property of the King of Prussia after 1707. Its intellectual and cultural life blossomed and the ideas of the Encyclopaedists flourished there. Neuchatel then joined the Swiss Confederation in 1815 and got into a peculiar political position. It became a Swiss canton while remaining bound to the King of Prussia. Neuchatel is well known for its watch making, vineyards and of being one of five sites of the Expo 02, the sixth Swiss national exhibition held in summer 2002.