Sainte-Croix: The heritage of music boxes and hiking trails

Sainte-Croix is shaped by the history of music boxes and mechanical art; at the same time, marked trails lead into the Gorges de Covatannaz and through the surrounding area. When planning your trip, it is helpful to distinguish between a guided exhibition visit, an educational trail that is freely accessible every day, and challenging hikes. This lets you compare different options using specific duration and distance information.

Music boxes and mechanical art in Sainte-Croix

MuMAPS was created by merging the Musée des Arts et Sciences, the Musée Baud and the Centre International de la Mécanique d’Art (CIMA). It presents the regional heritage of Sainte-Croix through music boxes, automata, typewriters and Bolex cameras. The museum is housed in a historic building erected by the Paillard company in 1900.

The permanent exhibition “Mécanique d’art. La fabrique du rêve” features music boxes, automata, orchestrions and gramophones. It is accessible only as part of a guided tour, which lasts 1 hour and 20 minutes. During guided visits, numerous pieces from the collection are set in motion in five exhibition rooms. This gives you both a specific access format and a set timeframe to plan around.

The Atelier du Dr Wyss offers another perspective on mechanical art: it reconstructs a historic music box workshop of the kind that existed from the late 19th to the early 20th century. The presentation conveys the working life of such a workshop and places it in a different timeframe from the history of the museum building.

A history recognised nationally and internationally

From the beginning of the 20th century, Sainte-Croix developed into the world capital of music boxes. In 1994, the Swiss Confederation recognised the town as the “cradle of the music box” and a centre of national importance. The region’s characteristic craft of making automata and music boxes is also among the watchmaking and mechanical art skills officially included in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

These details highlight different aspects: Sainte-Croix’s development into a music box town dates to the beginning of the 20th century, while federal recognition came in 1994. Together with the exhibitions, they offer a way to explore both the products of mechanical art and its history in Sainte-Croix.

Local history and gorge trails

The Balade Industrielle is a 3.5-kilometre educational trail that takes you to 18 notable buildings from the history of Sainte-Croix. It is freely accessible every day of the week. This lets you explore local history along a specific route without requiring a guided tour.

Another option is to walk from Sainte-Croix railway station through the Gorges de Covatannaz: the marked footpath leads either uphill to Sainte-Croix or downhill to Vuiteboeuf. The international Via Francigena route number 70 is an alternative return route. The trail passes old cart tracks, described as unique in Switzerland, as well as erratic boulders and bat caves.

The Rapilles-Covatannaz forest reserve also places the gorges in their landscape context. Established in 2013, the natural forest reserve includes, among other areas, the territory of Sainte-Croix. The surrounding region also includes the foothills of the Gorges de Covatannaz, with steep slopes, rock faces, limestone scree and specialised forests.

Compare hikes by distance and character

For a challenging circular hike starting from Sainte-Croix, two different distances are available. The Le Chasseron route is 12 kilometres long and leads to the highest peak in the Nord vaudois; it is rated difficult. The equally difficult Trail 17K Sainte-Croix is a 17-kilometre circular route with 953 metres of ascent. The distance, and the stated ascent for the trail, provide a concrete basis for comparison. Trail conditions and access to the summit at Le Chasseron may change seasonally; conditions and the recommended access for the trail may also vary. Check these details before setting out.

A shorter alternative with an archaeological focus is the Balade archéologique du Col des Étroits: this educational hike in Sainte-Croix takes about one hour and is approximately 2.8 kilometres long. It leads to a site used since the Bronze Age, probably as a Gallic lookout post and later by Roman soldiers. The archaeological interpretation is therefore explicitly described as probable. Signage and access conditions may change; check them before your visit.

Mountain bike routes starting or ending in Sainte-Croix

Several different mountain bike routes are also mentioned. The Aiguilles de Baulmes Bike starts and ends in Sainte-Croix and is marked as SuisseMobile route number 988. The Chasseron Bike is number 987; its route passes through Sainte-Croix, Col des Etroits, Mont de la Mayaz, Chasseron and Les Cluds before returning to Sainte-Croix. No route distance or express classification as a circular route is given. Route numbers may change as the trail network is updated; check the latest route details before your ride.

Discover more destinations: Romainmôtier-Envy, Les Rasses, L'auberson, Le Chenit, Villars-Burquin, Cronay, L'abbaye, Bonvillars.

For the broader travel overview: Northern Vaud Jura.