A church with a possible Romanesque origin, a fountain dating from 1740 and trails of varying difficulty give Boudevilliers several points of interest for a stay. You can get to know the village through its architectural and commemorative history, or focus on hiking or cycling. For planning, it is worth distinguishing between the trails by difficulty and navigation requirements, and factoring in current dates for your arrival or an evening of stargazing.
Church, Architectural History and Remembrance
The church in Boudevilliers is dedicated to St. James. In 1925, the foundations of a semicircular apse were uncovered beneath the choir of the Temple de Boudevilliers. This archaeological discovery suggests that the church may have Romanesque origins. The school building was built between 1890 and 1892 by Jean BĂ©guin; another dated landmark is the fountain from 1740, which bears the names of governors David Jeanberthoud and Jonas-Pierre Guyot.
A monument in the cemetery commemorates the soldiers of the Armée de l’Est who died in Landeyeux in 1871. It was inaugurated on 23 February 1873. Farmhouses stand along the former road to Malvilliers. In the public garden stands D’eux – a work by Aloïs Dubach dating from 1992. Arnold Henri Guyot is also part of the village’s history: the geologist, geographer and meteorologist was born in Boudevilliers in 1807. Together, these landmarks offer different ways to explore the village, from religious and architectural heritage to commemorative culture and public art.
Landscape and Trails of Varying Difficulty
Landscape features of Boudevilliers include the descent along the Ruz d’Amont to La Borcarderie and the Grandes Pradières mountain pasture. There are trails with different profiles for hiking. The Chemins Chouettes’ Balade 7, “Perspectives Sud-Ouest,” passes through Boudevilliers, Malvilliers and La Jonchère. Its technical difficulty is rated as easy.
By contrast, the Malvilliers–Boudevilliers educational trail is quite demanding and divided into 16 stages. It passes through the forest and by the remains of granite block quarrying. Its topics range from geology, history and ethnology to forestry and agriculture; it also explains how people and their environment have interacted over the centuries. The trail is not signposted. A 1:25,000 map of Val-de-Ruz is recommended for navigation. Good hiking boots are advisable in wet weather. As trail conditions can change, check conditions before setting out.
Cycling and Further Trip Planning
The Boudevilliers pump track offers riding lanes totalling 180 metres and is intended for cycling enthusiasts of all experience levels. Picnic tables are available at the pump track. Dimensions and facilities may change, so check the latest information before your visit. As an alternative to the hiking trails, this activity has a distinctly different focus on cycling.
For travel, bus line 154 runs via Valangin, Boudevilliers, Les Geneveys-sur-Coffrane, Coffrane and Montmollin, continuing on to Val-de-Travers. Check the timetable for your travel date. In Malvilliers, the Société Neuchâteloise d’Astronomie holds public observing evenings at the observatory two or three times a month on Fridays throughout the year, weather permitting. If you plan to attend, check the latest event calendar and weather conditions.
When choosing Boudevilliers as a place to stay, you can base your decision on your travel interests: local history, the technically easy Balade, the more demanding educational trail or the pump track each offer a different focus. For each activity, check the relevant navigation information and current conditions rather than treating the different trails as a single offering.
Discover more destinations: Cernier, Dombresson, Fontaines, Fontainemelon, Villiers Ne, Montmollin, Les Hauts-Geneveys, La Vue Des Alpes.
For the main travel overview: Val-De-Ruz.
