Auvernier on Lake Neuchâtel

30 June 2021

One of the many beautiful villages in Switzerland is located on Lake Neuchâtel. The wine and fishing village of Auvernier was already inhabited around 5000 BC.

When the lake’s water level dropped during the first works of the Juragewässerkorrektion (1868-1891), the remains of stilt houses from the first centuries B.C. were found.

The Bay of Auvernier provides shelter and lends itself well to this purpose. Due to its sheltered location, a marina has also been established.

The name Auvernier first appears in a document from 1011, designated as “Averniacum”. Rudolf III (970-1032), king of the kingdom of Burgundy (888-1032), gave the village to his wife Ermengarde of Neuchâtel.

Winegrowing and fishing have long dominated the village’s economy. The beautiful houses and wine cellars from the 16th and 17th centuries bear witness to this past. They are located on the Grand Rue, which is still the centre of the village.

Today, Auvernier is a commuter village with artists’ and craftsmen’s workshops, as well as a lakeside beach. However, the views, including those of the Alps, are still picturesque, from the Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau, and sometimes the Mont Blanc.