Saint-Blaise Ne: Fountains, Architectural History and Lake

Saint-Blaise Ne is a municipality in the canton of Neuchâtel on the northern shore of Lake Neuchâtel. The village lies at the southern foot of the Jura and extends along both sides of the Le Ruau stream. The lake, stream and foot of the Jura give the area several distinct landscape features. The themes for a stay are also clearly distinct: architectural history in the village, fountains along the Ruau, paths through forests and vineyards, and activities on the water. You can explore Saint-Blaise according to the interests that matter to your trip.

Buildings and Village History

The present-day Temple de Saint-Blaise is a 15th-century building. Its remarkable bell tower and stair tower were built by Claude Paton from 1516 onward. The Maison de la Dîme has a different architectural emphasis: the building dates from 1581 and features a hexagonal stair tower and a richly decorated Renaissance gable façade. At the temple, two towers shape the impression; at the Maison de la Dîme, it is the combination of the stair tower and Renaissance gable. Comparing the two draws attention to different architectural features and historical details.

For the 2022–2025 restoration campaign, the project at the temple aimed to preserve its potential as a reception venue, modernise its technical facilities and, at the same time, respect its historic fabric. Another historic local landmark is the Chemin du Diable, which leads to the Vy d’Etra above present-day Saint-Blaise.

The Fontaine Mario Botta stands at the Port de St-Blaise. Its three large wheels symbolise the zeros in the millennium celebration of the village, held in 2011. The design thus refers to the village anniversary. A visit to the fountain can be combined with the «La Balade des 12 Fontaines au fil du Ruau» trail.

Fountain Trail and Scenic Walks

The Balade des 12 Fontaines follows the Ruau and showcases twelve fountains in Saint-Blaise, built between 1642 and 2011. On this circular walk, you can discover eleven other historic village fountains in addition to the Fontaine Mario Botta. It starts and ends in Saint-Blaise. The family-friendly walk is 2 km long, includes 64 m of ascent and has a stated duration of 27 minutes. The date range from 1642 to 2011 brings fountains from several centuries together along one route.

The St-Blaise–Le Landeron hike offers a different perspective. It passes through forests and vineyards at the foot of Chaumont and offers views of the Canal de la Thielle, the Three Lakes Region and the Bernese Alps. While the fountain trail focuses on fountains in the village, this hike puts the landscape and views centre stage. The two routes therefore offer different focuses for exploring on foot.

Experiences on Lake Neuchâtel

Plage de Saint-Blaise offers an area protected from currents and sun for swimming and relaxing. Saint-Blaise is also home to a windsurfing spot on the northern shore of Lake Neuchâtel. When choosing activities on the water, you can therefore choose between a sheltered swimming and relaxation area and windsurfing.

Discover more destinations: Neuchâtel, Enges, Cressier Ne, Thielle-Wavre.

For the overview of the wider region: Neuchâtel.