The Arc Jurassien

Holidays by Destination Europe Switzerland The Arc Jurassien 

Jura
Jura Bernois
Jura Tourism

This area is the French-speaking northwest of the country; part in the canton of Bern, and including the canton of Jura itself in the far northwest, notably undeveloped and rural, with rolling green hills. The area sees few foreign tourist but is known to the Swiss, with plenty of walking and cycling trails, plus horse riding, offering around 30 riding centres.

Murten is one of the country's best preserved Roman towns. Neuchatel, the most French of Swiss towns with an attractive old centre, used to be a watch-making centre. The skills are on show in the Museum of Art and History which has a fine art collection but also three 18th century automata, including a musician, a draftsman and a writer which writes genuine words. The International Museum of Horology at La Chaux de Fonds has more clocks and watches.

Grandson on lake Neuchatel, is home to one the country's best castle museums, including a torture chamber plus a vintage car museum with items including Winston Churchill's Austin Cambridge.

Avenches was the capital of Roman Switzerland and still has a large, restored amphitheatre, plus a Musee Romain, which includes details of local Roman life.