Tour des Châteaux
Castles and manors are spread along this route so you can admire some architectural jewels which have played a part in the region’s history. Views over Lake Neuchâtel and the Alps follow one after the other, and at the foot of the Jura you will ride through a series of small medieval villages typical of the region.
2024_PDF_TourDesChâteaux
Château de Champvent (Studio Patrick Jantet)
435.10406494141
Tourist Office North of Vaud
The Tourist Office of North of Vaud is situated only a 2-minute walk from the historical centre and a minute’s walk from Yverdon-les-Bains station.
It will provide you with advice concerning a great number of things to do in the region and with useful information to help you organise your time here: brochures, hiking maps, accommodation lists, event information etc.
2024 Timetable (ADNV)
Office du Tourisme Yverdon-les-Bains (© Office du Tourisme Yverdon-les-Bains)
434.27169799805
Castle of Yverdon-les-Bains
The Castle of Yverdon-les-Bains, the first military defence known to be built according to the "Savoyard square” design, is a lowland fortress commissioned in 1259 by Pierre de Savoie. Located in the centre of the town of Yverdon-les-Bains, it has undergone many transformations over the centuries.
Officially a national asset since 1798, it was home to the renowned educator Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi and his institute for boys at the beginning of the 19th century. Along with his collaborators, Pestalozzi developed his innovative teaching method in what you could well describe as a “pedagogical laboratory”. The castle was then used to house government-run schools until 1974.
As the home and centrepiece of the extensive Museum of Yverdon and Region since 1915, the castle allows visitors to retrace the history of the town and its surroundings over the past 10,000 years and provides a showcase of the region’s eventful history, which is known well beyond its borders, too.
The castle also features temporary exhibitions of the Swiss Museum of Fashion, the Pestalozzi Documentation and Research Centre, as well as a theatre and several event spaces for rent.
Touristic map - Yverdon-les-Bains (ADNV)
Yverdon Castle (Swiss Backstage)
Château Yverdon-les-Bains (Jean-Pierre Bösiger)
Castle of Yverdon-les-Bains (© Patrick Jantet)
Castle of Yverdon-les-Bains (© Studio KO)
558.58251953125
Montcherand Church
Probably built in the 10th Century, the church first depended on the priory of Baulmes and was then conveyed to the Benedictine monastery of Payerne, most likely during in the 11th Century. Therefore, throughout the Middle Ages, it had been indirectly dependent on Cluny. Its paintings from the 12th Century represent the twelve apostles to both sides of a central figure that no longer exists, and a figure of Christ of which only a fragment remains. All this is supplemented by decorative elements as well as a Latin inscription, fragments of the Gospel of St. Matthew.
An association was created in 1992 with the aim of restoring (completed that same year) and conserving this church, its frescoes and its furnishings, as well as building broader public awareness of the site.
Eglise de Montcherand
Eglise de Montcherand (© Albin Berruex)
481.02188110352
Côtes de l'Orbe AOC
The Côtes de l’Orbe wine-making area in the Yverdon-les-Bains region is exceptional by its long history and its wines. Clinging to the slopes around the Orbe valley, surrounded by beautiful countryside and pretty villages, the vines are blessed with a dry climate, ideal for growing red grape varieties, like Gamay and Pinot noir.
Over an area of 170 ha, about twenty villages continue to apply their wine-making traditions. To them, wine is about sharing and they are passionate about applying this code, warmly welcoming wine enthusiasts for wine tastings in their cellars or at village events.
The Arnex Gourmet Trail or the Côtes de l’Orbe Half-marathon, inspired by the Médoc Marathon, are an opportunity to sample this appellation, characterised by the high quality of its wines, the innovative spirit and the enthusiasm of its producers.
Vignoble Rances (www.vincentbourrut.ch)
Vignoble Arnex (www.vincentbourrut.ch)
487.72924804688
Esplanade of the Castle and Round Tower
The lords of Montfaucon owned the town of Orbe from 1168 to the end of the 16th century. They built the castle with three towers and a circular keep, the present round tower. The city also retained their coat of arms “Gules, two bends sinister addorsed Or”
In 1835 the town ordered the demolition of the two square towers in order to fill the moats and to extend the terrace. The ancient perimeter walls were lowered in order not to block the view.
Today, the round Tower and a square tower are the sole remains of this fortress. The esplanade shaded by the tall chestnut trees has become a much-loved recreational area.
The round Tower is open to the public all year round. Explanatory panels at the foot of the edifice and inside provide information on the structure.
Round Tower (claudejaccard.com)
484.13262939453
Former Church of Our Lady
After a first fire that destroyed the town and the chapel in 1407, a new church was built. Unfortunately, a few years later, during the Burgundian War, the church found itself ablaze a second time. The rebuilding work lasted until 1525. In 1554, after a long period of religious conflict, Protestantism was imposed as the religion for the majority of inhabitants. Guillaume Farel and Pierre Viret, two natives from Orbe, then came to preach.
In 1688, major works were interrupted by a third fire, after which Bern and Fribourg helped with reconstruction work. Today, in spite of its tumultuous history, the church at Orbe presents a harmonious unity of style.
Orbe Church (© Cecile Magnenat)
669.021484375
Romainmôtier Abbey Church
Built between 990 and 1028 according to the plans of Cluny church, the Abbatiale de Romainmôtier is one of the jewels of the Nord vaudois region.
The stage for many concerts, the church echoes with the notes of its great contemporary organ, both in summer and winter. A stone’s throw from here, festivals and banquets are held at the Maison du Prieur, a historic building with an impressive fireplace, which can accommodate over 200 people.
Concerts de Romainmôtier (Pierre Jouvenat)
Abbatiale Romainmôtier (Yves Henchoz)
Romainmôtier Abbey Church (© Patrick Jantet)
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