Fontaines can be explored through its star-shaped village centre and a number of very different local attractions. The centre includes the temple, the former schoolhouse, the presbytery and a restaurant. There are also memorials, fountains and excursion options in Val-de-Ruz. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Fontaines, you can first consider whether the village’s architectural history or the trails and landscapes of Val-de-Ruz are more important to you.
Village centre and the temple’s architectural history
The parish of Fontaines is documented as far back as 1228. Documents from the beginning of the 16th century record that the temple was dedicated to Saint Maurice. At the beginning of the same century, the temple was completely rebuilt, with the bell tower being the exception. Masons Daniel Dumont and Jacques Montandon built the tower in 1686. The choir, dating from the early 16th century, has a ribbed vault in the shape of a six-pointed star. Fragments of painted decoration from the 17th century have also been preserved inside. The building thus brings together a number of different historical details: its early dedication, the reconstruction and the later bell tower.
Fountains, a stele and basins
In front of Fontaines school stands a memorial fountain by André Ramseyer, inaugurated in 1951. An obelisk-shaped stele in the cemetery commemorates Henri Meyer. In the industrial area, a fountain by Paulo Röthlisberger depicts a shepherd and a dog; the work dates from 1966. The Bassins de Fontaines are also a local attraction and are located on the street of the same name. These local features differ in their locations and forms: memorials can be found by the school and in the cemetery, while the fountain with the shepherd and dog is in the industrial area.
Trails and landscapes in Val-de-Ruz
Val-de-Ruz lies between the lake and the mountains, roughly halfway between Neuchâtel and La Chaux-de-Fonds. The high-altitude trail above Val-de-Ruz offers views of neighbouring France, the Swiss Plateau and the Alps. Fields, forests and pastures shape the landscape, where activities such as hiking, mountain biking, skiing and snowshoeing are possible year-round. Remarkable tree-lined avenues connect the villages of Val-de-Ruz; they were named “Landscape of the Year 2022”.
The Chemins chouettes are educational hiking trails that invite visitors to discover the natural and cultural heritage of Val-de-Ruz in keeping with the principles of ecotourism. Chemin chouette No. 6 starts at La Vue des Alpes and ends in Les Geneveys-sur-Coffrane; along the way, it passes through natural areas with varied landscapes and a protected ecosystem. The nature trail “Traces & indices” also has local roots: pupils from Fontaines developed it with the support of their teachers. The trail was inaugurated on 9 May 2015 in the Landeyeux forest next to the hospital of the same name.
For cyclists, the “Balade à vélo dans les hauteurs de Neuchâtel” route starts in the centre of Fontaines. A winter hiking trail connects the La Vue des Alpes pass with Tête de Ran and runs alongside the cross-country ski trails. The routes thus differ in activity and course: a cycling tour starts in the village, while the winter hike connects two named points via the ski trail.
Regional specialities
Visitors can sample regional specialities at the métairies along many of the trails in Val-de-Ruz. The Manoir de la Poste is a restaurant at Grand-Rue 19 in Fontaines.
Discover more destinations: Cernier, Villiers Ne, Boudevilliers, La Vue Des Alpes, Montmollin, Le Pâquier, Savagnier, Dombresson.
Return to the regional travel overview: Val-De-Ruz.
