In Les Ponts-De-Martel, peat bogs are at the heart of the nature experience: they are home to remarkable animal and plant species. The Maison de la Tourbière, marked routes and insights into regional cheese production add further points of interest. When planning your trip, you can decide in advance whether to focus mainly on the bogs, outdoor activities, or nature and regional products.
Peat Bogs and Their Biodiversity
The flora of the peat bogs includes cotton grass, sundew and water trefoil. The animal life is diverse too: the peat bog habitat offers refuge to butterflies, beetles, spiders, lizards, frogs and birds. These named plant and animal groups give a visit to the bogs a specific natural-history focus.
The extensive Marais-Rouge raised bog is near Les Ponts-de-Martel and can be explored via a nature trail. It adds another bog area to the natural attractions of the region. If you are interested in this landscape, you can visit both the peat bogs of Les Ponts-de-Martel and the nearby Marais-Rouge as separate points of interest.
Maison de la Tourbière and Nature Trail
The Maison de la Tourbière is dedicated to the study, interpretation and conservation of peat bogs. Its museum area is bilingual and can be visited independently of the peat bog nature trail. If you are planning a museum visit, check the latest opening details before your trip.
The Sentier de la tourbière is 2.8 kilometres long. The renovated nature trail at the Maison de la Tourbière is accessible to people with reduced mobility. This information can help you choose a nature experience that suits you; for planning your visit, the desired trail length and type of visit are important distinctions: you can visit the museum independently or join a guided tour with advance reservation.
Routes for Different Activities
Les Ponts-de-Martel has marked routes for running, hiking and Nordic walking, measuring 2.8, 6.5, 8.6 and 13.5 kilometres. The four distances let you choose a route to suit the distance you have in mind. If you prefer mountain biking, there are also downhill trails in the local area. There are also numerous cross-country ski trails.
As a general seasonal guide, summers are humid and pleasant, while winters are frosty and snowy. The weather is partly cloudy throughout the year. These are different conditions to take into account when planning a summer stay or a winter visit.
Cheese, Regional Cuisine and a Historic Landmark
At the Fromagerie Les Martel, visitors can watch Gruyère AOC being made through a glass gallery. The visitor gallery offers a view of cheese production through a glass partition; guests can also taste the finished cheese. This is a way to combine an introduction to a regional product with a hands-on visitor experience.
The Maison de la Tourbière also serves seasonal regional specialities. They are reinterpreted and inspired by the flavours and colours of the peat bog. Another cultural highlight is the Temple des Ponts-de-Martel, built in 1844. The moorland, cheese production and architectural history offer different focuses when choosing activities.
Plan Your Stay and Accommodation
For a short stay, it helps to decide first what matters most to you: would you like to spend more time exploring the moorland and its biodiversity, are you interested in marked routes and winter sports, or would you like to learn about cheese production? Be sure to factor in the advance reservation required for guided tours; for the museum area, it is worth checking the latest opening details.
Discover more destinations: Les Brenets, La Brévine, Brot-Plamboz, Le Locle, Le Cerneux-Péquignot.
Back to the main travel overview: Le Locle.
