Discover Delémont and find hotels

Delémont brings together several specific interests for visitors: restored old town buildings, regional history, railway heritage and nature watching. If you are looking for hotels in Delémont, you can consider which of these themes you would like to shape your trip. The places and activities described are quite distinct—from a permanent exhibition and a historic chapel to a nature reserve.

Old Town and Market Dates

Delémont’s old town has many historic buildings that have been excellently restored. Jura Tourisme offers a guided tour of the old town and its historic lanes. Alongside the buildings, there is also a guided activity that explicitly takes visitors through the historic lanes.

A weekly market takes place in the old town every Wednesday and Saturday morning, with an additional fair held monthly. These recurring dates may be relevant when planning the timing of your stay. If you want to plan your trip around a particular market or fair date, check in advance whether it falls within your travel period.

Regional History at the Museum

The Musée jurassien d’art et d’histoire presents a permanent exhibition about events that shaped the Jura region and its inhabitants. The collection complements this regional perspective with individual historical objects: it includes an ornate bishop’s staff from the 7th century, considered the oldest known example of its kind in the world. The history of an entire region is thus presented alongside a particularly notable item in the collection.

The museum offers independent and guided activities, as well as outdoor activities, for visitors of all ages. If you would like to consider different formats for your museum visit, you can include these activities as a separate part of your trip planning. The permanent exhibition and the activities are distinct aspects of the museum’s offerings: the former focuses on events that shaped the region, while the latter offer different ways to engage.

Vorbourg: Chapel and Castle Ruins

The Notre-Dame du Vorbourg Chapel was rebuilt in 1586 and restored in 1969/70. Inside the chapel are a 17th-century statue of the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child, described as miraculous, as well as numerous ex-votos.

The ruins of a feudal castle also remain at Vorbourg. The castle was inhabited by the Knights of Telsperg from the 11th to the 15th century. The surviving ruins and the history of their former inhabitants turn the focus to a different period from the chapel’s rebuilding and restoration dates. Together, the two subjects offer a way to explore Vorbourg through its religious heritage and medieval history.

Rotonde CFF: Railway Heritage

The Rotonde CFF is a former locomotive shed dating from 1889. Its polygonal, semicircular hall has 13 gates and a central turntable; historic steam locomotives are also housed there. The architecture and preserved locomotives tell different sides of railway history: the distinctive design of the site and its former use as a locomotive shed.

Those interested in visiting the Rotonde CFF can contact the CFF railway station. This is a practical note for planning your visit: contact the station if you would like to include the Rotonde in your trip.

Réserve du Colliard: Nature and Walks

The Réserve du Colliard lies east of Delémont, near the Sorne’s confluence with the Birs, and is used for birdwatching. This gives it a different focus from the old town and its historic buildings. For visitors interested in birdwatching, this natural setting is a specific complement to the city’s cultural history.

Residents of Delémont value the reserve as a starting point for walks on foot or by bicycle along the Birse towards Soyhières, as well as on the way to Courroux. Birdwatching and the walks appreciated by local residents offer two distinct reasons to include the reserve in your trip plans.

Delémont in the Delémont Basin

Delémont extends along both banks of the Sorne, shortly before it flows into the Birs, at the northern edge of the Delémont Basin. The basin is a broad depression in the northern Jura. This setting situates the city in its landscape and complements the individual cultural and natural themes with a broader geographical overview.

Delémont lies 28 kilometres south-west of Basel as the crow flies and approximately halfway between Basel and Biel/Bienne. The straight-line distance is a guide to the city’s location, not a road distance or travel time. This helps you place Delémont geographically when planning your trip, while your choice of hotel may depend above all on which of the city’s aspects you would like to experience.

Discover more destinations: Soyhières, Courfaivre, Undervelier, Bourrignon, Vermes, Glovelier, Courroux, Rebeuvelier

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