Discover Montagny-Près-Yverdon

Several layers of history meet in Montagny-Près-Yverdon: from Roman traces and the medieval castle to cultural traditions today. The town is also home to the Reformed church, La Brinaz railway station and an indoor golf facility. These varied topics can help you get your bearings as you learn about the town and its offerings for a stay.

Getting your bearings and getting there

La Brinaz station is located within the municipality on the Yverdon–Sainte-Croix railway line. It has been adapted to modern platform standards, with improved pedestrian access and greater comfort while waiting. If you plan to travel by train, check the timetable for your chosen day. Yverdon-les-Bains town centre is about three kilometres from Montagny-Près-Yverdon as the crow flies.

Castle history and Roman traces

Montagny Castle was built in the 11th century. It was destroyed in 1475 and subsequently left to decay. The tower of the old castle ruins is protected as a historic monument. This timeline highlights the difference between the medieval castle and its present-day state: the castle is a place of history, while the protected tower survives as a ruin.

The Roman past is also part of the town’s history. A Roman road between Yverdon and Sainte-Croix once crossed the area. In 1862, a Roman milestone bearing the name of the Roman Emperor Caracalla was discovered in Montagny. Bois des Planches is also home to a cup-marked stone from the Neolithic period weighing more than a tonne. Together, these remains point to different periods and forms of human use of the area.

Church and cultural life

The present-day church in Montagny was built in 1769 and has two very old bells. Its stained-glass windows depict the tablets of the Law and an open Bible with a quotation from John 1:17. A painting of the Descent from the Cross by the artist Louis Rivier (1885–1963) has hung on the west wall of the nave since April 2017. If you would like to visit the Reformed church, contact the pastor or the municipal administration.

The Temple in Montagny-Près-Yverdon hosts the “Montagny – Baroque” concert series by Concerts de Grandson; individual concert dates may vary. Another recurring village event is the Fête de l’Abbaye Militaire. This traditional celebration is organised by the Abbaye Militaire de Montagny and takes place every two years. During Advent, a large illuminated star is lit at an annual village celebration, where it remains alight until the first days of January. If you would like to plan your trip around an event, check the specific dates before making arrangements.

Golf and the surrounding landscape

The Indoor Golf Club in Montagny-Près-Yverdon offers a golf simulator that players of all skill levels can use at any time and in any weather. Access is self-service after booking online: a personal one-time code opens the electronic lock to the premises. This makes the activity different from the town’s cultural offerings, with its practical focus on playing golf.

Further afield, hiking trails wind through vineyards, river valleys such as the Arnon Valley, and wetlands near Lake Neuchâtel. The Brinaz stream runs through the municipality. The La Brinaz restoration project concerns Montagny-Près-Yverdon and improves ecological connectivity between protected habitats along the lakeshore and natural areas that are still well preserved in the upper catchment. Alongside history and events, the landscape and ecological connections are therefore part of the wider regional context of a stay.

Discover more destinations: Romainmôtier-Envy, Bullet Vd, Yverdon-Les-Bains, Les Rasses, Baulmes, La Praz, Donneloye, Vallorbe.

See the overview of the wider region: Northern Vaud Jura.