Page 152 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Switzerland

Ornate clocks at the Musée
International d’Horlogerie
at La Chaux-de-Fonds

24
Franches-Montagnes
EXPERIENCE Western Switzerland 23 some 3,000 pieces from juratourisme.ch
! B3 £ @ n Saignelégier,
6 Place du 23 Juin; www.

The part of the Jura moun-
tains that lies within the
canton of Jura itself are known
as the Franches-Montagnes.
The area received its name in
around the world illustrates
La Chaux-de-Fonds
the 14th century, when the
the history of timekeeping
! B3 £ @ n 1 Rue Espacité;
owned the territory that now
antiquity to state-of-the-art
032 889 68 95
instruments able to record
constitutes the canton of Jura,
If Le Locle is the birthplace from its beginnings in prince-bishop of Basel, who
granted its inhabitants a
time lapses of infinitesimal
of the Swiss watchmaking fractions of a second. Many of franchise, or exemption from
industry, La Chaux-de-Fonds the most impressive-looking taxation, in order to encourage
may be regarded as its cradle. pieces on display were made migration to this sparsely
The largest town in the in La Chaux-de-Fonds during populated region.
canton of Neuchâtel, La the town’s apogee. Musical, The Franches-Montagnes
Chaux-de-Fonds lies in the astrononomical, atomic and lie at an altitude of 1,000–
Jura at an altitude of 1,000 m quartz clocks are also on 1,100 m (3,300–3,600 ft). With
(3,280 ft). Introduced to the display. The museum has spruce and fir forests, undu-
town in the early 18th audiovisual facilities, a library lating pastures and prettily
century, watchmaking was and a restoration workshop picturesque low houses, this
initially a cottage industry. In for antique clocks and outstandingly beautiful
time it was industrialized, and watches. At the entrance is a plateau has extensive hiking
La Chaux-de-Fonds became tubular steel carillon that trails, and cycling and cross-
the leading centre of Swiss sounds every 15 minutes. country skiing routes. It is
watchmaking. The industry La Chaux-de-Fonds is also also famous for its sturdy
reached its peak in the late the birthplace of the modern- breed of horses.
18th and 19th centuries. ist architect Charles-Édouard The region’s principal town
After it was destroyed by Jeanneret (1887–1965), known is Saignelégier. Every year, in
a fire in 1794, the town was as Le Corbusier, from the
rebuilt to a grid pattern, French word “le corbeau” or
with long, wide avenues. It “the raven”. Before he moved
is now dotted with a number to Paris in 1917, Le Corbusier
of modernist buildings. built several houses here, and
The illustrious past of La an itinerary taking in buildings
Chaux-de-Fonds is celebrated that he designed and places
in the magnificent Musée associated with him is
International d’Horlogerie. available from the town’s
The museum’s collection of tourist office.
Musée International
d’Horlogerie
Did You Know? " ⌂ 29 Rue des Musées
# 10am–5pm Tue–Sun
La Brevine has the ∑ mih.ch
record for the coldest
temperature on the
lowlands(-41.5° C/
-42.7° F) The Creux de Van,
Western Switzerland’s
“Grand Canyon”
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