Areuse Gorge – hike in the Jura

April lived up to its image yesterday. Until shortly after ten o’clock in the morning, it was still raining twine from the sky in Neuchâtel, which put a damper on our motivation to go on a short hike in the region. The rain radar reported an improvement in the weather around noon and so we ventured out into the water in the late morning. And lo and behold, as we board the train at Neuchâtel station in the direction of Val de Travers, the cloudy layer of clouds finally loosens and lets the light blue spring sky shimmer through. Perfect timing.

Start of the hike in Noiraigue

At the junction between the Jura and the Swiss Plateau, there are numerous gorges to discover. Two years ago, on a beautiful June day, we hiked through the idyllic Twannbach Gorge. Today we want to take a look at the Areuse Gorge between Noiraigue and Boudry. The trip should not fail due to too little water after the heavy rains of the last few days. In Noiraigue, where we braved the capricious weather with snowshoes just under two months ago, we are greeted by the loudly gurgling Areuse. The masses of water thundering down into the valley in this small river are, as expected, considerable.

The most beautiful part of the hike – The Areuse Gorge

The first highlight follows at Saut de Brot. Here the course of the river becomes really narrow for the first time and offers a view of a picturesque stone bridge. The gently curved construction between the steep rock faces could have sprung straight out of a fairy tale and is – not surprisingly – probably the most photographed spot in the Areuse Gorge. Shortly afterwards, in Le Champ-du-Moulin lingerie, you have three different options. Break off the hike and take the train back to Neuchâtel (Champ-du-Moulin station). Take a break on the sun terrace of the restaurant “La Truite” and taste the homemade absinthe sorbet. Or continue shaggy right away. We spontaneously opt for the absinthe sorbet version and enjoy the warming rays of the sun.

Afterwards we continue down the valley. The riverbed of the Areuse becomes wider again and is heavily built up with thresholds in sections. The pedestrian bridge “Passerelle Expo 02” is architecturally interesting, and from the “Pont de Vert” there is another section of gorge that looks like it is in a picture book. All in all, a leisurely and varied hike that is excellent to do on a beautiful spring afternoon as a family outing.

Practical information and tips for hiking through the Areuse Gorge

The route can be found on the map below. For the leisurely version of the hike, you start at Noiraigue station and hike 11 kilometers down the valley to Boudry. The sporty version in the opposite direction includes an ascent of around 370 metres in altitude. The hiking time is about 3 hours without a break. Noiraigue can be reached by train from Neuchâtel. From Boudry, you can either take the train (hourly) or the narrow-gauge railway “Littorail” back to Neuchâtel. The Littorail connects the centre of the village of Boudry (Avenue de Collège) with the Place Pury in Neuchâtel every 20 minutes.

Further maps: Flyer “The Areuse Gorge and its bridges”