Discover Auvernier: pile-dwelling history, winegrowers’ houses and lakeside

Auvernier combines prehistoric archaeological sites and a historic winegrowing village with trails and swimming spots on Lake Neuchâtel. The main attractions are easy to distinguish when planning your trip: you can set aside time for the village’s architecture, a guided tour with a focus on wine, lakeside trails or a seasonal festival.

Pile dwellings and village history

Auvernier-La Saunerie is one of the Neolithic pile-dwelling sites in the canton of Neuchâtel that are part of the UNESCO World Heritage property “Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps.” The Auvernier-Les Graviers site has evidence of four successive phases of settlement dating to the Neolithic. The two sites offer different perspectives on the early settlement history around Auvernier.

The Château d’Auvernier was built in 1559 by Blaise Junod, governor of the lordship of Valangin. A historic house preserves a rare polychrome Renaissance hunting scene painted on plaster. In a historic house in Auvernier, remains from the 16th century were discovered, including a moulded beam ceiling dated to 1504. A chapel dedicated to Saint Nicholas was built in 1478 in the upper part of the village. Auvernier is listed in the Swiss Federal Inventory of Sites of National Importance worthy of Protection (ISOS).

Lanes, winegrowers’ houses and wine

The historic village invites you to stroll along its narrow cobbled lanes and elegant winegrowers’ houses; old fountains line the streets. On foot, you can experience these features at close hand. Guided nature and heritage walks also take you through the houses’ courtyards and along the vineyard walls. This links a stroll through the historic village with glimpses of courtyards and the vineyard landscape.

A guided tour in Auvernier ends with a tasting in one of the village’s wine cellars. The Caves du Château d’Auvernier welcome visitors to tour their 16th-century cellars. Check the producer’s current visiting arrangements before your visit.

Trails and swimming spots on Lake Neuchâtel

A lakeside cycle path connects Neuchâtel and Colombier, passing through Auvernier. Auvernier Littorail can be reached by tram from Place Pury Littorail in Neuchâtel. When planning your trip, you can choose between travelling by tram and cycling a route that includes Auvernier between the two towns.

Plage d’Auvernier offers wide stretches of lawn, shade trees and pebble coves with gentle access to Lake Neuchâtel. For a route away from the shore, you can choose from different distances and surfaces. The easy circular route through vineyards and woodland above the lake is 2.2 kilometres long and suitable for families. It is shorter than the ten-kilometre Sentier du lac Saint-Blaise–Auvernier. This path is paved and can be used on foot or on roller skates.

Seasonal festivals

The Fête du Port d’Auvernier is a nautical festival weekend held every summer and open to residents, families, friends and visitors. The programme includes live concerts, food trucks, children’s activities and a nautical village; individual events may vary from one edition to the next. The dates also change from year to year. Before your trip, check the dates for the edition that may coincide with your stay.

At the Fête des Vendanges in Auvernier, stalls, concerts and a parade celebrate the grape harvest. The programme may vary from one edition to the next. The festivals have different focuses: the Fête du Port is dedicated to nautical life, while the Fête des Vendanges centres on the grape harvest.

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