Montézillon: Hiking and the Ferme de L'Aubier

Montézillon is a settlement in Rochefort, at an altitude of 758 m on the southern slope of Les Pommerets. When looking for a hotel in Montézillon, the hiking routes and the Ferme de L'Aubier offer practical ideas for planning your day: from a roughly one-hour stroll to hikes with specified distances and elevation gains. The route through forests and vineyards to the lake also shapes the choice of possible activities.

Location and landscape

In the wider area around Montézillon, Rochefort lies on the southern slope of the Jura, high above Lake Neuchâtel and about 9 km as the crow flies west of Neuchâtel. The municipality of Rochefort includes the Merdasson valley, the Areuse Gorge and the Jura high pastures near the La Tourne pass. There are extensive pastures there with typical large spruce trees. The landscape of the wider Rochefort area thus ranges from valleys and gorges to high pastures.

Hiking around Montézillon

The Montézillon–Montézillon circular route is a roughly one-hour walk near L'Aubier. Another hiking trail leads from Montézillon to Auvernier through forests and vineyards to the lake. The hike from Montézillon to La Tourne is listed as 7 km long, with an elevation gain of 600 m.

Another route for a day hike leads from Les Hauts-Geneveys to Montézillon. It is 15 km long and includes 700 m of ascent and 900 m of descent. Together with the hike to La Tourne, it offers a second option expressly described as a day trip; the stated ascents and descents give a concrete picture of the route profile.

On the TransRochefort “Est–Ouest” route, the trail starts at the Abri PC Est in Montézillon. It is rated as moderate and can also be ridden by mountain bike. The “Forêt Montezillon” route has a different rating: it is easy. It leads from Rochefort cemetery via Montézillon and back to the cemetery, its starting point.

Another circular route runs via Montézillon, Chambrelien and Rochefort, returning to Montézillon. It is 9 km long and has an elevation difference of 250 m. This gives you a choice of both circular routes and trails of different lengths with specified elevation profiles, without implying that the figures refer to comparable types of tour.

Ferme de L'Aubier and regional products

The biodynamic Ferme de L'Aubier covers 40 ha and stretches from Montézillon to the Col de la Tourne at an altitude of 1,200 m. The farm is home to dairy cows, a bull, heifers, calves and pigs. The Ferme-Fromagerie—the L'Aubier Demeter cheese dairy—can be visited by prior arrangement.

The one-day seminars offered by “Les Samedis de L'Aubier” are also open to everyone. Breaks, drinks and lunch at the restaurant are included. Restaurant L'Aubier sources most of its beef, veal and pork from the biodynamic farm. The L'Aubier shop is on the same level as the restaurant, right next to the hotel reception.

These local attractions can be given different emphasis when planning your trip: the hiking trails lead through forests and vineyards or provide a route’s length and elevation profile; the farm adds agriculture, a cheese dairy and a restaurant to your stay. If you plan to visit the Ferme-Fromagerie, contact them in advance.

Discover more destinations: Cortaillod, Boudry, Bevaix, Corcelles-Cormondrèche, Peseux NE, Auvernier, Gorgier.

Back to the main travel guide: Boudry.