The best city hikes and walks around Pontarlier

Housed in an old mansion (painted ceilings, modern stained glass windows), this city museum tells the history of the city.

Very pretty little town.

The Église Saint-Bénigne in Pontarlier is a church dating from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. This church combines Romanesque, Gothic and Franc-Comtoise style elements. The striking clocher porch is topped with an imperial domed roof, also known as a clocher comtois, a traditional feature of Franche-Comté. The roof is covered with glazed tiles. The Église Saint-Bénigne is located in the Haut-Doubs and is dedicated to Saint Bénigne. Since May 19, 1970, the building has been registered as a historical monument. Historically, the church was almost completely rebuilt between 1651 and 1666 on the same site as an original 11th century Romanesque church, of which almost nothing remains (except a 15th century portal). This happened after the passage of the troops of Duke Bernard de Saxe-Weimar during the Thirty Years' War. In 1666 the church was rededicated in honor of Saint Bénigne. The church has suffered serious damage over time from two fires, one in 1680 and one during the Pontarlier fire of 1736. The clocher porch was rebuilt in 1681, and the imperial dome was added in 1753 by architect Nicolas Nicole. In 1970 the church underwent a major restoration, and in 1974 new stained glass windows were created by artist Alfred Manessier and the Lorin de Chartres workshops. The organ, which dates from 1758 and is in Louis XV style, was restored in 1844 and again in 1982.

Pontarlier is a mountain town located 837 meters above sea level in the heart of the Jura Mountains. As the capital of Haut Doubs, it is located at the entrance to a vast area of protected natural areas, where forests, lakes and green meadows are essential for the production of Mont d'Or and Comté cheese. Pontarlier was once known worldwide for its production of absinthe at the beginning of the last century. Today, the city has revived this tradition, with two distilleries once again producing absinthe.

The triumphal arch was built in 1771 according to a design by the Knight of Arçon. In the 19th century a turret was added at the top. The monument commemorates the reconstruction of the city. Its counterpart, the Porte Saint-Martin in Paris, commemorates the French conquest of Franche-Comté in 1678.

It is a city gate - triumphal arch in the classical style of the 18th century. It has been listed as a historic monument since May 21, 19701 and dedicated to Saint-Pierre (one of the main apostles) since the 20th century. At the beginning of its history this gate was defensive and served as a fortification of the city, then it lost its military vocation and became the symbol of Pontarlier.

Gare / train station, Le Locle Train station - The train station, initially built of wood, was replaced in 1884 by the current building. The line between Le Locle and La Chaux-de-Fonds was opened on July 2, 1857 and was the first railway line in the canton of Neuchâtel. Text / Source: Text / Source: Jura Trois Lacs Three Lakes Country https://static.mycity.travel/manage/uploads/8/58/97841/2/la-chaux-de-fonds-le-locle-a-pied.pdf?regionFilters%5b%5d=0

THE MUSEUM - Musée d’horlogerie, Château des Monts The Le Locle Clock Museum originated from a cabinet of curiosities founded in 1849. This first institution aimed to bring together all the historical, archaeological, natural and mechanical curiosities of the region. In 1858, its collections were transferred to the brand new industrial school - the predecessor of our current secondary school. The museum then consisted of a considerable collection of natural history, with mammals, birds, reptiles, insects... as well as antiques, weapons and, above all, coins. Art was not present. Curiously, watchmaking was only represented sporadically. At that time, the museum was only open to the public one day a year, on school leaving day. It was not until 1951 that a small group was formed with the aim of rebuilding the museum. However, they faced a major problem: finding an appropriate place to display the collections. The acquisition of the Château des Monts therefore meets all of these expectations. In this magnificent setting, the watch museum can be revived and enriched with new collections. The inauguration of the Le Locle watch museum takes place on May 23, 1959 in the Château des Monts. Text / Source: Musée d’horlogerie, Château des Monts http://www.mhl-monts.ch/de/historique.php