La Chaux-de-Fonds / Le Locle, townscape of the watchmaking industry
About this place
The towns of Le Locle and La Chaux-de-Fonds are unique witnesses to an entire industrial era. They are examples of a successful symbiosis between town planning and the watchmaking industry. Their inclusion on the UNESCO list confirms, at international level, that La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle serve as a kind of reference centre for the watchmaking industry. This in turn leads to greater appreciation and protection of this Neuchâtel cultural heritage. To understand the historical value of these towns, you need to look at them with a curious eye. That way, you can see their hidden sides. For example, the architecture, which gives great priority to light, and the urban structure, which makes traffic easier. Streets, buildings and factories were built to serve the needs of the emerging watchmaking industry. This in turn became the symbol of the whole region. On guided tours, on foot or by tourist train, you can discover the famous chequerboard town layout. It recalls American cities and is characteristic of the well-known Swiss watchmaking towns La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle. The accompanying explanations for these town tours take you back to the 19th century, when the watchmaking industry flourished in the Neuchâtel Jura. The various brochures on watchmakers, Art Nouveau or Le Corbusier are an excellent way to discover the charm and history of the watchmaking metropolis and the city of precision.