Neuchâtel

The city of Neuchâtel, the French-speaking capital of the Swiss canton Neuchâtel, lies on the northern shore of Lake Neuchâtel. Its medieval old town spreads beneath the Château de Neuchâtel, a castle begun in the 12th century. The adjacent Collégiale is a Gothic church from the same period. In the Jura Mountains west of the city, Creux du Van is an amphitheaterlike canyon with hiking trails and panoramic views.