Enges lies 816 metres above sea level, about nine kilometres as the crow flies northeast of Neuchâtel. The village is situated on a promontory in a south-facing hollow on the southern slope of the Jura, high above the Swiss Plateau. From Enges, you can see across the Plateau and the Alps. Hiking trails pass through Enges, leading down from the Chaumont viewpoint to the village or into the area above it. This offers a choice of different landscapes and routes.

Hiking trails with different highlights

The “Chemin faisant, de Chaumont à St-Blaise” route passes through Enges and offers the chance to experience the contrasting landscapes on the southern slope of the first Jura range. It is 13.4 kilometres long, with a walking time of four hours. These details provide a concrete basis for planning your schedule. The four hours refer to walking time; allow additional time for breaks in your own day’s itinerary. Check trail conditions before setting out.

The Chaumont–Cressier route offers a different perspective. It leads from the Chaumont viewpoint down through pastures to Enges. Towards Cressier, it passes through flowering forests and pastures. The descent from the viewpoint and the landscapes along the rest of the route are its defining landmarks. When choosing between the routes described, you can weigh a specific walking time against a route whose landscape sections are the main focus.

Water trails and flooding

The Tour de l’Eau is a permanent hiking trail about the floods of June 2021. This trail combines a hike with a specific flooding event; the trail itself is permanent, while any programme on the day of the event is separate and tied to a specific date.

The Grand Tour de l’Eau has a different focus: it leads to the sources of the Ruhaut and Mortrux, reaches the area above Enges and then descends to Frochaux. Its springs, elevation and direction give this route its distinctive character. Along with the trails through pastures and forests, it shows that the hiking options are not limited to a single type of landscape or a single theme.

Chapelle d’Enges and local history

The Chapelle d’Enges is a monument of regional importance. It was dedicated to Notre Dame des Anges on 13 March 1678. A fresco on the eastern wall of the nave was painted between 1940 and 1945 by Michel Kali, a Polish internee. The chapel also has six non-figurative stained-glass windows by the Fribourg artist Emile Aebischer, known as “Yoki”. A fresco designed as a tapestry depicting the history of refugees shows the Three Lakes region as seen from Enges. These works of art give the village’s history an artistic and historical dimension.

Historical connections can also be found beyond the chapel: the road from Enges to Hauterive was built by Polish internees during the Second World War. A later change also shaped the village’s development. Until the early 1980s, Enges was predominantly agricultural; it then developed into a residential community. Together with its elevated setting, views across the Plateau and the Alps, and varied hiking trails, this gives a multifaceted picture of the village.

Discover more destinations: Neuchâtel, Saint-Blaise Ne, Cressier Ne, Thielle-Wavre

For the broader travel overview: Neuchâtel.