Villiers Ne – Mills, Fountains and Trails to Chasseral

Two themes stand out when choosing Villiers Ne as a hotel destination: trails towards Chasseral and the history of the mills along the Seyon. Historic fountains, a protected village landscape and regional cuisine round out the range of experiences. You can tailor your stay to whether you would rather hike or explore traces of cultural history.

Routes towards Chasseral

The “Chasseral par la Combe Biosse” hike starts in Villiers at an altitude of 740 metres. It is 15 kilometres long, with an estimated walking time of 4 hours and 30 minutes. Both the technical difficulty and the endurance required are rated as moderate. The trail passes through the wild Combe Biosse below Chasseral and descends through the forests and pastures of Chasseral. The estimated time and the two difficulty ratings help you plan this route as a day trip.

The “Vers Chasseral (chemin chouette n°2)” circular trail starts and ends in Villiers and is 21 kilometres long. It reaches Chasseral via a route with impressive rock faces and deep beech forests. By comparison, one option is a 15-kilometre route with an estimated walking time of 4 hours and 30 minutes, while the other is a 21-kilometre loop that returns to its starting point.

The Chemin des Pionniers leads from Villiers to Les Hauts-Geneveys and follows in the footsteps of the Jura pioneers. It runs from Villiers to Vue des Alpes, passing farms, remote villages and métairies; the trails follow dry-stone walls known as boviducs. Check the trail conditions before setting out on this route.

Following the traces of water and mills

The remains of mills in Villiers can be seen along the first 500 metres of the Seyon, starting at the foot of Chaumont. The facilities on the upper Seyon included two mills and a battoir, also called a rebatte. They were in operation until the beginning of the 20th century and are considered proto-industrial heritage. At the Moulin du Haut, the mill wheel measured 10.2 metres in diameter. The Moulins du Bas had a twin-wheel system with wheels measuring 9.7 and 8.3 metres, which powered a mill and a sawmill. The different measurements illustrate the technical diversity of the facilities.

The “Balade 5 – Par la Rincieure” hike also passes through Villiers. Its theme is water, soil and the human activities associated with them. These include springs, fountains, underground groundwater resources, streams and mills. If you would like to consider the relationship between the landscape and its former uses while hiking, this route offers a different focus from the trails to Chasseral.

Villiers is one of eight protected village landscape perimeters recognised by Val-de-Ruz. The village has 18th-century limestone fountains, including examples dated 1780 and 1781 bearing the initials of the municipal officials; there are also granite fountains. The different materials and dated examples add further historical detail to the village landscape.

Landscape, cuisine and getting there

There is a viewpoint over the valley from Clémesin. The Seyon rises near Villiers in Val-de-Ruz, on the north slope of Grand Chaumont. Today, it runs almost in a straight line between Villiers and La Rincieure; its former meanders are no longer present there.

The Café-Restaurant Métairie de Clémesin in Villiers serves regional cuisine. From the dining room, you can see the kitchen, the bread oven and the large fireplace. A yew-wood ceiling is said to be over a thousand years old. The transN 422 line connects Neuchâtel and Villiers in both directions. If you are planning your journey around it, check the timetable for your travel date.

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

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