Neuchâtel Old Town
Vieille ville de Neuchâtel
An old town built of yellow Jura limestone, which Alexandre Dumas likened to a city carved from butter, with fountains and a central market square.
Much of Neuchâtel's old town is built from local yellow limestone, which glows cream-colored in the sunlight. Alexandre Dumas described it as a “toy town carved out of butter.” At its heart is the Place des Halles, where the Renaissance-style Maison des Halles (16th century) stands. The surrounding streets are lined with painted statue fountains, such as the Fountain of Justice and the Standard-Bearer Fountain, as well as arcades and cafés. A farmers' market is held on Saturday mornings, and the wine festival on the last weekend of September features parade floats. The old town, the castle and the lakeside are all within a 10-minute walk of one another, and it is free.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Neuchâtel Castle & Collegiate Church
- Lake Neuchâtel Promenade & Boat Cruise
- Museum of Art and History of Neuchâtel
- Hôtel DuPeyrou
- Ethnography Museum of Neuchâtel
- Valangin Castle
- Laténium
- Chaumont