Cernier: Evologia, Gardens and Art

Cernier brings together a range of themes to help you plan your stay: Evologia is dedicated to the canton of Neuchâtel’s cultural, agricultural and landscape heritage. There are also gardens, a hike that starts and ends in the village, and art and architecture. If you’re looking for a hotel in Cernier, these highlights can help you plan your time in the area around your interests.

Evologia: Agriculture, Landscape and Permaculture

Evologia covers about 20 hectares and presents different aspects of the canton of Neuchâtel’s cultural, agricultural and landscape heritage across several areas. The site is located on the grounds of the former cantonal agricultural school, founded in 1885–1886; Evologia also includes the Grange aux Concerts. The size of the site and the breadth of its themes offer a different focus from the individual art and architecture points in the village.

A former apple orchard at Evologia has been transformed into an educational area dedicated to permaculture. A stream, four ponds and a variety of plantings form the backbone of the visit to this project. Check the current layout before your visit. This will help you distinguish the historical information about the former orchard from the project’s specific landscape features.

Gardens and Animal Park

The Jardins Extraordinaires are open year-round and free of charge; individual installations may be seasonal. During the season, a walk through the gardens takes you past various artistic designs that change from year to year. Local flora is also part of the walk. The visit thus combines nature and art, while the seasonal offering is not limited to a fixed design.

The P’tit Parc des paillotes is an animal park developed by the Association Pro Evologia with contributions from several breeders in the region. It is open from mid-May to the end of October; visits and admission are free. Check seasonal details before your trip if a visit to this park is important to your plans.

Guided Tour or Orienteering Game

Espace Abeilles is an educational apiary near Evologia in Cernier. Guided tours of the gardens and exhibition are available and last about 1.5 hours. Check booking details before your trip. If you’re interested in bees, you can factor a guided tour with a set programme and approximate duration into your plans.

Evologia also offers families four free orienteering games, which are completed independently and focus on the site and the species that live there. Orion le machaon explores a butterfly’s life cycle at six stations and follows a barefoot trail. The activities differ in format: Espace Abeilles centres on a guided tour, while the orienteering games are explored independently.

Hiking Around Cernier

The Autour du Seyon hike starts and ends in Cernier. It follows the river and passes through villages and historic sites on the Val-de-Ruz plain. The route thus combines clearly defined starting and finishing points with several landscape and village features. As route conditions can change seasonally, check them before setting off.

For broader hiking plans, there are hiking opportunities in Val-de-Ruz between Chasseral and Vue des Alpes. This is a regional complement to the specific Autour du Seyon hike, not the same route description. This distinction can help you choose between a route that starts and ends in Cernier and the region’s more general hiking options.

Art and Architecture in the Village

The village’s buildings and art also offer a reason to take a closer look at Cernier. The Protestant church has modern stained-glass windows by Aloys Perregaux. The stained-glass windows in the Catholic church depict the patron saints of the former parishes of Val-de-Ruz and date from 1909. The two churches’ stained-glass themes thus differ both in their historical context and in their connection to the region.

In the village square, Patrick Honegger’s 1991 sculpture La petite suite stands beside an 18th-century fountain. At No. 6 Rue de l’Epervier, the Hôtel-de-Ville features 19th-century architecture. These individual sights offer a different perspective on Cernier from Evologia’s extensive landscape and agricultural themes. At the Evologia site, a mechanical enthusiast presents a remarkable collection of vintage tractors to the public at Tractorama.

Discover more destinations: Savagnier, La Vue Des Alpes, Le Pâquier, Fontainemelon, Les Geneveys-sur-Coffrane, Dombresson, Boudevilliers, Fontaines.

For the broader travel overview: Val-De-Ruz.