Discover Payerne: Abbey Church, aviation and leisure

Payerne is a political municipality and the district capital of Broye-Vully in the canton of Vaud. When planning a stay, several different interests come together here: the Abbey Church and the town’s history, aviation at the Clin d'Ailes Military Aircraft Museum, and the karting and obstacle-course activities at Payerneland. You can therefore distinguish cultural visits from technical and active leisure activities and plan your visit around specific themes.

Abbey Church and historic walking trail

Payerne Abbey Church was built in the 11th century by monks from Cluny. It is remarkably well preserved today and is considered a masterpiece of Romanesque art. Visitors can explore the church on an interactive tour. Its construction period and connection to Cluny give the visit a historical context. Unlike the historic town trail, this experience focuses on a single building.

The historic walking trail in Payerne comprises 16 stops set up near the main sights. QR codes help visitors discover the town’s history, its monuments and hidden corners. The trail is free and available in French, German and English. Check local visitor arrangements before your trip. Alongside a visit to the Abbey Church, this offers a route with several stops and digital information.

Aviation at Clin d'Ailes

The Clin d'Ailes Military Aircraft Museum has three modern flight simulators. The museum’s simulator lets visitors take a seat in the cockpit of a McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, accompanied by an experienced instructor. This experience combines using a simulator with a hands-on cockpit experience.

Guided museum tours are arranged on request. They are available in French, German or English and are led by former military pilots, mechanics and air force staff. If you are planning a tour, bear in mind that a request is required and that availability depends on the languages offered. The museum is located at the airfield. A PostBus connects Payerne CFF railway station with the airfield; check the timetable before travelling.

Karting and obstacle activities at Payerneland

At Payerneland, you can compare the indoor and outdoor karting tracks by their features. The fully covered indoor track is 900 metres long, covers an area of 8,000 square metres and has a banked turn. The outdoor Grand Prix track measures 1,050 metres, making it 150 metres longer. Its features include fast sections and technically challenging turns. Both track length and the difference between the indoor and outdoor circuits are therefore relevant to the comparison.

Payerneland Tower offers a different activity: the 20-metre-high attraction has five floors with obstacle courses and acrobatic games and is suitable for everyone aged two and up. While the karting tracks differ in length, whether they are covered and their track features, the Tower focuses on multiple floors of obstacles and games.

Discover more destinations: Faoug, Vully-Les-Lacs, Corcelles-le-Jorat, Bellerive Vd, Vers-Chez-Perrin, Dompierre VD, Cudrefin, Cremin.

See the overview of the wider area: Broye-Vully.