Concise: Lake, stilt houses and vineyards

Concise lies between the lake and the mountains. Places to explore during your stay include the small pebble beach by the harbour, marked trails and prehistoric and medieval heritage sites.

Beach and harbour

Concise has a lakeside beach and a marina. The small pebble beach is next to the harbour and bordered by reeds. Facilities include a picnic table and a barbecue area; the beach also offers views of the Alps. There is a playground near the beach. It is a suitable setting for a family day out. The lakeshore offers specific spots where you can take a break, without limiting your stay to a single activity.

Explore the Sentier du Cerf

The Sentier du Cerf has three signposted routes for discovering the landscapes and historical heritage of Concise and Corcelles. The Sentier du Cerf is 7.8 kilometres long, takes approximately two hours and is rated easy. The estimated duration can help you plan the route as part of your day. It starts and ends at the Gare–Plage de Concise trailhead. Parking and a bus stop for the Sentier du Cerf are at the railway station.

The route includes a game for children aged five to ten. A small explorer’s bag containing discovery materials is sold at the harbour in Concise. As route details may change, check the latest information before setting out. Also check the current availability of the explorer’s bag before your visit.

Stilt houses and church

There were 28 successive stilt-house villages in the same locations within the territory of Concise. The prehistoric stilt-house settlements have been protected as cantonal historical monuments since 1900. Cantonal archaeology considers them among Europe’s most important archaeological sites for stilt-house remains. Their number and sequence point to a long history of settlements in these places.

The Church of Saint John the Baptist dates from the late 11th century and is first mentioned in 1228. Its five-lobed rose window was made around 1883–1885 by Daniel Doret, a sculptor and marble worker in Vevey. The stained-glass windows in the choir tell the history of Concise and Corcelles. They also display the coats of arms of the Counts of Savoy, the Lords of Grandson, the Diocese of Lausanne, and the common bailiwicks of Bern and Fribourg. At the church, you can see both a specific architectural detail and traces of regional history.

La Lance and the Raisse quarry

The Chartreuse de La Lance was built in the 13th century in the Diaz valley. It was founded in 1317 under the influence of Pierre de Grandson, Lord of Belmont. It was intended to seal the newly concluded peace with the Lords of Neuchâtel and serve as a family necropolis. The intact Gothic cloister dates from 1318. The chapel dedicated to the Virgin was built between 1318 and 1328 and later converted into a wine press and a library.

The Chartreuse is privately owned; visits are possible by appointment only. Confirm that a visit is possible before you go. La Lance also offers guided tours with tastings. East of the La Lance estate, the Raisse quarry, also called the Carrière de La Lance, can be seen in a clearing. Its sloping working face has several grooves that were used to mark out the blocks to be quarried; several stone blocks are still there. The white-yellow limestone was quarried in Roman times and used, for example, in Roman monuments in Avenches. The cloister, chapel and quarry offer different ways to explore the history of the area.

Vineyards and routes

Concise is in the Bonvillars appellation wine-growing region. The Bonvillars AOC Wine Tour passes through the appellation’s vineyards and wine-growing villages of Champagne, Onnens, Corcelles-près-Concise and Concise. The Bonvillars Vineyard Route is based on SuisseMobile Route No. 476 and includes stops in Concise’s old town and at the harbour. The wine tour focuses on vineyards and several wine-growing villages; the Bonvillars Vineyard Route includes stops in Concise itself. Depending on whether you would rather explore the appellation’s vineyards or places within the municipality, the routes offer different points of interest.

Discover more destinations: Champvent, Cronay, Vugelles-La Mothe, L'auberson, Romainmôtier-Envy, Baulmes, Sainte-Croix, Mathod.

For the full travel overview: Northern Vaud Jura.