Gorges du Seyon

Useful Information

Location:	(46.9896958, 6.9116033)
Open:	no restrictions. [2026]
Fee:	free. [2026]
Classification:	Gorge
Light:	n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Gorges du Seyon.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1537	Jehanne de Hochberg authorizes Coinchely to build a mill at the Gor.
1579	flood destroys the first mill.
1614	mill bought by Jean Chambrier, completely rebuilt with three wheels.
1796	merchant Jean Andrès from Romanshorn buys the mill and erects a brewery named La Grande Maison.
1906	conservation of the buildings and site of Gor by Monuments and Sites.
1906	purchased by the City of Neuchâtel to create an industrial zone.
1950-1953	used as municipal garbage dump.
1985	purchased by Chantal and Philippe Grae, transformed into a restaurant.
1986	Gor du Vauseyon Association founded.
1991	Prussian House becomes a romantic hotel-restaurant.
2006-2015	historic waterwheels rebuilt.

Description

The Gorges du Seyon is a Klus of the Jura. The Jura is formed by folds with the axis running southwest to northeast. As a result there are valleys and mountains ridges running in the same direction. Rivers draining to the north or south have the problem to cross the mountain ridges or anticlinals. Some do this underground, as the area is karstified, others have cut deep gorges into the mountain ridges which cross the ridge to the next parallel valley. These are the gorges called Klus.

The Seyon river emerges in a small karst spring near Villiers at 830 m asl. Near Valangin the river crosses the southern ridge of the Jura in a gorge which ends in Neuchâtel. Numerous floods, which damaged the city Neuchâtel made a tunnel necessary which drains the river from here directly into the Neuchâtel lake. There is a park at the ruins of the Gor de Vauseyon mill, right in the middle of the city. At the lower end of the small park is the waterfall Gor de Vauseyon, after which the mill was named and right here the water goes underground to cross the city. The hike through the gorge starts here upstream, following the river on the eastern side, opposite the motorway for 4 km uphill gaining about 100 m.